The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-10-05

to preach the Gospel Is to proclaim the whole content of righteousness.
 Now you can see where we are and what we ministers have to do. Let me say to you. in the first place, that to preach the Gospel Is to proclaim the glad news of salvation. We regard this our first business. I say 1t is our first business to say to men and women everywhere that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever Aelieveth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life," and urge them to accept 1t.
 But is this all of the GospelY 1t certainly Is not. As salvation Is not all of religion so the proclamation of the way of obtaining 1t is not all of the Gospel. Let me say to you. sec ondly, that to preach the Gospel Is to insist upon the ethical requirements of the Scriptures. The moral laws of God are just as really a part of our minis. try as the invitations of grace. And holy living and Christian duty should be urged upon the people everywhere and the man in the pulpit who is not doing this thing, Is not preaching the Gospel in any New Testament concept ion of the terms. The reason for pas tors and pastorates is to be found in the need of developing the people in holiness. usefulness and zeal for good works. Otherwise the business of the kingdom could be turned over to evan and order and advocate everything that stands favorably related to the best life of our people.
 Now, here Is where the trouble arises; here is where the confusion comes in. am not in politics. l have never been in politics; I never expect to be in politics. do not allow 1t Tn my pulpit when I am there ana my people do not allow 1t there in my ab- senoe, But am in some things that some persons confuse with politics. Let us do A little analyzing. and lit- tie separating.
 Are Statutes.
 Take the Ten Commandments. With the exception of the first two. they have been made the subject-matter or legislation both State and Federai; they have been reduced to statutes; they are the foundation of the moral law of every State in this Union. The whole Criminal Code of Alabama IS founded upon them. Are we minis- tere. therefore, in politics when we handle them in the pulpit? They are our things. Still further. take mar riage and the family, the reciprocal relations of husband and wife; or pa rent and child; take divorce; take oath taking: take temperance and prohipi- tion, both Biblical in principle: take education and charity; take patriotism: all these have been reduced to laws and made part of the civil order. But have they been thereby taken away from us ministers?. Have they thereby ceased to be legitimate subject matter of the pulpit? should say not. These are our things if we want to handle them. These things are enormously large in moral import. It would be perfectly proper for any one of us to urge them from the pulpit. It would not be politics with us. unless we made 1t so; it would be morals.
 Some people have an idea that preachers ought to be silent about such things. But I say to you, young gentlemen, you have right to know where your pastor stands on any and every moral question that arises In the community, and when In the con fusion and perplexities connected with such questions you may need or de- sire advice the man of all men on earth to give it Is your pastor.
 I repeat 1t, in your preplexities con- nected with moral problems the man of all men, to address you Is your pastor, the man who ministers to your soul.
 Let me close. by saying, third. that to preach the Gospel is to declare for an upright and effective citizenship. I pass rapidly over the great interests involved in the philanthropies and humanities. all of which you must know are a part. and a glorious part of the Gospel of our Lord. You take out of our civilization the contribu- tions that have been made to 1t by ministers of the Gospel, working along these greatest and broadest line. and the world would lose en- ormously They have wrought along "a thousand splendid lines and no set of men have been greater benefactors. Take Harvard University, take Yale take Brown, take Princeton, take Vanderbilt, take the denominational schools. and many of the state institu- tions, they were all born in the heart and brain of preachers and nurtured in their prayers and sacrifices and tears. But it their relation to civil govern ment in this country, they have stood for the highest ideals and been the greatest blessing. In this State of Alabama there has never been time when one civil order was in any dan ger at the hands of our ministers of the Gospel and their churches.
 .T do not preach a religious patriot ism, but a patriotic religion. My re- ligion obligates to good citizenship. preach civil duties to my people. call upon my people continually, to up- hold and obey the laws of the lanl and to support all measures that look to the good of the community.
 Render unto Cesar (the civil govern men) the things that are Ceasars's and to God the things that are Gods are words that fell from the lips of my Master. and in my place I call upon my people to observe them. The Cos pei covers the whole man, in all the relations of his life. and 1t Is the business of the preachers in the pull pit to say 1t.
 I am proud of the fact that one of our Baptist preachers wrote the Ma tional Hymn.
 If the people everywhere can sing such sentiments in the pew their preachers can proclaim them from the pulpit. Our congregation should not sing what their pastors ca anot preach.