Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-04-04
ANARCHY AND ATHEISM.


Anarchism denies the authority Of
all government that rules by force
Tut in so doing. some become Athe-
lists as well rs anarchists.
Those who really believe, and do
not merely profess, anarchism cam
not. OF course, believe that 1.-THE pow
ers that be are ordained OF Cod"
This was the teaching of the Apostle
TO the Gentiles and represents the gem
eral average of Christian belief on
the subject.
We do not mean, of course, to as
sert anything in the nature of the dis
carded theory of the divine right Of
kings. We believe that sovereignty.
in the last analysis. rests with the
people But that does not prevent our
conclusion that government itself IS u
divine institution.
All human law Is In the form Of
commandment enjoining what the
conceive to be right and prohibiting
what they believe to be wrong.
But what men believe to be right
or wrong represents the sum total Of
their experience, education. and medi-
tation, at that time. That is the laws
which men write into statute books
are the laws which their experience
has engraven upon their own hearts
or souls Laws at their best are the
consciences of men enacted into stat
utes. They represent the ideals of
iuen--the highest results of their
conclusions. Laws are thus, while
| they emanate from men, In certain
sense, the commands of God, That
is, conscience Is thesvoice OF God. rand
| law is the uttered conscience of leSis-
lators. Human law Is therefore di-
vine law, and human government is
divine government. 1t Is granted
that this argument applies only to
the highest manifestations or law, and
IL not intended TO include occasional
enactments that may be dictated by
| other motives than those of public
benefit.
When, therefore. we hear glib talk,
not against certain statute or law,
hut against law itself and against gov
eminent as an institution, we suspect
that the author OF It not only lacks
| all faith in his fellowmen ms the chill
dren of God, and also that he lacks
any real faith in God.
Practical faith in human govern
| ruent Is almost u necessary element
of faith in the divine government. Re-
| ligion seems TO be essential tn the sup
port of government. for none appear
to be able to exist without it. An
archists preach indifferently atheism
or anarchlsm. If they can convert
the people of either one, n heller in
the other Is almost inevitable.
The connection between Atheism
and anarchy has often been noticed.
Tho history of the French revolution
contains perhaps the most striking eX-
amples of this connection.
Anarchy does not stand for oppos-
ton TO bad rulers Every good citi-
zen opposes these. Anarchy opposes
kings today, not because they are bad,
but because they are kings, Bad rul-
ers nowadays can be brought to nc-
count 1t is not true that we must
either laud and be slavish to bad rul-
ers, or we must slay them. The fact
Is that rulers in this day. aud especial
ly in this country. are accountable to
the people. The people constitute
the power behind the throne in limit
ed monarchies, and stiu more em-
phatically in republics
Violent anarchism would dethrone
rulers, not reform them. 1t would
dethrono God, ana not tolerate faith
In Him II would deny altogether
that the voice OF the people is the
voice of God, or that human law Is
divine law as It is reflected from the
consciences Of men.
Practical faith in God Is the cure
for revolutionary anarchy; and faith
IL God Is best cultivated by exercising
! faith in our fcllow-man.