The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-15
SIN OF CONSTANTINE.
Elder Phelps Says 1t Is Handed
Down to Date.

Elder H F. Phelps discourse at The
WacOuta Street chapel last night was
on "The Future of Our Nation, Viewed
From the Standpoint Of PrOphesy and
History In part he said:
Although that future is yet unwritten as
history, it is even now reflected in no unmis-
! taxable lines, a picture which is dark with
injustice and marred by oppression, decep-
ton, intolerance and wrong OminOus clouds
are surely gathering, and right at hand may
be seen an image Of the dark past in a union
of religion with the state, an image to
which men will be required to yield in alb
ject submission or else suffer the conse-
Now, by the aid of the fash1ght of the
prophecy let us turn to that
time when religion and the state were first
image. 1t was in the beginning of the fourth
century, and Constantine was the man who
did it. All the intolerance and despotism of
succeeding ages was in that which he did;
for if the first step had not been taken the
last could never have been reached. Notice
a moment that which made the first step
possible, and we find parallel to the pres
ent time. WoTldiness had come into the
church, apostacy and unbelief. In a pride
of heart the church exalted Itself. and a false
theory of theocracy pervaded It. Constan-
Being a scheming politician, he espoused
the cause Of the apostacy that then
sailing under the guise of Christianity To
dupe his subjects through the influence of
the supernatural. he promulgated the vision
of the cross and the words of a white
winged being, who said by this you shall
conquer" From that time the cross was the
standard of his army. and by imperial edict
he made this apostacy, which was called
Christianity, the religion of his empire. With
out delay there arose a contest among the
contending sects to which church had
the right of way under the edict The de-
cision Of the courts varied according to the
strength of influence gained by the opposing
sects; but 1t was, after a hundred years or
more decided in favor of the Church OF
Rome.
AS for that Noted supreme court decision
| rendered Feb. 20, 1892, that this is Chris
tian nation, Constantine and the members
of that sovereign court had an indisputable
rlght TO decide all and any question of re-
| Eglon, for themselves as individuals. But
when they, by authority of their position
and speaking in their official position said
that the religion which thew had asnonSa5
should be the religion of the people they
went altogether too far. They assumed to
themselves authority that did not adhere IN
the imperial court, nor to the supreme court
1t was despotism in its beginning it was
ruin in It's end-g. And the dicta of the SUI
preme court is the very image of the first
| act in the drama of church and state union
The same old strife is now upon u.s. Which
religion shall it be? Professionalism or Cath
olcism? Justice Brewer said This is a
Christian nation; DR.. O'Gorman, of the
| Catholic university at Washington, D. C
said that this was Catholic Christian ma
ton, and so-called Protestants that If shan
be Protestant. But so far as results are con-
cerned, it matters not, for if either should
secure control of the state, intolerance and
persecution Will follow.
Out of this decision comes the prevailing
demand from the growing church party, for
national Sunday law. Last fall &C, 900 blank
petitions were sent out at one mailing from
the headquarters of the National Reform
party, and congress was deluged with these
petitions, and letters, and kilograms urging
favorable action upon the District of Co.
lumbia Sunday bill. and also upon a pro-
posed constitutional amendment bill, whereby
the name of the Deity should be inserted in
the national constitution. and Christ recog-
nized as king Of the nation. and the Bible as