The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-03-27
DUTY OF CNIzENsHlP
EARNEST SERMON BY REV. STEW
 ART M'QUEEN.


 Rector of Church of Holy Comforter Speaks on the State, Society, and the Estate of
 Marriage.
 At the Episcopal Church of the Holy Comforter, Rev. Stewart Mcqueen de- livered strong and eloquent sermon on the duty of Christian citizenship. MT. Mcqueen selected as his subject. "Our Lords First Miracle. or Christ Blessing the State. Society and Mar riage."
 "The first miracle our Lord wrought" said Mir. Mcqueen, "after He entered upn His public ministry, was in Cana of Galilee, when He turned water into
 wine. It is profoundly interesting and suggestive because it teaches us His attitude toward the three great insti- tutions of mankind-the State, Society and Marriage. In them, you observe, are bound up all the relations we sus- tain to God, our Father. to each other. Consider, first, the State: In being present at the marriage feast. which called forth His first miracle, our Lord recognized the function and authority of the State, for marriage was regu- lated by law, and, therefore. celebrated under the sanction of the State, which
 
 By this act He reminds us, indeed. I may say, teaches us, His disciples, that we owe duties to the State, which are just as real and binding as are any other duties.
 This is a truth of the Gospel not or dinarily recognized, certainly not often enough acted upon. The average Chris tian seems to fancy that religion means merely saving his own soul. Appa- 1$ hoe annraoiaffnn nf the fact it means also diffusion of right eousness throughout the community. the State, by the faithful discharge of our duties as Christian citizens and as members of the family of God.
 We are willing enough to accept the protection of the State while engaged with supreme self-absorption-in the pursuit of life, liberty, property and happiness. But, when it becomes a question of doing something in return. such as serving upon the jury. or talk ing pains to vote only for honest and capable men to administer public af- fairs, why, that is quite another mat ter. It calls for some sacrifice of our ease and comfort. It may involve i'm | jury to our material interests or to our social ambitions. Hence, we are indif- ferent, and too often allow unworthy
 or incompetent men to control the of-
 fees of the community, or of the State. And when things go from bad to worse,
 sooth our consciences by saying, 1t is all the politicians fault Not so. It Is
 the fault largely. yes, chiefly. Of l Christian men who are so taken up | with their own affairs that they neglect
 utterly their duties as Christian citi- zens. Thus Is the State and the admin | istration of law brought into con- | tempt.
 For instance. Why is it practically | impossible to convict a white man, | with a little social standing and little money, of murder? The usual answer is, 1t is due to the lawyers, who take advantage of all sorts of technicalities.'
 This is true to some extent. But the
 chief reason why white murderers are
 rarely executed, is because so many Christian men in every community
 shirk jury service, making use of all
 kinds of subterfuges, and fear, tell | ing down right lies sometimes, in order to avoid doing their duty to the State l in this respect. And so. 1t comes to pass, juries are made up largely of the hangers on of courts and of men with little force of character or intelligence. | Is 1t any wonder, then. that murderers go unwhipt of justice?
 Again. Why Is it so common a
 thing for unworthy or incompetent men l
 and interruptions politicians you say,
 and with some truth. But, the chief
 reason is. because so many Christians neglect their duty as Christian citi-
 gems, being too stingy to pay their poll l tax or too lazy to go and register. or too indifferent to spend a little time and labor in trying to elect good men. l For such men to denounce and abuse lawyers and politicians as being the nf | the State shows a self-righteous condi- ton simply appalling to contemplate.
 It is they who are the chief offenders.
 It is they who are principally respon- sible, through their neglect of duty to
 the State and for which they shall surely give account of the dreadful day | of judgment.
 Christ, at His miracle in Cana of Galilee blessed by His presence and l participation another most important institution also. the social life. society,
 using the term in the broad sense of
 human intercourse for purposes of
 recreation. How striking it is that His first appearance when He entered upon His public ministry was not in a place of worship, a place devoted to religious uses. but at a social gather | ing. where festivity and enjoyment held sway! How this should set think ing that large class of Christians | (whose sincerity we may not question.
 but whose good sense we do question: who seem to consider the mere fact a thing gives pleasure thereby makes 1t | sin, in others!
 But let us never forget our Lord sanctions and approves human joy, in-
 nocent festivity. the social gathering.
 This Is just what we should expect,
 for the social instinct of man is as
 truly God given as the religious in
 stinct and its qualification as essential to the making of a well-rounded Christian. Note also Christ at this
 festival. goes further than gracius> 1t
 with His presence merely, for when the
 supply of pure and wholesome wine in
 ordinary use at that time and in that
 country was exhausted, He the first Christian gentleman. with exquisite
 tact and considerate delicacy. relieves
 the painful embarrassment of His host
 by supplying. more.
 You see. He teaches us by His pres 1