The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-07-22

was reduced to a subordinate organ of the state. Luther and Calvin, by their studies of the New Testament, approved of the policy of the separation of church and state; but times were not ripe for It. and their conclusions they never sought to put into practice. But the Reformed churches went back to the policy of Constantine.and made the church an organ of the state, and this has been the policy of countries of Europe unto this day, but it is now being gradually abandoned for the New Testament policy of separation.
 But in the free forests of the new world conditions admitted of return to the policy of separation. and Rober Williams planted it in, the organic law of Rhode Island colony, where it took root and grew, leavenng the life or the colonies. In massachusetts and Virginia the contest for this policy was strenuous and many of our Baptist fa- thers endured persecution for their de- votion to this teaching of their Lord.
 When the United States was consti- tuted it was impossible to have oh urch, either as the overlord of tho state or as it's servant, since there were so many churches that to choose between them would be fa tai to the new government. So they adopted this policy, which had already vindicated it's wisdom in colonial lire; and the sep aration of church and state became q part of the public policy of America So there have been three policies test ed in history with reference to the rela- tions of church and state: First, that of the state being subsidiary to the church. the Romanist policy. Second that If the church being subsidiary to the state, the Anglican and Reformed Third, that of separation and independ- |. idea Is that the state must not pre- sume to exercise the functions of the church, nor the church those of the state; but each must sacredly respect and regard the spS gre and functions of the other as sacred anu 4sriolate. "Ren- der unto Caesar the things shich are Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods"
 Is this policy which has stood tho test of experience with better results both to the state and the church than either the Anglican or Romanist worth our while to preserve and guard? Has the wisdom of our fathers who founded our society upon it ceased to be perti nent to the situation now facing us? Shall we retreat from Roger Williams to Constantine or Hllderbrand? We have citizens in this country who be- lieve it to be Gods service to oyer
  icy and they are being added to every year by immigrants from other lands who regard as best another policy in this relationship.
 If the policy of separation of church and state is to persist in the organic law of this land 1t will need friends to stand guard over it's claim to public respect and esteem. Shall the Baptlsts whose faith CTS planted it in the body nOlItlC q1apn while if Ia Ufn1ata aH ane degraded to a dead letter? My brethren. will you? If you do you will deserve the contempt, due to degener- ate sons of worthy s,res and cowardly disciples of a brave Lord.
 Birmlngham's Civic incompetence.
 Now, 1 hold that this fundamental and constitutional principle is being violated every day in the county of Jefferson and city of Brming gham These two civic agencies are on record as officially recognizing that they have civic obligations to the sick and the orphaned. But .nsteau of performing that office themselves as they do in the case of the poor and the criminal by instituting their own poor house and prisons, they have put the performance of these duties on two ecclesiastical in- stitutions in our midst Tn the very face of the public policy and constitutional provisions of the state. It is the same old situation of civil incompetency yielding to ecclesiastical aggression.
 It is an insult to the civic agencies, and an unconstitutional burdening of the church.
 If the present occupants of the city and county executive offices arc not competent 10 devise means and ways within the law to meet the obligations or their offices, they need not call in the priests and sisters. for if they will resign I am sure more competent material can be found by the electors for their burdensome offices
 But when this concordat, between his reverence and their honors was made. they did not even recognize their civic obligation by having a written contract requiring an accounting for the pub lie funds voted into ecclesiastical cof- fers. So the appropriation is in ef- feet subsidy to an ecclesiastical in- stitution from the revenue of the state The state is collecting tribute for the church by the power of the sword Was it that these officers and guard fans of the tribute to Caesar thought that tn ese ecclesiastics were more com potent to administer the public charl- ties of the community than themselves? If so they lave read history to very poor advantage. Do they not know that never in human history was there so much distressful poverty and sickness in the world as when the c urch was in charge of these charities; and never sld the church become so rapidly and enormously rich as when if was admin istrator of public charities with out bond?
 Civic Infancy of City.
 We will be forever A set of civic in- competents if we relegate our civic duties to another institution of socie-y and we will publicly confess ourselves
 in a state of civic infancy forever need
 Ing a guarding mother church. If this community proposes to care tor or phans and the impoverished sick. let them do so in their own right, anS no as a patron or dependent of a church.
 But there Is another side to this question which the experience of his tory has revealed. The diversion of the church to the performance of the functions of the state not only calls Ter away from the duties for which sh 5 was put Into the world, but rende 3 her incompetent for them. It secular
 zes the church until 1t Is shorn of it's, spiritual power That to the extent