The Penn's Grove record., 1905-02-24
A Duty To The Church,

David j. Brewer, a Justice of the U.
s. Supreme Court, gave a lecture be-
fore the students at Hayerford College,
Pa, two weeks ago, in which he de-
clared this country to be a Christian ma
ton in every respect dating back to the
first settlers. Decisions of the Supreme
Court of the United States and various
States, and some Of the State constitu-
tons hold that this is a Christian
country. He further said:
"There is nc incompatibility between
Christianity and patriotism. In time
of trouble the faith Of the Christian has
stood as the rock upon which the ma
ton has rested. All nominal Chris
tians do not deserve trust and respect,
for some of them hold their religion,
like their property, n their wife'sname;
but l insist that Christianity has been
so wrought into the history of this re-
public, so identified with itsgrowth and
prosperity, that it ought not to be spok-
en- Of CONTEMPORARY or treated with
ridicule. Wherever man has dared to
go our flag has gone, and Christianity
has been it's guiding light. 1t stands
for purity in our homes, while Nor
monism, Mohammedanism and heath
enism have been the cloak of polygamy
and immortality. 1t stands for liberty,
equality, education and peace"
The public benefits which have come
to the people from the Christian Church
through public legislation and govern
ment surely places those who are not
members of a religious society, under
moral obligations to a personal support
of the church of their choice. AL per-
sons in a community have a choice of
Churches. When they get married
they make a choice of ministers. But
one may say that puts no obligation on
me because l pay the minister. True
he pays but if they don't wish a solemn
Christian marriage they should go to a
Justice Peace who will take their
afidavits for 25c. The marriage fees
will never support a minister.
In cases of sickness the minister of
the Gospel is called in as a last resort.
even if those who are about to pass
away have had little regard for the
Church all their lives. When death
comes the relatives always expect the
services of the minister and the use of
the Christian Church, even though the
deceased has never recognized the
Church, has given nothing towards it's
support all their lives and may have
been a spiritualist, universalist orinfdel.
1t costs thousands of dollars to main
tain churches and ministers and all who
have had or expect the services Of min
listers (who are ever ready in Christ's
name, to give assistance and sympathy
should feel under obligations to give
something towards the support of the
the church and the pastors salary.
Those non-church people who do not
recognize Christianity by their failure
to help support the Gospel, even after
receiving the public benefits from it
which Judge Brewer enumerates, are
inconsistent in asking the assistance of
a minister for a Christian burial or
marriage.
The logical conclusion of the asser-
ton Il don't think L should paw to-
wards the support of a minister because
l am not a Church member" is that
the minister should not give such per-
a Christian burial or marriage be-
cause they are not Church members.
The Roman Catholics obligations 10
make unfaithful members pay heavily
before a burial is but to cause people to
make up for past neglected duties.
Protestants could profit by many of
their examples.
A person who pays regularly towards
the support of a Church is a legal men,
Der of the society in the eyes of the law
of New Jersey, even though the person
may have joined the Church.
They have a right to vote as to who
shall be the trustees in charge of Church
property and as to who shall be Church
treasurer.
In a Christian nation and commun-
ity like ours, where such blessing have
come to the people through Church and
State, although seperate, there rests a
moral duty on all to help support the
church of their choice, whether it be
Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist OF
Methodist. That duty extends beyond
putting a cent in the collection plate.
because that only pays the expense of
the sexton for keeping the church clean,
warm and lighted.