The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1907-03-09

to the women to demand Z higher
moral standard from the men. He
appealed to parents to demand of
those who visited their daughters not
merely that they were of good family
but also that they should Be clean.
He called men to the duties of a
higher citizenship, and to prove their
sincerity not by pious platitudes, but
by their conduct in becoming clean,
in keeping clean and in standing de-
terminedly for the clean.
Rev. L. z. Lakin, Pastor Christian
Church
The subject this evening is "Poli-
tic for Christians" and / read for
text the words of Jesus recorded IN
Mat. 22:2I: "Render therefore unto
Caesar the things that are Caesars;
and unto God the things that ale
Gods" The condition of affairs in
our citv has demanded attention. II
the reports of Our most respected CT
items be true, which reports we must
accept. coming as they do, it is high
time that we demand a change from
the existing order. There is an effort
being made to organize a civic league
in Greenville This is not to be
preacher movement. Neither are the
ministers to take the leading part.
This appeal for law and order and
righteousness comes from the laity-
, from the business men in our midst
They know the conditions that pre-
vail They know the laws that have
been made for our government. They
! are the force that made them. They
are the mower to demand their en-
! forcement
1t is my purpose this evening to
call your attention to our relation,
| as Christians, to this political sltua-
| ton.
In the first place l wish to cali
your attention to the dignity of our
statute laws. The stability Of our
government was not always what It
| IS today A perfected organization
gives but little idea Of the difficulties
encountered in its perfecting. AS we
| revel in the midst of peace and plenty
| and liberty we feel that this is the
natural order We seem to think
that the founders of our government
solved all the problems of organiza-
ton in a day and then started the old
ship of state out on the sea amply
supplied and equipped for any and
| every Emergency. Such is far from
the fact A careful study of the sub
| ject makes one wonder how such
perfection could have ever come from
| that chaos of conflicting opinions and
| failures But this is the harvest time
of all the ages. Throughout our his
| tory, both in our national and in our
state governments, great minds have
come forward to solve our problems.
| The greatest minds and the greatest
hearts of all have contributed to our
constitutions and Our state laws.
Since these laws are our heritage,
| which are the product Of the ages,
and which are the most just and
equitable the world has ever known,
we are under a great obligation to re-
spect these laws. They demand re-
spect They demand respect from
| the President down. Even the law
making and the law-enforcing pow
ers of Greenville are responsible to
higher power than that which lies
within them.
/; 1t would be very gratifying if we
+, had only the bright side of the pic
turc on which to look, but l am going
to turn the other side in the hope
J that the black spots there to be seen
VIII SUM DC CldSO WliSL OIiSS thNA
| presence is known. Sipce among the
apostles of our Lord there was found
Judas, it is not strange that even
in our country there are those whom
selfish motives are dominating
those who are even breaking the laws
whose duty it is to enforce them.
| An undue proportion of this evil has
| been found at our door. Sabbath
dissertation and gambling are SO COM
mon that a visitor might think that
we had officers sworn to protect such
| interests. This condition of affairs
1 is calling out sermons today on civic
righteousness from every Prote slant
pulpit in the city. May much good
be done by this united effort, and
may the laity consider these matters
as unit as your ministers have done
| Since the only rule laid down for
| the Christians conduct is found In
the Bible, l want to call your atten-
ton in the second place to some
Scripture relative to the subject.
There is quite widespread convic-
ton that the Christian, and especial
1y the preacher, has no place in poll
| tics. This opinion seems to be based
on such commandments as the fol-
( lowing: "Abhor that which is evil;
cleave to that which is good "Have
no fellowship with the unfruitful
| works of darkness" abstain from
every form of evil" But a closer
study of these passages which / hav c
cited will reveal to any thinking per-
son that they are not relevant to the
subject under discussion.
The text with the context is to the
point. Jesus was asked this tempt
ing question by the Pharasees: rs /.
lawful to give tribute unto Caesar. or
no? Taking a piece OF tribute
| money in his hand, Jesus answered in
effect: My brother, this piccc OF
money answers your question. 1t
has stamped upon it the iik- of
Caesar. He is sovereign who stamps
the COIN This is Caesars land
whether you liis to own it or not.
You use this money because you are
his subjects. Sinse you are Caesars
subjects it is lawful to pay tribute to
Caesar, Yes. Pay your taxes, be
obedient to the laws, honor the king
even Tiberius Caesar Render un-
TO Caesar the things that are Caesar
and unto God the things that are
Gods As this money is from tn.
mint of Caesar, SO are you from the
I