The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-06-30

Strictly Christian Because OF the
Large Amount Of Crime, Intemper-
ance and Impurity, but Generally
They Are Referred to as Christian
Nations.
Rev. Charles II. Newng. pastor of the
Dunmore Methodist church, delivered
an eloouent and stirring sermon last
evening on the subject of christian
citizenship" He took for his text the
the words found in first Peter second
chapter, ninth verse: But ye are
chosen generation, royal priesthood'
n holy nation, IL peculiar people that
We should show forth the praises OF
Him who hath called you out or DARK
ness into His marvellous light MT.
Newing said in part:
The nation Is not simply an aggregate
of individuals, 1t is Il mass of individuals
I'm relation to each other. To create anu
sustain private virtue IL to do a great
and important work, but there is ottch
private virtue where there Is not mucn
public spirit. A man may be kinu
husband and n cruel citizen. a man may
be a good church member and cold ana
careless member of society. what IL
needed is q larger conception OF CHRISTIAN
life, of it's duties and responsibilities.
Ihe word nation is one of those great en-
prcssions which contain more than we
can conceive. so manifold and suptle
are the influences which play upon MS
that the word is simply a refuge FOR our
ignorance. 1t stands for forces WHICH
are immcasurable.
1t stands for history and includes struS-
giles and strains. battles and blood sneo'
tyrants' frowns and peoples protests.
Take the word America, how much IL
seems to tell us. but to the stranger thev
may not see so much of beauty In our
vast extent of territory and broad fields
as they come from crowded towns with
their old castles and ruins. How Is all
this huge volume of life to be turned into
Christian channels? That Is indeed
great and perpleNing question But II IS
one which needs our constant attentloh.
There is no nation strictly Christiah' re-
cause of the large amount of crime. IN
temperance and impurity, but ii is the
general aspect of a nation that We are
allowed to speak of it as Christian.
Christian Citizenship in relation to ma
tiunal duties, this shows us that personal
salvation is not the only thing of which
men should think. The message of the
gospel includes the welfare of society.
But who does not sec how stunted Is the
growth of many Christians because they
are always exercising themselves about
their own souls and care nothing for so
cicty around them. If this be so. thought
should bo given by the Christian people
to the nation at large. The nation tends
to become Christian when the treasures
of it's thoughts are filled from Christian
thinkers.
The church, through it's membership.
must give moro thought to the interest
of society, and thus the nation will be a
great gamer. I am far from wanting the
church to enter the political arena, but it
would certainly raise the tone of politics
If VIC as individual Christians face the
questions of crime, poverty amusement
and education which belong to the we'll
being of the people. 1t is only as Chris
tans engaged in these questions can We
hope to see the standard of our national
life raised. The time has come when the
profession of Christianity means an in
tcrest in the national welfare. What We
need today is more Christian thought in
our national life. Christian life must
show itself by publicly acknowledging
Gods goodness if the nation is to become
spiritual.
The old puritan idea that every one
must attend divine service. has some good
in it. We will never be able to tell how
much the prosperity of this nation is due
to the prayers of Gods people. Every
congregation of Gods worshipping people
Is a new center of power, enabling the
American people to achieve their mar
vclous success. 1t is not Sunday wor-
shippers who want so much labor per-
formed on the Sabbath day. Thus break
ing down mans moral and spiritual con-
stitution.
The nation tends to become more Chris
tian in as far as the sense of popular
responsibility is deepened. There seems
to be a tendency among us to leave this
to few, but the more popular govern
ment becomes, the less it is SO. If the
few be wise and the mass unwse it would
be we'll, but this its not so in our coun-
try 1t took bold men to stand before
the kings and queens and tell them their
faults. But there is no less need OF bold
ness today for every Sunday the preach
crs and every week day the press writer's
are confronting the Caesars who rule
this country. Then the task is more diff
ticut now because of the many subjects
about which we must speak to the people.
II there Is any oppression, they are the
oppressors. If there is any intemperance
or impurity they permit it. If there Is
any crime and they must Danish it.
10 bring home their guilt to them is no
easy task, and yet it must be done. In
order to do this. public enlightenment
must be advanced along Christian lines.
We must meet the national foe on all
sides. Our literature is bad in many
ways. The arm of the law must be used
to strapgle this hidra- headed monster.
Low amusements must be driven from
our lands by purer ones. Bad political
principles must be overcome by sound
ones. Education must be given to all
GLASSES. In order to a Christian nation-
ality we must have Christian tone in
our rules, men who are to be our law
makers must be Christian men. We as
individual Christians must see that the
men nominated for office have at least a
clean reputation at home.
Men who are seeking the general well
fare of the community and not not one
who are seeking to satisfy their own
personal ambitions. Proud are we at be-
ing Americans The cause of civilization
and the gospel has been already COM
mitted to our hands and we shall move
forward to conquer the world for Christ
is as far as We the people fulfill our