The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1910-11-24
Politics and seIfshness as Religion

who caused his crucifixion.
Politics and Selfishness as Religion
The Jews are not SO different from
other people now. nor were they then.
History indicates that some of their
highest offices were held by irreligion-
lists for their political influence; thus
the chief-priests. at the first advent Of
our Lord, was a Sadducee, who wholly
disbelieved in the promises Of God to
Israel, including a disbelief in the res
direction Of the dead. Similarly today
there are high-priests. both amongst
Jews and Christians. who disbelieve.
and yet hold high positions. Amongst
Christians there are D. DIS who are
unbelievers and many Of the most no
table rabbis amongst the Jews also de-
clare themselves thorough unbelievers.
We are not claiming that such unbe-
lievingr Christians and Jewish minis
ters would lightly espouse and support
an unjust procedure against an limo.
cent man. We do not know about this.
1t has yet to be tested, perhaps. We
do know. however, that when faith
in a Divine Revelation and in a Divine
supervision Of human affairs is lost the
natural effect is that the losers of the
faith become more and policy
men and consider policy the extreme
OF human wisdom, particularly in the
guidance Of affairs Of Church and
State.
Taking history for it, that the lead
ers of Judaism at the time Of u Lord
were Higher Critical unbelievers (sad-
ducees). we can readily see that their
policy was to curry favor with the
Roman Emperor and to seek to hold
the common people in subsection to
themselves. To these. then. 1t must
have seemed almost a calamity that a
poor man. although Of noble. birth, of
the family of David and the Tribe of
Judah, should gather about him a
handful Of nondescript fishermen. tax
CATERERS. etc.; that he should pro-
nounce himself a king and declare the
setting up of his Kingdom to be near.
and that by the exercise of some SUI
pernatural power for the healing of
their diseases he should attract the
Common people" to his standard. but
not the learned. We can well imagine
their reasoning that. If this thing, the
popularity Of Jesus, continued to ill.,
crease, it would shortly reach the ears
Of the Roman Emperor and then all
their claims for imperial favors would
be discounted and they would be rated
as a nation of rebels.
The riding Of Jesus into Jerusalem.
just before the Passover. on IN ass.
after the manner of the kings of Is
rael and surrounded by a multitude
shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of Da-
vid who cometh in the name Of the
Lord" capped the climax, so to speak,
and convinced these unbelieving Jews,
politicians, occupying religious offices,
that it would be far better that one
innocent man should die than that the
whole nation should be turned into tur-
mOil and wrecked by the Romans in
consequence. How many American
preachers, judges. officials. ETC.. would
this enlightened day be inclined sim
ilarly to decide such a matter! And |!
Is not this the policy which always pre-
walls in monarchies? Fancy such a
in the capital of Germany.
Italy. France. Austria. Russia, Great
Britain. the United States. Fancy
that after such a parade. mimic though
might appear. the adored one should
go to the temple and execute a long
law and. in thus exercising
his religious rights. suppose that he
should drive out the money-changers
and merchants from the outer pre-
cincts of their chief religious Cathe-
dral! What would be done to such a
person today? Do we not know that
Ii the most civilized lands he would |
be arrested and imprisoned. and in the
more savage lands he would be beat