Semi-weekly Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1897-1901, 1901-07-05
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81 RELIGIOUS WORLD. }8
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CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR.
Topic For the Week beginning July
7-COmment by Rev. s. IL. Doyle.

5-COmment Dy Kew. >. II. DO!Ie'
Torc,--Religion and patriotism Som, xiii, II.
Piety and patriotism should so hand
IN hand. Our religion should be patri-
otto. Our patriotism should be reli-
gious. Religion includes the perform
ance of every duty that devolves upon
us in every relation of life. The rela-
ton to the state, to the government, Is
a very important relation of life. The
Christian has no more right to ignore
or to neglect his duty to the state than
he has to treat in a similar way his
duty to the church or to the home.
Christ taught both by precept and ex-
ample that civil duties should be per
formed. He paid taxes to the Roman
government and declared that men
should render unto Cesar the things
that are Cnsar's' as well as unto God
the things that are Gods"
Paul in writing TO the Romans ex-
horts that every soul be subject TO the
powers that be-" Reference here is to
the civil powers. In time of tyranny
and oppression the apostle still urges
the importance of obedience and re-
spect to the civil government. This
should be the attitude of Christians to-
ward governments everywhere. This
cannot mean, however, that there can
never be an occasion when 'the powers
that be" should be resisted. If they go
beyond their rights and privileges, they
should be resisted All powers dele
gated to man are limited. Children
should obey parents as parents, but
not as sovereignS: wives are to obey
their husbands as husbands, but not
as tyrants and opmessors; citizens are
TO respect and to OBEY rulers as rulers,
but when they 90 beyond their legiti
mate bounds as rulers and attempt TO
exercise powers not delegated to rulers
there Is no law of God that demands |
that they should b. obeyed.
Paul's reasons for this attitude to-
ward human governments are many |
and comprehensive l. For there is no
power but of God The powers that
be are ordained OF God. Whosoever,
therefore, resisteth the power reslsteth
the ordinance of God" .. Human
governments are for a good purpose
and hence must b. sustained. For
rulers are not terror TO good works,
but TO the evil" He Is the minister of
God for good to thee" 3. This atti-
tude toward human government is a
conscientious duty. "Ye must needs be
subject not only 70. wrath but also for
conscience sake" For these causes
Christians are no- to refuse to pay
tribute to whom tribute is due, Gus
tom 10 whom custom, fear to whom
fear, honor to whom honor"
In what better way can we commem-
crate our Independence day than by
ourselves more fully to the
love and service of our country. 1t
needs the love and service of every
Christian. Great problems are before
us. The ship of state is sailing through
seas. Let US give our best
thought and effort TO its welfare. Be
ing Christians, let us recognize the fact
that 1t necessarily follows that we
should be good citizens.
TIE PRAYER MEETING.
Have good citizenship meeting, ,
with an appropriate address.
BIBLE READINGS.
Neh. ii, 10; rs. xXxiii. 1OA22; Ii. is;
,xlvii, 20; Prov. xiv. "a; Math. xvii
94-27; xxi, 1921; xiii, 81; Tim. H.
l-3; Heb. xi, SIG. {