The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-09-02
1.-THE CHURCH AND PASTOR
Jurisdiction OF Church Purely Spirit
ual--Should Have No Connection
With Civil Govrnment.

WIN CiVll 1OVFnnent,
\ Az the Lutheran church yesterda,
morning Rev Charles II Armstroni
preached a strong sermon in which h,
set forth the duties and relations u
church and pastor speaking in part
as follows:
AS defined BY the Word OF God
the church is OF Divine institution
Wa refer to the church as The true
ior invisible, Church OF Christ, MS the
collective body Of all those-of every
religious denomination in the world
who are n a state OF grace The true
Church OF Christ Is a spiritual society,
consisting OF members whose quail
iications are spiritual, and who are
associated for spiritual purposes It
is Catholic Tor universally society,
its members not being confined to any
particular nation on religious demon.
nation. OF the external or visible
church, this: The visible church Is
the collective body of those who pro-
Tess the Christian religion, consisting
OF ali those who have been admitted
10 its membership by baptism, ana
have not been deprived of it by ex
communication. or this church. our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, IN the
true and only head. 1t Is the duty OF
every such church, or congregation
specifically. 10 have the Word and
Sacraments administered in their
purity" This pre-supposes pastor
to preach the word and administer
the saeraments. 1t is the duty of the |
church to watch over the purity and !
OF her members, and to |
propagate the Gospel TO the ends Of |
The earth Inasamuch as the juris-
fiction OF the church is purely spirit.
ial, il should have no connection with |
he civil government, neither should !
Is decisions be enforced by civil pow
e. Church aud state in a free gov.
thrive best apart.
The External Church.
In our discussion and applications
We shall refer directly to the exter-
lal church. for with this as men and
on earth, we have to do To
In0w. to do, are two short and simple
words, dependent on each other In.
IiYiduals, congregations may know !,
What to do and vet not DO it, but for
Intelligent aggressive action. what to
o must be clearly apprehended be.
ore doing, ii success is the desired ,
nj. Congregations, DESTROYS of CO. /,
perating with their pastors, ought to
SIX with Saul of Tarsus, Lord,
hat wilt thou have me to dor" ;
nd when the answer is given, have
le grace to do!
The aggressive church is a live Z
hurch. combating sin rather than en-
aging in profitless contentious rela
We to dogma Such a church, an
ver-increasing source of power for J.
0od. gathers energy. or rather gener.
Les il. Like an avalanche which :.
leeds down the Alpine slope, and
iries the village below, so ought the !,
iurch-With the momentum of cen !,
ries- deeply bury evil from human \
ght. Slightly paraphrasing sug- Z
.stive stanza. let us, Y
love on-for the cause that needs
assistance,
For the wrongs that need resistance :
III the future In the distance,
and the good that can be done" j,
Forever the perpetuation Of the !.
urch militant. to become triumph ;.
I. Is the God given responsibility =,
At rests heavily on the shoulders -,
the faithful few among the mater -
istic aud businessinsane many =,
The Call to the Ministry. d,
As the church is Divine so is the IA
n and holy Office of the ministry. J.,
pastor. A shepherd must care ~
the flock. break the bread of lifa. i,
minister the sacraments Of bantism "a
! the Lords Supper: without such "a
one no congregation could long d
'vive as a growing force for spif. n
ality. The mission of the church vi
to save souls, prepare poor and
airy pilgrims for the city whose il,
ker and builder is God. 10 offer tn
'nnel for grace that while on earth TT
faithful adherents may receive Al
etaste Of Joys eternal" and last II
but not least, to enable its mem Ma
s TO enlarge in the Christian tn,
ture, in short. to continue Christ his
earth. Such can be accomplished tic
ough a consecrated. faithful. eff na
Mt ministry. backed by loyal. Low L