The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1902-06-27
Christian LiIizenship.

1t has been sometimes said of late years
that Christianity has resigned the leader
ship of the world. there has been at
all times a tendency among Christians to
abandon the claim of universal sover-
eighty which was at first made in the
name of the Lord. The claim may be
made in words, but left in a purely ideal
state; and when no attempt has been
made to give it practical application, it
is in effect abandoned. A Christianity
which embraces a part of human life,
while it adjourns it's fuller claim to the
world beyond the grave, is certainly not
the religion OF One who says, "All power
is given unto me in heaven and Ill earth"
Canon Fremantle.
The family, the church and the state are
all divine institutions. That the first
two are divine is agreed by all, but very
many fail to realize that the national life
is but the resultant of the varied forms of
family life. Back of the state is God.
The central cord of Judaic legislation
was the kingship Jehovah. To Samuel
God replies, They have not rejected
thee, but they have rejected me, that |
should not be King over them" The
teaching of the New Testament does not
annul this conception of God and the
state, but enlarges it. Paul says, There
is no power but of God; the powers that
be are ordained of God" To PLATE Jesus
replies, Thou could'st have opower at
Ill against me, except it were q ven thee
from above" No official, be he Governor,
Judge, States Attorney, Sheriff or any
other, has the power to use his office as
he pleascs, but only in the accomplish
ment of Gods will Aristotle says, "a
state exists for the sake of good life,
and not for the sake of lite only; if life
only were the object, slaves and brute
animals might form a state; but they
cannot, ior they have no share in happi-
ness or in life of free choice. Whence it
may be inferred that virtue must be the
serious care of a state, which truly de
serves the name. 1t is the business of the
state to grow men and unless virtuOuS
men are being grown the object for which
the state exists is thwarted. Politics is
the science of social welfare and needs to
be redeemed from the mud and mire into
which it has been dragged by evil men.
Every citizen should be a politicianin the
best sense of the word. To Dwight l..
Moody's inquiry as to the political out
look a prominent evangelist replied, Il
don't know anything about it, my citi-
zenship is i'll heaven" Better get ii
down to earth for the next sixty days"
was the reply of Moody. To be false to
ones political duty is as sinful as to be
false to home or church. In the year
1902 it has come to pass that the church
of Jesus Christ is responsible for the max
ing and administration of law in many of
the lands of this world. Thisis especially
true of America, andeve in greater de-
gree is it true of Hartford county. Not a
law on our statute books but is there, to
say the least, by the consent ofthe citizens
of the Kingdom ofGod. The enforcement
of these laws is in the hands of the Chris
| tan citizens of Hartford county. If bad
| laws are here it is the fault of the church.
| If good laws are not enforced the rcspon-
sibility is with the Christian people.
Notwit hstanding these facts the great
majority of Christians, loyal to every
| duty of home and church, are in he world
| of politics recreant to every duty and false
to every trust. Honest and faithful in
most of life's sphere, yet shirks and
towards in their political duties. This is
not typical only of this age. In Judges,
chapter nine, lothian tells in parable,
The trees went forth on a time to an
noint a King over them; and they said
unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.
But the olive tree said unto them, Should
| leave my fairness, wherewith by me they
honour God and man, and go to he pro-
NOTED over the trees And the trees said
to the fig tree, Come thou and reign over
us. But the fig tree said unto them,
Should l forsake my sweetness and my
good fruit, and go to be promoted over
the trees? Then said the trees unto the
| -, II ,,l
the vine said unto them, Should | leave
my wine, which chcereth God and man.
and go to be promoted over the trees
Then said all the trees unto the bramhlc,
Come thou, and reign over us. And the
bramble said unto the trees, Ii i'll truth
We annoint me to be King over you. then
come and put your trust i'll my shadow;
and if not, let fire come out of the BRAN
BILE and devour the ccdars of Lebanon"
The Interpretation for Israel was. You
are too much in business and pleasure to
give attention to your political duties.
You have offered one excuse after another
until mere bramblc of man, the chronic
oilcc-seeker and professional politician,
steps forth and says put your trust i'll
nv shadow. He does not offer anything
substantial, any timber, or fruit, but only
a shadow.
Is not this the attitude of very many o
our best men today? The State calls Oh
the merchant for jury duty or for some
political service and he replies | canno;
leave my fairness, am making money
wherewith honor God and man. l an
!, too busy to give any thought or time t.
politics. To the professional man tn,
State turns and asks that he assist in tho
enactment of good laws and the enforce
mcnt of the same. But he replies: e
cannot leave my sweetness and my gooC
fruit, my clients, my patients, or III,
pupils" Then the State turns to tn,
gentleman of leisure and asks that h,
give of his time in helping his State t.
preserve an honorable name Surely tn,
man of leisure will respond to the call O