The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-05-19
In Sermons Sunday a Plea
is Made for Men to Do
Their Duty as Christians
in Forwarding Good Gov
eminent and Keeping Law
and Order.

At three churches ON Sunday SER
mons were preached which had a
most significant bearing on the pri-
mary to be held today. While each
sermon differed, perhaps phraSeology
ano direct purpose, all were appeals
to men to use the right of suffrage
toward the building up and upholding
the system of government on its high
est plane. Government is based pri
marily on the laws of God said one
minister, and those who make gov
ernment-the men with suffrage
should look to keeping of government
within the dictum as pointed out by
religion.
Those who preached along this line
of thought were Rev. Thos. NJ. Gala
way, of the First Baptist church;
Rev. J. J. P. Perry, of st. Katherine's,
and the Rev. Chas. p. Hall, of the
UniverSaliSt church
Rev. Thos. NJ. Galloway.
Mr. CaIlaway's subject was Chris
tian Duty in Relation TO the State,
and his text Let every soul besu5ject
unto the higher powers Rom 13:Ol-
He said, in part, as follows:
Having enlarged views OF God,
| we then come to have broader views
/ of man, his relation to his Creator,
to himself, his fe.low-man, TO the
church TO the state. / wish
! to discuss the Christians duty in re-
| laticn to the state or to civil govern
ment The fact that he is a subJe,t
| in Christ's kingdom and a member IN
| his church does not cut him off from
| the affairs of the world. The follower
! of Christ is a citizen as well as d
/ Christian.
What is 10 be done with this great
! IL a
! Americanized as speedily as possible,
aid if they refuse to receive our in
| struction or 70 conform their manner
| of living TO the American idea, they
/ should be given passports to their ma
tive lands.
1--WE may we'll ask, are our own
! American people. citizens of our own
beloved Florida, becoming imbued
with anarchistic principles? Any man
who deliberately. knowingly and mali
| ciously violates and ignores the laws
! on our statute books is an incipient
anarchist. The germ of the disease
| is in his mind and heart. 1t only
| needs development. There has arisen
recently a cloud over our fair city
| that portendS dire calamity, untold
| evil. To some 1t may have appeared,
as to the prophet of old, no larger
| than a mans hand, but in that little
cloud may be heard the mutterins
| thunder that augurs a fearful temp
est. 1t is the cloTsi of lawlessnesss
With the memory of the devaStat-
/ ing storm that swept our coast, a
/ little more than a year ago, some OF
| our people become affrighted at every
/ little gust of wind. but more fearful
| and more to he dreaded than any
physical storm is tine spirit of law
/ lessness.
Christians are to he subject unto
| civil authority because of the great
| benefit they may be, to the govern
ment and to human society. Everyone
! has his part TO contribute TO the COM
mon good, and the Christian should
| by no. means be found wanting. The
! true Christian citizen stands for law
| and order. He will seek the enact
| ment and enforcement of good and
| Just laws. He will seek TO have men
put in office who viii perform their
| duty without fear or favor. men I'M
| inundated by the mob and uninfiu-
| enccd by the offers of personal gain.
:: Tall men, suu-rrowned, who live
above the fog
In public duty and in private think
ing
"Within a few DAYS your loyalty as
| true Christian citizens will he put TO
! the test In the coming election
| more important issues are involved
| than mere economic questions. In the
! contest we shall come face to face
| with the ethical and moral as well.
| Quit thou like men. Be strong No
| Christian ,citiZen has the right to be
| Indifferent and say: 1T does not con-
| Germ me- when such momenlouS Is
| sues are to be decided
| ssTbera SlO1Ild he a harmonious aQ-
| iustment of civil affairs in accordance
with the law and civic righteousness.
| Christian should not strike the dis
| cOrdant note. Let each follower OF
Jesus feel that while he is a member
! of Christs church he Is likewise (
! member of Gods state, and that ne
| has his part to contribute to both. Let
him feel that he is not only Chris
| ton. but a Christian citizen, and that
| he must not only love his religion,
| but love his country also.
AS we rejoice in the progress Of
/ our Christianity, may we also be able
to sing with Longfellow:
- Thou, too. sail on, o ship of state;
| Sail on, o Union strong and great;
| Humanity. with al its fears,
With all its hopes of future years,
| Is hanging GREATNESS on thy fate,
Our hearts, our hopes, our prayers,
| our tears,
| Our faith triumphant DER our fears,
Are all with thee-are all with
| thee!'
Rev. J. J. Perry.
Rev. ]. ]. Perry, o st. Katharine's
| church, dealt with disregard Of the
| law, thereby disregardinS the laws
| OF God. He said:
! But our city has not been free
from turbulence and sediuon- Our
| mediate vicinity has not yet been
visited incindiary, but is, by the open
| destruction of properly at the hands
| of a misguided few; it seems a duty
| imposed upon the ministers of God
to exert any means they may possess
| Of stopping so heavy calamities;
| LII .cn-,,,r,,nn r.oIitinaI discussions