The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1913-07-18

ual body. are separated in an essen
tial sense from the world They are
waiting for his re-appearing. and ex-
pect to be glorifed and reign with
him over the millennial earth.
There is a point of view therefore,
in which such a people have nothing
TO do with civil government because
such government is a part OF the sys-
tenn of ungodliness represented by
Satan whom the Scriptures call the
god of this world His dominion is 10
be destroyed when Christ comes TO
set up his kingdom in its place. True
Christians, therefore, are not expect
ing the millennium TO be brought
about by moral or political reforms.
but are waiting for his coming TO in
troduce and make It a possibility.
What Caesar Represents.
But while this is true, such Chris
tians believe that they have obiga-
tions 10 the government under which
they live. privileges TO be enjoyed and
a stewardship for which they must
give account OF God Paul claimed
protection because of his Roman citi-
zenship, but no man has a moral
right to ask protection from govern
ment to which he is Indifferent. and
for which he will not use his inhu-
ence to make II the best possible.
Caesar" represented the civil gov
ernment of Christ's day, and the
things TO be rendered unto him were
the taxes imposed by the Roman en-
pire. But the Caesar" of the United
States to whom we are to pay tribute
is not an individual or an empire. but
In an important sense IL is ourselves
II this is a government of the peo-
pie. for the people and by the peo-
Pile" we are our own Caesar, and to
ourselves we render tribute. Accord
ing to Christ's command therefore.
we are TO support this government In
accordance with the laws 1t has made.
And yet more is implied, for we are
not only Caesar" TO whom tribute
must be paid. but Caesar" who pays
the tribute For what do we demand
this tribute therefore? How much OF
the taxes levied by us on our fellow
men kOtS lulO lnt pOChtAo VI NbOoO
to whom IT does not belong, because
we are indulging our own con-
venience and letting things alone?
How much of il supports our con-
stabulary and law courts. our aims
houses and jails whose existence is
because of iniquitous legislation af-
fording license 10 sin? Are we salts
fed that in these things we can give
account of our stewardship with joy?
. How much attention, as Christians.
have we given to these things? How
much do we know, and how much
have we prayed about them?
Party or Purity, Which7
This brings us TO our second obli-
CATION in relation 10 civil government,
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy
self" OF course, this means that we
shall try 10 save our neighbor and
bring him with us on the way 10
heaven But II means also that we
can not be Indifferent 10 the earthly
difficulties of the way. In other
words We must not permit Satan TO
fiaunt his temptations in the way
without an effort 10 destroy them
There are dram shops, brothels and
gambling dens open for the allure
ment OF our young men and women.
II our newspapers are TO be believed,
law is defed by municipal and state
officers 10 the decentralization Of both
public and private standards OF right
and wrong. Who are responsible for
these things7 VIII not God hold
those protesting Christians 10 ac-
count who, for the sake OF party
fealty on the one hand or lack OF
public duty on the other. to have fail
ed 10 overthrow them.
The New Testament says scarcely
anything about the relation OF the
Christian church 20 civil government
because in the time OF Christ and his
APOSTLES there was no civil govern
ment In the sense In which we con-
ceive OF IT, But the duty OF the In
dividual Christian IL included never
theless in the second commandment
OF the law. Thou shalt love thy
neighbor as thyself." for love work
eth no evil 10 his neighbor." either BY
omission or commission.