Evening journal., 1901-04-30


political, and tries to drive God and
conscience, justice and truth, integrity
and Righteousness out of a great field
Of human affairs, and to pen them up
within the four walls of a church. In
huenced by this mistaken conception
the church has been much less helpful
to the forces which make for purity IN
politics than she should have been. She
has wrought too much at random.
Good men," it has well been said,
have often tended TO be too abstract
in their views, to put the general idea
of God in place Of the particulars
which should come under it. and to for
get that a religion is worth nothing
which does not create out OF itself a
new politics. new social, and even
new economic order of life; which
does not bring beauty and truth and
Righteousness with it, as well as wor-
ship and purity" These are true
words. Christian truth is universal in
its applications, but in some directions
the church has failed TO make the ap-
.plicatiOn. Christianity beauties un-
numbered individual lives; it blesses
the families Of countless homes; its in
huence is much less conspicuous in the
realm Of business; 10 pales in the
sphere Of what is called society, and in
the region of international obligations
1t can scarcely be said to exist Ii is
we'll TO begin at the bottom, but we
must not stay there. We need a more
conscious and deliberate application OF
the principles of Christian morality
10 every department Of life II is not
wholesome THAT the region OF political
life should be regarded as dubious, If
not hopeless. Christian men must act
everywhere with reference to Christian
principles. The church has a message
TO the State which il must deliver
with quiet dignity and unwearied per-
sistence. The prer0gatives Of God are
absolute. The church is set for the
maintenance Of those rights, and when
in any place human authorities, OF
human organizations, arrogate suprem-
lacy TO themselves, and fiaunt the
robes Of a simulated royalty, and the
church makes no protest, but stands
deferentially aside she is faithless TO
her Lord. She has no discretion in the
premises. She is under orders. She
must enter every field where moral in
.terests are pending, and make known
the demands Of her founder, or she
berays her trust, and forfeits her
commission.
The first great duty incumbent upon
the church is. Of course, to declare her
great fundamental truths. She must
exalt the sovereignty Of God stand for
the crown rights Of Jesus Christ, and
insist upon obedience to his law. We
have a State without a church. if ever
we come to have a State without a re-
ligiOn, then cOmeth the end. The Amer
lean republic was founded on the
Christian religion. What new founda-
tiOn can be placed beneath it. if its
original foundation is undermined and
taken away? Supernatural sanctions
are the only sure protection against
the awful despotism Of democracy -
says Professor Brice. "Despotism, %
said De Tocqueville." may govern
without faith, but liberty cannot. Re
ligiOn is much more necessary in a
republic than in a monarchy. What
can be done with a people who are
their own masters, If they be not sub
missive to the Deity?" II is for the
church. therefore, to deepen the con-
viction thar man is more than a social
animal; that virtue is something more
tnan public convenience; that right
full authority has a higher sanction
than the will of a majority; that there
is in man a law of right and wrong,
before man an eternal future. and
above man the living God: for if this
faith is lost OUT Of the popular heart
then indeed the barriers are. down
and the floods are out. At last moral
principle must always come back to
religion for support. If Christ be king
and the people know it. they will honor
him. But they will not honor him by
faith and obedience if his official rep
resentatives do not declare his king.
dom as supreme. universal and eter-
NAL This the church owes to the State
as well as to God, for the best way &c
obtain q better citizenship is to builc
reverence for God and law and right.
eOusness in the minds and hearts o
the people. We are a careless people
A happy go lucky spirit is playing
lrecklessly with our inheritance. w,
gamble with it as a reckless gameste,
throws dice for gold How can thii
spirit be checked, if not by the appea
to conscience and the fear of God? ]
religious reverence and honor do no
come to our rescue, what can save us
We have an inestimable wealth of FREE
institutions. OF what use will they b
to a generation which does not know
lhOw to behave itself in this solemn ant
glorious temple of divine Providence
But the church must do more thar
. linculcate reverence for God as Suprem
, Ruler and for Jesus Christ as king
she must make men see that citizen
ship is a most sacred trust She mus
teach them that TO be a true citizen I
to be something more than a mere uni
in the population Of a State. q passiv
thing in the political life Of the com
munity. a being whose only Obligatio
is quiet submission. or careless indil
/ ference. The people are TO blame
their politics are disgraceful. In gov
ernmento Of the people, by the people an
for the people. the administration {
public affairs is no better. or no wors'
: than the people. Governments wi
be as rascally as the people will Il
them be- said De TocQueville n "
are retrograding in respect to publ
morality. If we are becoming MOI
Z corrupt If we are growing into fee
3 ing that the country needs no sacr
q a. !.