Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1897-09-16
TEMPLES OF JUSTICE.

many that. by some strange coinci-
dence, accidental OF course. the court
and the Jail are located midway be-
tween the two churches OF Elko and
almost adjacent to them.
The mission Of each is supposed to
be the betterment OF society. The
law affects this purpose by means of
a set OF rules, the result of custom, OF
special action and Of legislation, but
expressing in combined form the gen.
eral will. and therefore the law of the
land. The church is guided in its
efforts. or at least it is presumed to
be guided. by body of laws laid
down in Scripture and known rs the
Divine word. There is. however. a
vital distinction between these two
forces for good. Each has its officers
to carry into effect it's laws and it's
principles. but the church. unlike the
law, has no final human tribunal,
whom it can point to as its final
judge
In many instances. too many by
far, the officer OF the church, who is
merely self constituted servant of
the gospel theory. has constituted
himself h judge as we'll. and, though
sincere in his convictions, he many
times goes step too fir in his ex-
PRESTON of them. No man can say OF
hi- own knowledge that the punish
ment for such and euch an offense
against religious doctrine shall be of
any certain nature. Human and Di-
vine law go hand i'll hand in the state
ment of their respective rules OF con-
duct. and the punlshments attached
thereto. but they part cor pany for
ever. so far as is within mans kuowl-
edge. when it comes to the execution
of those laws and punishments. HUI
man law is executed by those ap-
pointed to carry its execution into
effect, while the final execution OF
Divine law ID decidedly a mere mat.
ter o: belief, residing within the
breast of tue individual affected, and
having no result, within his earthly
life at least. SO far us the punishment
for misconduct Is concerned.
1Sloften do those who have taken
upthe profession of ministers of God
and 'expounders OF the Divine laws
convert themselves into judges as
well. adjudging individuals from
their own interpretations OF those
laws Divine and debating rules OF
conduct based upon deductions
made, but upon their own personal
theories.
Human law, all human law, is sub
iect to the final calculation Of a duly
constituted tribunal-in the case Of
the United States, the Supreme
Q 'urt-whoSe nterpre tation is. final
and from whom there is no appeal
Divine law, on the other hand, is sub
ject to u different understanding, a
different inter probation, at the hands
OF every living person and no man
can say that his reading is absolute
and decisive.
1t would seem to us that the office
of minister, as such, lies in his abil-
ity to elucidate these scriptures and
passages Of divine law which give rise
to differences Of opinion. and thus
assist IN an understanding Of them
which the individual might otherwise
fail to derive; but when minister, as
such, denominates himself not only
expounder but judge, when he.
though perhaps without intention so
to do-lays down a principle Of di-
vine law and its punishment as abao-
Lutte, he has nothing more to back him
in such an assumption than we would
have did we take directly opposite
view and assert the absolu.
tism Of "our" judgement unon finn.
issue.
The final balance lies with
p,,vuar infinite1v b;,,ho- A.,