The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-08
RELIGIONS PLACE IN POLITICAL LIFE Crawford Breaches Interesting
 Sermon in EnSIey CONDUCTOR IS SHOT ON CAR J. G. otwell Injured By Wanton Shot Near East Highlands in Pratt
 City-other News of
 EnsIey.
CONDUCTOR IS SHOT ON CAR

Episcopal church, delivered tonight an eloquent sermon on the subject, Religion and Politics." The sermon in full fol- lows:
 Text-"Render, therefore, unto Caesar the things which are Caesar s."-St. Matt, Xxii-21.
 Our duty to Caesar. Thus did Jesus Christ define it. Being urgently invited by .he members of the two chief political parties of His day to speak His mind upon the questions which they had under discussion, thus He answered
 Those two parties, the Herodans and the Pharisees, were set the one against the other with more than the usual par tisan blindness and bitterness. The con- ditions were peculiar. There had never been much separation in Judea between politics and religion. The Jewish church was the Hebrew nation. The prophets were patriotic orators who preached pol 1tics with vehemence, directed by Gods inspiration, and entered into public life with might and main. It is impossible to tni-.i- of Isaiah quiet parish priest, living at the center Of narrow circle. letting the great world outside go unin- terupted on it's own mistaken way.
 In New York city or Birmingham Isaiah would have been the heart and soul of great outspoken, radical, independent, righteous newspaper. Amos and Hosea would have been in peril of the police for inflammatory speeches on the street corners and in the parks. All these men were interested in public questions pro- foundly and supremely. The saints of that old time were the national heroes. Thes- were the men who had done con- spicuous service for their nation. St. Ab- ranam, the founder of the nation; St. A4oses, the leader of the revolution in Egypt who had fought the battles and won splendid victories; St. David who had ruled them prudently with all the wisdom of a statesman. These were the sacred names upon the Hebrew calendar. The leaders of the synagogues had been the guides of the national councils; and their sons who sat upon the front seats in their fathers places were eager to emulate the patriotism and the valor of their ancestors There was no difference between parliament and a prayer meet ing. Any political question was also a religious question, into which excellent conditions though in a more Christian spirit, may we come ourselves. The point which was just then at issue was the sovereignty or Caesar. The Herodians were the party oI the opposition To the Pharisees 1t was so grevous mat te- that a. Gentle conqueror should sit upon the sacred throne of Israel and a heethen reign over the chosen people that 1t seemed an insult to Almighty God It was as if a Mohammedan were to be brought into the palace of the archbishop of Canterbury. They prayed for revolu- tion. They hated both Caesar and his viceroy Herod with fierce religious ha- tired. Choose" they cried. "between us and the Herodians, between God and Caesar"
 Agreed on One Point.
 These were the men who came together to listen to sermon upon the political situation. In point of view they agreed, for both parties were in opposi- tion to the Teacher, Christ. whom they came to question. Instinctively they felt that He belonged to neither side; that He somehow stood off by Himself alone Independent third party of one look ing at the whole matter from view point differently from theirs. His king dom was not of this world; His politics were neither Herodian or Pharisaic but of new sort-celestial, Christian-and they hated Him for it, as the partisan 1nstinctively detests the man who stands upon plane above his head They in- troduced themselves. however, in as po- lite fashion as they could, beginning with a compliment. Master" they said i've krow that thou art true and teach est the way of God in truth neither car est thou for any man, for thou regardest not the person of man." This was a tribute to the absolute frankness of Jesus. They were quite right when they said that what He cared for was not in any way affected by the standing, the influence or the money of those from whom he differed.
 But this was altogether for the purpose of tempting Him-in that subtle and commonly successful manner of the devil with which we are most of us acquainted to our cost-into some rash speech of un- usual and dangerous boldness. "Tell us, therefore, what thnkest thou? Is it law ful to give tribute to Caesar, or not ?' To this question Jesus returned His wonder full.- wise answer. He replied neither yes nor no. How, indeed, could He? For al partisan has a certain amount of truth and right upon his side. No man goes heartily into cause which does not somehow commend itself to his good judgment.
 Could Not Be Categorical.
 There was great deal to be said for l the Herodans and there was great deal to be said for the Pharisees A categorical settlement of the discussion could not fail to be mistaken. Yes or no | X- plantations, must preclude any adeouate | reply. There is always a deal of preach- 1 iny upon matters which are under pres ent partisan discussion The parson who would be politician will have his say l in the debate between labor and canjtai 1 between scientists and relgionists. he, | tween the reformers and the rinesters l Ons difficulty with such preaching is | that 1t is often ignorant. The averae aea | parson who is known as a politician does not know what he is talking about Oftentimes he has never seen a text hook up-l economies, sociology municipaJ | jurisprudence or even a primer upon civil 1 government. No doubt he has been schooled between the handles of a blow but does not have the statesmanshiu of l a Cincinnatus. Of course he has framed in his study parchment with Latin yer | blaze upon its face, representing a few y~-rs of veneering, conferring upon the l recipient degree and the institution to l which he points with pride. a self-styled | "co-lege," but whose curriculum does not | pass the standard of first-class pre- | paratory school.
 Never Entered Into Details.
 Tn modern politics the details are so | many. the need of technical information | is so great, the actual conditions and the | real rights and wrongs are so many and i had to get at that the preacher, sitting | fin lis sanctu1. looking at the world out l