The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1901-04-23
BY
REV. J. SHAPE

ShlelQ OF Honor. Text 1--WE no
man anything. but to love one an
other" Rom. Is, 8.
Theme: 1.-The Christians duty as
a citizen.
The Christian has certain obi.
cations flowing from certain gifts,
and he has obligations that flow
from certain fraternal relations.
But he has also another relation. q
national relation. that comes be-
cause of his relation to God. The
,urch is the sum of spiritual in.
stltutions: the State is the sum OF
divine institutions. And the Chris
tian CITIZEN has obligations toward
both. A Christian is not dlstran-
chised when he joins the church.
He is a citizen of the State as Ger
tainly as he is a citizen of the king
dom. Because he is Christian,
he is none the less citizen.
Men who say they seek another
country, and enter not into the in
terests OF their own county, won!d
better die. II is the only hop. ot
citizenship tor them. Anarchy IS
the want Of government, and he
who ignores his government Is an
anarchist. Indifference TO State
obligations is as much anarchy as
"a hurled bomb or a tlouris torch.
Piety and patriotism are not lncom'
patiblc terms They may meet aud
kiss each other aud walk arm link
ed until they blend in that place OF
higher citizenship.
There can be found in the teach
ings OF Jesus nothing that excuses
a Chr istiau man from an interest
IN every term Of human conduct,
We are to take part in politics, not
only because VIC are men, but be.
cause We are religious men, AS
hong as ministers and other good
men keep out OF poftlca al movements
other men will more strongly feel
that all such movements have moth.
ing to douwith religion. Fer every
man that stays out oil politics, an
other bad man goes in. Politics
it may be, has nothing TO do with
religion. but religion has this ~ do
with politics it sends a man to the
polls as Christian and not as Il
partisan.
The relation Of the Christian citl.
zen TO the government IS a relation
OF SUBMISSION. Rulers are Gods
ministers. Resistance is prom ,ed
punishment. We must not Of course
do that which i, morally wrong
when the State mmands IT. but
legitimate protest and not obstinate
resistance IS 10 lie our watchword.
The powers that he are ordained oil
God. The ruler is at once God )
minister, Gods avcnger and man 5
rrur, if man is rebel.iouS as Il
6 tiZeu.
There is two fold reason for
loyalty TO governments 1t Is ineX-
prAent to be otherwise Eve are to
: submft.aurseiycs ior wrath sakel
and it is morally wrolg to resist,
for lie bears not the sword IN vain,
There is Il scrlptural reason tor
tax paying, because tax collectors
are God $ minister, attending con-
tioually to tn, very thing. For
this cause do VIC pay trihule also
Tribute persona. or property taxi
to whom tribute Is due; custom llm-
port or export ducsl to whom Gus
tom fear to whom lear; !Onor to
whom honor.
Jesus paid taxcs l. e., the temple
lax or 1.-THE, Matt. H. y, aud adj
vlseStt5 to render unto Caesar his
dues, and we are TO honor those i'll
governmental authority, FOR their
office sake. at least.
The CHRISTIAN citizen has also 4
duty toward the other citizen. 1t
Is a duty Of love. lie is to owe no
man ANYTHING but love. Love is a