The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1902-07-05
THE TRUE PATRIOT.
Fourth of July Sermon by High
way and Byway" Preacher.
In the Light Of Code Word and the
Experience of Man, Patriotism
and Godliness Are Found
Linked Together.

Chicago. June 70, 1907.
Text: Render therefore unto Caesar the
things which are Caesars; and unto Goo
the things that are God's.-Matt 2:2l
The Text Setting. The words OF our
text were spoken by Jesus in answer
to a catch question put to Him by the
Pharisees who sought to "entangle
Him in His talk" They ask whether 1t
is lawful to give tribute unto Caesar
or not, believing that loyalty TO MS
own nation, of which He claimed to be
the long promised Messiah and King,
would compel Him to take stand
against the Romans, who at this time
were the rulers and oppressors OF the
Jewish nation. And they reasoned
that IL such should be His reply 1T
rould be a case for the Roman govern
or to deal with and their base purpose
Of causing His downfall would be ac-
complished. On the other hand, II lie
counseled the paying OF the tribute
money surely He no longer could claim
TO be the Deliverer and King OF His ma
tion. In the blindness Of their own I'M
believing hearts they thought they had
the Lord "twixt the devil and the deep
sea" and whichever way He turned
they had Him in their power. But as
at Nazareth when His angry towns
neople sought to dash Him over the
brow of the hill, and the unseen hand
of God had stayed their murderous
purpose and He walked out OF their
midst unframed, so now by the simple
til ~ fAceS
the issue sguarely and puts His enc
mics TO rout. "Render unto Caesar
the things which are Caesars and
unto God the things that are
Gods" How simple, yet how pro-
found. In their narrow partisanship
they had not reasoned that Caesar had
any claim whatever upon them. 1T had
never occurred to them before that God
seeks harmony in His universe, and
that even Caesar had rights which God
was bound to respect. And these
words of Jesus give us the one PLANK
platform broad enough and long
enough for the true patriot to stand
upon and at the same time give fnl
scope to his powers and his devotion
to his country and his God.
The True Patriots Platform.-And
II here in these words of Jesus we have
the fundamental principles upon whic!
can be safely and righteously based thu
attitude and conduct of the loyal citi
zen, as well as the devout Christian
let us examine the words more closel,
to discover their full import and mean
ing. and then seek to find the way II
which they can be applied in practica
manner to human life. First of all
God has but one standard, and man'i
ability to measure up to that stand
ard is proportionate to the degree b!
which that man is actuated and direct
ed by the Spirit of God. Failure to at
tain the one standard fixed by God il
His infinite righteousness and equit.
Is responsible for all the discord ant
misery in the world to-day, for all thu
clashing of nation with nation, and in
dividual with individual, and individual
with the nation. II the complex rela
lions of human life were perfectly ad
iusted according to the will and pur
pose of God If the things belonging t.
Caesar were exactly rendered unt'
Caesar. and the things belonging t.
God were exactly rendered unto God
we should find that friction and discor'
would cease and the harmony Of TIL
milennial age would break like swee
music upon the ear of this distracted
old world.
There are two divisions to our text
two halves of one perfect whole
Caesars things and Gods things. Tn
things of Caesar cannot belong t
God, neither can the things of God be
long to Caesar. The spirit and though
of the text, however, is in no least de
gree in conflict with the declaration o
Scripture that all things were create
by God and that all things belong t
Him. In this sense Caesars things an
the things which are not Caesars al
belong to God and exist because of Goo
But just as you, my dear reader, in tn
broad, universal sense belong to Goo
and your houses and your lands, you
bank account and your weekly salar
belong TO God, still as regards your re
lations to others and your responsible
ties and obligations in the world, TIL
things which you possess belong t
you. God through you would admin!
ter your affairs and your possession
in such way as to observe to meet
the admonition of the text of rende
ing to the world its due and to Go
that which in special sense belong
to Him. So when Christ, who create
all things and to whom all things b.
long, spoke these words He gave bea,
tiful recognition to Gods plans
making man a responsible agent in IL
administration of the affairs of u
world. Between Caesars things ar
Gods things there is no conflict or co
fusion except as man has failed to u
derstand Gods classification and h,
rendered unto Caesar the things whit
belong to God and unto God the thin
which belong to Caesar.
The Image and Superscription.-Al
how are we always to know wifi
things are Caesars and which a
Gods? BY the image and superscrl
ton. Was It lawful for the Jews
pay tribute unto Caesar? asked {
Pharisees. Let Him see the tribu
money. Behold, the image and sup'
scription of Caesar. Therefore, RI