The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1908-11-16
The Daily Gate City

are cleansing, and the salt of the +
earth is useless unless it comes into
contact with the mass to be purified
and preserved. The main business OF
the church is not to go into politics,
than would myself. But it Is not
either the main business of the church
to leave the people to themselves II
they are doing wrong. For the church
to seek legislation for itself would be
the acme Of iniquity, but to insist
upon it that her voice shall be potent
in the suggestion, the making and the
righteous administration Of law, is
not to assert right but to discharge
a duty. There are good and true
souls who deplore the atmosphere into
which the political life of the people
would lead them, but 1t would be Ike
a breath of pure air, if the best we
have could be placed at the disposal
of the people In the form of civic SER
vice. Along these lines we are NOV
ing, and there indications that this
spirit is fast dying, and is we'll night
dead.
These are typical facts, and mere
suggestions, which might be indefinite
ly multiplied. Limitations of time tor
bid them.
The question arises as to how the
church may in some measure make
! herself felt int he uplifting as we'll
as the purifying Of our civic life.
First of all l want to remind you
that the Church Of Christ is the
only organization that stands for
righteousness, and for the highest
ideals. 1t is the embodiment and the
expression of the highest moral life
Of the people. / do not say that it
is the only agency that SO works, but
do say that it is the only agency
that avows this as it's duty and privi-
lege. This is not all that the church
stands for, but it includes that.
There are other organizations which
are doing much. They mostly draw
their membership from the churches,
and they are strong as they follow
the lead of the men who have inter
preted Alright the ideal of the lawgiver
and the prophet. Ideals which we are
as yet far from realizing.
L. AS the first duty, | would s~g-
gest that the church must offer to the
| community in her own life and activ-
tiles the example that Is to be fol-
lowed. The church should first OF all
be true to herself. The claims that
We make are not small, and We can
} not bellttle them. We are In the
world as the divinely used instrument
: OF salvation. The cross Is the centre
: around which We gather and we de-
; clare our Willingness to accept all that
the cross typifies and embodies. The
/ law OF sacrifice Is the law which is
: emblazoned upon the banner, and 1t
is the underlying principle upon
which We build all others. To pro-
) claim liberty to the captive, and all
that includes itself in that is to be
( first always. AS we do that, the
world without, not excluding the world
J of civics will see 1t. If we are re-
! creant in the smallest degree, we de-
stroy the value of the message we
l would fain bear, and we surrender our
4 right to speak on any subject. We
t preach Christ crucjfied must be the
f unfliching declaration which we actu-
. ally make, and which we may call at
: tention to. Leaving this, We may as
, well be silent. But if we live UP to
i the ideal thus lifted We may be sure
: that our influence will be respected,
, and any word we may say, or any
: part we may take in civic publication
will have careful attention. We must
put first things first, but that does not
mean that there are no second things.
Added to this there is the need that
I we should offer to the world the sight
+ of we'll ordered and we'll governed
= community within our own borders.
t Every church is small republic. The
minister is the president The Of
, ficers are the cabinet. The people are
, governed by their own consent. I'm,
: DERIVING all forms of government,
' there are these principles. 1t is but
, little use to belaud the value of pure
!, democracy, unless We are within our
, own borders eXemplyfying 1t. There
are these principles underlying our
;, government. Let lis see that they find
!, their best and most completely moral
expression in the church life of our
people.
2. 1t Is sometimes needed that
,, there shall be distinct witness for
righteousness tangible and unmistake-
). able issuing from the whole church
: collectively From time to time oc-
. casions arise when the church must
| speak or there is no moral witness In
the whole universe. Conditions arise
which demand It, and the states and
cities cannot Withhold it. The condi-
tions In some I might broaden term
church so as to include all churches in
the city and suggest that a central
: orpanizafiOn