Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-11-19
CHURCH INFLUENCE.

CHURCH INFLUENCE,
------
"Church influence" rs AN expression
that has beoi0 frequently heard Of late
Yet. II cann,t be said mat it IS very
clearly understood by everybody no
many II has come to stand fora terri
bic appartIon. such as the wild Imag-
nation OF IL nervous child might con-
iure up in ihe dark, but which van
ishos with the appearance Ut the first
rays Of light state Interference IS
term less frequently made use Of
although That represents "a part Of the
same problem
The question OF the relation between
church and state Is as old as cccesl-
astcal history, almost II certainly
became prominent when the Emperor
Constantine. IN order to heal the rift
IN the church caused by Arlanlsm took
purely doctrlnal question into his
hands and. Tor obvious political pur-
poses. arranged for the council Of Nice
and the settlement Of the dispute
During the middle ages It was the
cause Of numerous conflicts the echoes
Of which are sull heard throughout
Christendom
IN this country the yexcd question
should not cause trouble Here the
respective spheres Of the two organi-
cations are well understood and even
where they lay claim, IN part, TO com
mon ground as for instance In mat
ters pertaining to marriage and d.
vorce, there need TO be no clash pro-
ylded the sole aim Of both IS the ex-
, ccllence Of public morals
It Is perfectly well understood that
there Is q church influence which Is
legitimate because its exercise Is the
very object for which the church was
, planted IN the world, by divine agen-
cios, The church. whereysr It Is true
to its mission, win exercise an innu-
encc for truth. without which there can
be no real liberty, since IL Is the pro-
Vince Of truth TO make men
free. aud since loss Of free
dom follows from the prevalence OF err
ror The church, q true to us calling.
viii exercise an influence for honesty
IN all affairs Of lIfe public as well as
private It viii exercise an Influence
for the determination Of superstition
and the consequent outpouring Of light
from every field OF human research,
Such influence always has emanatcd
from the church, under the direction Of
the Holy Spirit In the constantine
era We see the marvellous effects OF the
presence Of the church In the world.
The Institution NJ slavery melted be-
fore il, as masters realized that slaves
were their brethren Women were
gradually emanclpsted, as the result
of the teachings OF the followers Of tho
son Of Mary Humanity. formerly con-
sidered a weakness, n not a vice. was
enthroned among the great virtues. ana
thereby &c became possible to forgive
and even to love. enemies Pagan gods
We're forgotten. as The true God became
Known, ana Che emnre nat was found
ed ON pagan idels fell 10 pieces when
those ideas were shattered This was
church influence which could not Dee
counteracted by dungeons. By names.
by sword or by hungry beasts IN the
arena, on the contrary the more fierce
~ the persecution ragged, the more con-
veits We're made. For the martyrs
Preached more eloquent sermons by
sacrificing themselves for their prln-
oiples than did the speakers In the pull
pits.
This Is an Influence that never viii
cease to emanate from the Church OF
God, until the entire world Is redeemed
from SIN, from strife from disease ana
al other consequences Of sin. A limo
viii come when true knowledge shall
cover the earth as the water the bot
tom Of The sea when no man shall
learn.-- to make war upon hts
fellow-man when lie shall be
prolonged TO ana age now unknown
which clearly means that disease rs To-
be conqucrsdi when. m IT. word. The
kingdoms Of This world shall become
the kingdom Of the lord This is tho
legitimate aim Of the efforts OF the
church in the world
The world always has fought This
'inIiuenco.' Else there would never
have been any contest for supremacy
between truth and error Iight ana darl- ,
ness right and wrong, Isn't the trle s
church win always coutluic TO "innu. I
once the world IA the sense here
given to the word just as the salt win
impat Ms own qualities TO that with
which 1t comes ia contact, as long az r
It has not lost Its SAVIOR Any other kind
Of influence the church OF Christ does
not desire ana does not need. and
never attempted TO exercise in any age /
or dlspensaton, t
Vhris1iAnity Is world-iehgion. Il
Oeionss TO AL nations, an lands and +
The more the various divisions Of the ,