The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-03-07


 las bound up indissolubIy with our own. Whatever tends to keep the community pure. It's justice unsullied. It's laws whole some, It's honor clean, all this is included in rendering to Caesar the things that arc Caesars. And these are duties which no man has right to shirlx l am not a pessimist, do not believe form CT days were better than these: nor that this Is the worst city in the world; bur can not shut my eyes to the conviction that in some things as a people we are going downward and backward. Will the trouble cure itself? Will hands that are joined be voluntarily unclasped? ? Unless the church going. Sabbath respect ing, God-fearing people do not more strongly assert themselves in the politics of this community. there will come by and by Caesar who will ask no ques- ticns whether you will render to Caeser the things that are Caesars know men excuse themselves saying ths pool muddy? The corrupt desire nothing else than that Christians shall let them alone.
 II. Some of the present dangers: N Foremost is intemperanee. I am not go- ing to tell the old story: you have heard 1t from pulpit and platform: you read in every daily paper that Is published, some | of you have realized 1t in your homes. ls No words can exaggerate the wretchedness. pauperism and crime; the increase of taxation, the corruption of morals, the ruin of souls, which spring from the abominable traffic. 2. Another evil. like some terrible form pestilence is an exotic on American soil. mean the rapid spread of Sabbath-break- ing. of organized efforts to destroy the holiness of the day, of defiance of law and order by those who. claiming to be friends of labor. yet allow their employees no day of rest. Things in this world do not right themselves. they go wrong without any trouble.
 III. What has all this to do with re- ligion? It is miserable fallacy to speak |of dividing line between things secu- lar and things religious. A man cannot carry his religion in one pocket and tho world, the flesh and the devil In the oth- CT. Christ proclaimed a larger philoso- phy. Christianity encourages patriotism, public spirit. a noble enthusiasm in all things that concern the progress. ad- vancement, and elevation of our race. Christ says: "Ye are the light of the world" Yes. and also. "Ye arc the salt of the earth, the one thing that keeps society. the world and all good and no- bio things from decay. He says: "Ren- der unto Caesar the things that are Caesars" and to God the things that are Gods.
 The church of God asks no pecuniary aid from political powers, but 1t does ask that in addition to the evils we must necessa- rily contend with. We shall not have to fight municipal negligence of the morals of the community. And remember that while some of the blame for the exist ence of the evils that are among us may be due to the commercialism which seeks profit from the vices and passions of men, and some of 1t may be due to mu- nicipal neglect of using the power invest ed in it. that 1t is also true he who rents property for uses of the bar room or brothel Is in the eye of God partaker In other mems sins; and that without the patronage and support of what is called the better class of community. their doors would be closed; and let us see to 1t that our own skirts are clear of the blood of souls because of our neglect to render unto God the things that are Gods; as we'll as to Caesar the things that are Caesars.