The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-29
THE VOICE OF THE PULPIT
CHURCH AND STATE. AND RELIGIOUS
RELATIONSHIP TO RULE.
A short Discourse by the Rev. W. L.
Waite, Pastor of the Methodist
Church, Donald, =. c.

the powers that be are ordained or sod:
'Whoscever, therefore. resisteth the
power resisteth the ordinance of God"
Romans xiii, 1-2.
The relationship of the Christian church
to the civil government is a delicate one.
Not only does the organic law of the land
expressly declare that there shall be- no
union of church and state. but an abhor-
renee of such union has become so deeply
imbeded in the mental and moral fiber of
the nation that any attempt to bring it
about would produce a revolution. The
considerable opposition. though generally
unwise, which attends the discussion by
the pulpit of even a moral question after it
has become a political issue is but an evil
dence of this feeling.
And this principle of nonunion is we'll
grounded. The Founder of the church
Himself expressly declared that His king
dom is not of this world, and He smphat-
icaly refused to employ any physical power
for its establishment. The union of church
and state would be an abomlnation, and
the employment of civil or military power
to propagate religion must always be con-
demned in unmeasured terms. Still. there
is not, and should not be- any antagonism
between the two. and their relation though
delicate, is real, and must not be ignored
nor neglected.
The powers that be are ordained of God"
is the scriptural declaration, and it estab-
fishes the fact that civil government Is
divine institution. Alas! that too many,
even Of our best citizens fail to recognize
this, and are prone to defy or evade civil
law directly or indirectly, in greater or
less degree.
1t follows, then, that obedience to consti-
tuted authority is a. Christian duty. 1t is a
great mistake to suppose that obedience to
ecclesiastical law alone is sufficient to
cover all of ones obligation to God. 1t is
as much a sin against divine authority to
violate civil law as to break the law of
the church, for whatsoever resisteth the
power, resisteth the ordinance of God"
The times in which We live are troub-
lous. Wherever we turn we behold a state
of universal unrest The economic changes
wrought by the great discoveries and in
ventions of recent years have been so rapid
and far reaching that men have not been
able to adjust themselves to their changed
relations. Whole classes of men are not
irfrequently thrown out of employment by
single invention, and the skill which they
have been a lifetime in acquiring is found
to be useless. Glass has been frequently
arrayed against class. In public affairs
there is often a lamentable lack of honesty
and integrity; corruption has invaded every
department of government and has some
times soiled the judicial ermine; BOSS
ism" has become the order of the day
Vast multitudes from foreign lands have
flocked to our shores, bringing with them
a hatred and contempt for all law, begot-
ten by the wrongs and expressions endured
under their own governments and these
people have been admitted to citizenship
long before they have assimilated cur GUS
toms and laws Add to this the many de-
lays and dsappointments in the adminis-
tration of justice, and it can readily be
seen why Impotence and defiance of law
so largely exist. AS a result of this state
of affairs we behold a deep-seated preju-
dice against the courts, and a fear that
justice will not be melted out to offenders
If left to the usual processes of the law
Lynch law has become popular and our
land has been stained from ocean to ocean
with blood unlawfully she'd Even good
men have sometimes been betrayed into
participation in these violent and unlawful
acts by belief that in this way only could
justice be administered to the perpetrators
of diabolcal crimes.
But this is not the only form Of disobedi-
ence to civil and moral law; we see socie-
ties formed whose sole object is to secure
what they deem to be rights by other than
legal methods; capital and labor array
themselves against each other; we behold
strikes, lockouts boycotts and other unlaw-
full means used until the heart grows sick
with anticipation of the direful results in
the future. If the sentiment that advo-
Gates unlawful methods Of securing the
rights that are claimed is not checked it
must sooner or later end in anarchy. 4
Redress for grievances must be secured
by legal means. Our government is found
cd hxr h
surrendered part OF his individual liberty
for the good of the whole. Might has yield
ed to right. But in doing this each has re-
ceived a thousand times more than he has
surrendered. All the security to life and
property that we enjoy, all the blessings of
civil and religious freedom; aye, even the
very fabric of our government, must be
controlled by this principle. The preserva-
ton Of our liberties and the stability OF
our form of government depended upon
our respect for and adherence to this COM
pact. Paul commanded obedience TO civil
authority as a high Christian duty, and
that too, under governments which were
VIGOROUSLY unjust and corrupt. How much
greater our culpability if, when living I'M
der an infinitely more just and righteous
government where the ultimate seat of
sovereign power is in our own hands, we
be guilty of disObedience to law, and en-
gage in acts whose tendency Is to UNDER
mine and subvert the government :
Public opinion in this country is a mighty
force. Through it's powerful agency the
whole machinery of government can be
controlled. 1t Is with the individual then,
that the church shall exert it's influence
for right. More and more it is being rec
ognzed that there can be no really perma-
nent reform in the administration OF gov
eminent, whether II be municipal, State or
national. until there has first been an intel
lectual and moral uplift of the voting pop
ulation. Christianity has been a mighty
factor in government in eavening public
opinion, and is destined to play a still more
important part in this problem of sscur-
ing a healthy moral public sentiment. It's
sublime teachings, the dignity and worth
which ii attaches to man, the principle OF
the golden rule all conspire 10 produce a
higher idea of duty and a better character
in citizenship. Like the leayen which
woman hid in three measures of meal I'M
til the whole was leavened, these princi-
plies must slowly work their way into tho
hearts of the whole people and bring iEto
being a moral ideal so high and so pure as
tn break over all marty af1lia lions and NO.