The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-27
THE CITIZENS DUTY
IN A DEMOCRACY.


Rev. DIR. Williams, at Trinity, Dis
cusses Democracy Caesar.
Democracy as Caesar" was the sub
ject sermon of Rev. A. NJ. Will
liams. d. D., at Trinity Methodist
Church last night. The min
lister preached before a lareg congre-
cation, and gave his views on the in
depreciation of the text: Render
therefore unto Caesar the things which
are Caesars and unto God the things
that are Gods"
DR.. Williams spoke, in part, as fol-
lows:
Under the example and teachings of
Jesus, what is the citizens duty In
a democracy? What the duty of the
pulpit touching civic righteousness?
only by ignoring the facts Of his
tory can any one teach that Jesus did
not deal with the administration of the
government under which he lived. That
he did not refuse to pay taxes to Gaze
sar, no more proves that Jesus did not
condemn the administration of law in
Jerusalem, than my putting a revenue
stamp. on the checks 1 drew during
the Spanish-American War, proves
that have not criticised the non-en-
forcement of law against gambling In
Savannah.
What are the facts? Rome left local
government to its subjugated peoples.
The Gaptodain was the qOuarntror hadv
of the Jews in the time of Jesus. II
was composed of Pharisees, Scribes
and priests. He denounced them in
their official capacity The Scribes
and Pharisees sit in Moses seat" He
condemned them for acts which could
only be governmental, scourging and
crucifxion. Clearly, then, he arraign-
ed the officials.
The correct Interpretation of the text
does not contradict these facts of his
tory. 1t is not an antithesis, but a
synthesis. 1t was no divorce of poll
tics and religion. 1t was binding them
together and placing both on con-
science. 1t demands service to govern
ment. 1t demands service to God. AS
God is supreme, duty to government
is duty TO Him. Jesus does not teach
with politics on Sunday; or that poll
tics should have nothing to do with
religion or court and election days. He
taught righteousness in politics
as well as in prayer meeting.
He had no reference to the church
and state controversy. In Rome the
church and state was as united as
they now are in the British empire.
Caesar was pontifical maXimus as we'll
as Emperor.
Jesus also urged obedience to the
Scribes, who occupied Moses seat, an
absolute union of church and state.
The enforcement of church and state
is a modern conception. A beneficent
outcome of democracy. 1t is an indi-
rect result of the teachings of Jesus;
but it took centuries of suffering to
work ii out.
Render to Caesar" is much more
than passive obedience to rulers as vile
as Nero. With us democracy is Gaze
sar. That was intended to mean the
rule of the people.
1t is too often bossocracy or bibo-
crazy the rule of the political boss or
the saloon. As democracy render to
Caesar the things of Caesar means a
great deal. Obey laws and pay
taxes; yes. Also do jury duty, regis
ter and vote in election, attend the
primary and see that only honest,
competent, law-keeping men are put
in place and righteous measures pass
ed.
In a republic good government de-
ponds on sound public sentiment. 1t
is the duty of every good citizen TO
promote that sentiment. The pulpit
ought to be great force in making
righteous public sentiment. Therefore.
it must condemn violation of law, nom
enforcement on the part of those
charged with that responsibility, cor
ruption in politics. 1t does not render
to Caesar the things of Caesar when
it fails to do this.
How can we know Paul did not
preach against Nero? Have we all he
preached? A universal negative
proves nothing. We do know Paul
reasoned on Righteousness, temper
ance and judgment till Felix trembled.
This, as we'll as his affirmation that
he declared the full counsel of God
shows that he had no fsstidious no.
ton as to preaching against public Of
ficials.
Had the g-nothing-against-
a. ruler though Yile-as- Nero" dfctun,
been accepted, many chapters of hero
ism would have been left out of his
tory. Elijah could have enjoyed the
elegance of Jezebel's palace and been
on pleasing terms with Ahab. Poor
old jeremiah need not have lamented
Joachim's wicked ways. John the
Baptist might have been present al
Herod's banquet as a fiattered guest
rather than as CHASTITY, bleeding head
on Herodia's charger.
According to this dictum, preaching
nothing against a ruler though vile as
Nero, Savanarola was a blunderer
rather than a hero IN rebuking the in
EQUITIES of the Medci. Latimer did
wrong when he called Henry TO sc-
count 70 Cod for the blood on his