The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1908-10-25
LITTLE SERMONETTES
BY THE PASTOR.

''hender therefore unto Caesar the
things that are Caesars and unto
God the things that are God So We
feel sure the readers of The Tribune
have agreed with us in the truths
taught and the sentiments expressed in
the texts which We have heretofore
chosen, whether they agreed with us
IN the exposition of the texts or not.
But with this text we arc quite sure
there are some who hold contrary views
to those OF the Christ. The question to-
day, with many people. is the same os
1T was two thousand years ago: els it
lawful TO pay tribute or noIl' The
Christ did not 90 into a judicial dis
cusslon OF the case, but let the queTists
answer their own question. Let me
see a piece of your money said the
Christ. When the money was handed TO
him he asked, Whose image and suner-
scripJon is thisl'' They said, s'Cae-
sar g. That was a most fatal answer.
He did not ask them what that meant
for he was aware that they well knew
that 1t meant thai Caesar 5 government
furnished their medium Of exchange;
that tho government guaranteed the
value of IL; that il meant tina. the Ro-
man government stood for the protec-
tion OF the life and liberties OF those
whose privilege il was to use that gov
ernment S medium of exchange.
Whau else could any one expect than
10 contribute toward the maintaining of
that which guaranteed those things nee.
essary 10 their life and happiness, aud
which they were helpless 10 provide for
themselves as individuals, and. also, as
n province. An army was maintained
for the projection of the life and rights
of citizenship; as well as for wars of
territorial acquisition.
What WIS true of governments in
their attitude to their subjects two
thousand years ago is true in a larger
sense today. The government that guar
antecs TO us life, liberty and protection
in our pursuit of happiness, protecting
our property and furnishing us with
safe medium of exchange, with an
army of officers as well as soldiers TO
carry out the legitimate demands of the
people, is entitled TO receive coutrI bu-
tions from MS in the form Of taxes or
of tribute. with which TO keep up the
necessary expenses of the government.
Now who of the readers of The
Tribune VIII disagree with the PROPOSE
tion Of the Christ that men should rem
der to their government that which is
due for the rights guaranteed and main
tained by it,
Citizenship in this republic of ours
is n glorious heritage, and snonld be
prized at It's full worth, if indeed we
may comprehend its full worth. Citi-
zenship is also sacred trust. and eY.
cry one enjoying this citizenship should
faithfully keep this trust and guard
with Jealous care his citizenship. Obe-
dience TO law. whether it be the re-
Guircment to pay taxes. or the laws gov
erning the domestic and social rela-
tions, is the first. essential of good gov
ernment, "Render therefore unto
Caesar the things that are Caesar IS.
"Thus far so good But why pay
tribute 10 God or render TO him any
thing7D Here again we find many peo-
pie who maintain that they are under
no obligation to God for anything
which they have or enjoy. Il they
could be convinced that God had any
title in them; # he could establish his
ownership then indeed would they ac-
knowledge their allegiance TO him, The
Roman money had the image OF Caesar
stamped upon it, which determined its
ownership Man has the image of God
stamped upon him. The Bible tells us
that God created man IN his own image
and likeness. The trouble with SO many
people is they cannot see. the image,
possibly because they are blinded. but
the image cannot be seen IN many from
the fact that the image has been so
traceable. But that image is there and
YOU. my brother. have that image hid
den away somewhere, if 1t Is not out
to public gaze.
Henry Van Dyke tells beautiful
story of the discovery of one of the
mos1 beautiful faces of Dante upon the
walls of The Bargello, AT Florence. For
years the picture was supposed to.
have been destroyed, Tradition told of
It's wonderful beauty, but no one could
tell where it was. Some said it had
been stolen; others said ii had been
DESTROYED. An Italian artist deter
mined If possible TO find it, and began
the search. He went to the place where
tradition said il was md there sought
the building in the most likely location.
He selected his building and began his
search from room to room. Finally he
came to room that, IN his Judgment,
would be most likely to contain the pic
ture, but the room was Iull of rubbish
and the walls were covered with dust
and smoke and CRIME and coats of
Sh He cleared the room and