The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1918-05-03
LIMITS OF CIVIL AUTHORITY,
AND WHY SUNDAY LAWS -
ARE WRONG.

There are limits to the authority
of the civil power, and these limits
should be clearly understood by
people. A Republican form OF gov
eminent. as c~ontrasted with an abso-
lute monarchy, implies a limitation TO
the mowers of the government beyond
which it cannot rightfully go.
Civil government is not the CUSTOM
an of the souls of the people. Up
on all the pages of human history the.
truth is written plain that there are
two sphere of life within which man
moves, with one Of which-the nigner
sphere of conscience. m OF ms re-
lation to God-the civil power can
rightfully have nothing to Q AGAIN
and again the Almighty has vlncl-
Gated the course of those who, IN OF.
der to be true to Him, have cruise
obedience to unjust 1IoHI
the civil authority. The darKest
pages of history are those recorning
the results of the invasion by the
civil power of the realm OF conscl-
ence. The early history OF 0 OF
the leading religious denomlnatlons
IF this day was marked by. their.
resistance to the dictates Of the civil
mower outside the sphere of its leglti-
mate authority.
The true sphere of civil govern
ment was we'll defined by the men
Who founded the American Republic.
The Declaration of independence,
which led to the founding OF tins
nat;on. saws: "We hold these truths
to be self evident, that all men are
created equal: and that they are en-
lowed by their Creator with certain
~inalienable rights; that among A31ese
are life. liberty, and the pursuit OF
hanniness. That to secure THESE
r;ghts. governments are institAeea
among men, deriving their just pow
ers from the consent of the govern
ed :" This is the principle OF gov
eminent upon which this nation is
established. .
NON To preserve the natural nallens
ahIe rights. which men have by crea'
ton. hat is, as individuals; not to
curtail these rights, or to take them
awav' When civil government IN;
vades these rights, it does exactlNY
Tho onposite of that which 1t IS In
st;tuted to do. This is a perverted
and illegitimate use of its powers:
legislatures cannot create natura
r;ohts. neither can they make flgh1
Yong. or wrong right. The law o.
r;oht and wrong is a law ~antedatlnl
and wholly Independent of any legls
1at;ve enactments. Legislators ar
ho,,nd to shape their legislation %!
their knowledge of this law OF justice
u,h;cb is inherent in the human mlnd
and their legislation will be excellen
"a nronortion as they approximate
20 this ideal standard. 1t is prope
~ cav. therefore, that the province
of the legislature is not to create law
H,,t 70 ascertain and define it. Right
:. IS a law. and has been sue
from the foundation OF the world !
is binding upon men everywneIe; an -
at all times. All men are pouhu' a
ways, to do right, ;
.harafore not the question lying a
tbe foundation of ones duty IN an
I nI or spiritual matter which
aSnht before him. There is ar
other question lying deeper nan tnl
and that is the question, Wnat
right? Sometimes injustice pecom
enthroned in law; but tins ooes ~
nut upon any person an oDligatlol .
do morally wrong. He u Slln poua,
to right, still bound by c0nscisnS
to the higher law of God. ms n.s'
or law must be obeyed at any cost.
A statue commanding .o.con
NIT murder on certain occ1slonsy !
to steal, or Ito rswear faisetN Wor'
not be binding n anyone, n Won
not be obeyed; and the reason ave
81 = -