The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-23

ers have no more right to complain
than a democrat who sells rum.
Laws of Church.
The church may make laws to gov
ern its own internal affairs but has no
right to make laws that touch people
outside the church. If we, as a cnurcn,
claim the right to make a law for one
unconverted man of the world then we
must concede to the infldel the PRIV
lege of making laws for us. The
church, such, has no right to make
laws to regulate a saloonkeeper's bust
ness and on the same principle we deny
him vote when we elect elders and
deacons.
The church has no right to make a
law which carries with 1t a penalty
that touches a mans time, money or
person. Put up the sword" Vengeance
is NINE I Will repay, saith the Lord"
IF it be possible as much as lieth in
you live peaceably with all men," "Be
we wise as serpents and harmless as
doves" The penalty for the violation
of Gods law is in Gods hands. As a
church we have no right to punish a
man by fines, stripes or imprisonment
Having no right to administer such a
penalty, we have no right to make
law carrying with it such a penalty for
some other power to enforce.
The church is a spiritual organization
dealing with the affairs of the soul and
it's relationships, and not a temporal
society dealing with material matters.
Now, brethren, much of our church
trouble Is caused by the introduction
into the church of foreign matters.
Much of our civic discord is caused by
injecting into political realms organ
lied religious effort or intolerance.
Do you not know, brethren, that the
tangling up of ecclesiastical and polit-
ical matters has caused on earth more
torture, bloodsh ed, death and hell than
any amalgamated product of sin?
Nero's Work.
Who does not remember the blood
chilling stories of Nero's work? Who
has forgotten the history of a re-
ligion-part Christian, part Pagan and
part Heathen-that was thrust upon
the Teutonic peoples with the sword
and the flames? Who does not think
of the Mohammedan knife in Asia?
who has forgotten the devilish inqui-
sition of Spain-the result of mixing
politics and religion and cementing
them together with fanaticism and
vanishing them with intolerance? Your
children can relate the history of
bloody Mary, and you can recall the
scandals and things more devilfsh
connected with Henry the Eighth? Who
does not know that between Boston
and Port Royal mothers have beheld
the bodies of their butchered babes,
husbands have seen their wives die
before their faces. and maiden and
young manhood have given their blooo
to paint the sands of the Atlantic
states? Who does not know that this
has been the harvest already reaped IN
this country from sowing ecclesiastical
and political seeds in the same garden
fortified with religious fanaticism
-planted in UNCONVENTIONAL bigotry
fortified with religious fanaticism
and cultivated with the aggrandize-
ment of political preferment?
The Presbyterian church, and espec-
ia1lv our branch, has always stood for
religious tolerance and political free
dom. 49,,
In this age of reform; at this time
of temperance legislation in these days
of flags and processions at this time
of civic league and aid socities; at this
time when morality and spirituality
have in the common mind little dis
cernable difference; at this time When
men make only distinction Wnere
there is vital difference; at TINS tlme
II has occurred to me that there shoulo
he a blazing of the path between the
things that be of Caesar and the tnlnes
tba+ he of God. Let the people nave
the light that comes from the lustre
Of the historic position of our beloved
church Render to Caesar what Is MS
give to God His own, draw line Pc
tween them, and remember that the
kingdom of Jesus is not Of this Worla.
It is my purpose that no man snaii
discern from my pulpit WORK tne CON- 70
,,ioxIor Of NV political affiliations. Ii
20, want my political views then put
me- on the programme to speak them
to a public gathering in the Courthouse
on some Friday evening.