The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-25

element in some churches He sees no
reason whatever for the church OF
Christ changing its platform. When we
have taken a given stand. then stand
there or confess frankly that we were
wrong. l have known church in
regular political fashion to work a town
on one issue temperance, for instance
till that line was exhausted. Then
in one day shift and be hail fellow well
met with the saloon element. This is
simon pure politics. These things bring
the cause into contempt. People are
disguised and many are offended. The
evils of this course are many. These
few points illustrate my feelings. If
the church and its ministers are not
sincere. honest, absolutely truthful and
positively clean in motive then the
world has just cause for complaint. We
have lost our opportunity to point them
to the lamb Of God.
Some one asks what part, then, do
Christians have in politics? We answer,
the same as Masons or Knights of Ply
thias or Odd Fellows. Who ever heard
of a republican Masonic lodge, or a
democratic *. P. lodge? They allow
nothing of the kind yet both are teach
ers of morality and good allies of the
church. Shall the church sink below
the level of the lodges? Never. The
church. in fact. has no rival on earth.
Her banners should float above every
other banner. She is Gods representa-
tive on earth. AS individuals and citi-
zens it is the duty of every church
member to stand for everything that
uplifts society and makes for pure NOR
ais and manners. 1t is his duty to stand
against everything whose tendency is
downward. The fact that a given cause
is unpopular is no excuse for refusal to
perform duty. Once in long time we
see a minister turn aside from noble
cause because of pressure from an in
huential source. This makes us sad.
There is much we would like to say on
the duty of church people touching
moral reforms. etc, but our subject
is The Church in Politics. We stick to
our text.
The doctrine of our church (and, We
think of the Bible as WELD, is that the
church as such is entirely separate and
apart from the state and from all poll
tics We have nothing whatever to
do with them. We were commissioned
to do an entirely different work. We
come into the church with only one
idea and that the worship of God. 1t
is none of our business whether Brother
is from Georgia or Maine. whether
he was with Grant or Lee, whether he
be English, Irish or German. All of
these have a right to come and sit in
the house Of God, and no man has di-
vine authority to insult their finer feel
ings. The day is near at hand when
men will refuse to hear any kind of
politics from those who were commits
stoned to preach Jesus and the resur
rection. AS long as this writer has
charge of church in Butte any one
can attend our services and be assured
that he will hear no politics at all. Such
is our belief and such shall be our prac-
tce. The writer is in no wise ashamed
Of his politics, but the church of God
is no place for any such things.
In the church we are to worship
God. In the church we are all one. we
are all brothers. In the church is that
cordial good will which wishes to every
one the greatest possible success,
which feels real, genuine, kindly
Christian feeling for all. Give us the
gospel. Show US our faults. EXhort us
to a higher life. Show us how to live
better. but from politics in the church
and from a church that is in politics,
good Lord deliver us