Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-11-24
CHURCH AND STATE
SHOULD NEVER. Be
JOINED, SAYSPASTOR
LUTHERAN MINISTER DELIVERS
EXCEPTIONALLY INTERESTING
SERMON 70 CONGREGATIONS
sorH st+ouLo,se WELL sEav-
ED AND hONoREp, HE SAYS.

Cd ANu 1ONVNEO, he SAYS.
That the church and State shcul !
meyer be- Joined In one union and "a, n
slNnld perform Its own important
function independent of the other.
was the general theme of an excel
tionally interesting sermon delivered
al the Zion Evangelical Lutheran
,lhurch German Lutheran yesterday
nrorning by Rev J. r. Mueller.
In his discourse Rev. Mueller touch
ed at leng h upon The individuals dul,
To the state as we'll as to the church,
saying, we owe Doth to the churcn
ANA 70 the state our constant ana
heart felt prayers our honor
and esteem obedience He
said in part
1T has been said that one Of tlo
@reatest bic SIMS OF the wCrk OF tAa
great reformer, Dr. Martin Luther, has
Oeen the Gear and distinct enIncia,
ton of the principle of the separatio
OF the churcn and the state. It is This
In the words OF the text Render unto
Caesar the things which are Caesar
and unto God tie tnings that ar
Gods Here Jesus clearly teachen
that Caesars domain and the domai /
Of God are two different : lere,.
which must be forever KEPT apart and
never blended together Each insci.
tuition Ii founded by God, the church
as we'll as the state, but the two
mixed together would produce ca.
lamitt for the whole world Hagp.l,.
our fathers have recognized this pi in.
iciple when drafting the best constitu.
= ton there is In the wOrld and in thai
Z constitution they declared that Cor
gress shall make no law rcspec. in.,
any establishment OF religion CT the
free exercise thereof
However. this paramount principle,
once so clearly conceived and so en-
phaticitlly stated by our fathers, is
being lost sight of Attempts ar"
being made continually to have tn"
state mix into matters OF the church
ana the church into matters of the
state. And thus the state is asked to
do what the church ought to do. while
the church is supposed to do the bu j..
ness Of the state
T. IL, has always been the plincipl"
"of the Lutheran church that the state
sshould remain free to do its work
without being troubled by The church
and that likewise the church should
( be free to do her work as the Master
4 has commanded her And this be
cause The church differs from the state
: in three vital things First subjects;
second, the laws, and, third, the aim
sand object in view.
~. There is a difference as to tn"
4 subjects. Who are the subjects Of
the state? All citizens regardless Of
their faith and their belief. The state
: nust protect them all. and grant them
the same rights and privileges.
"2. There is a difference as to the
CLAWS In the church there should pe
no other laws but those laid down by
Christ in the gospel, for the Master
has told us, If ye continue in Nj
words. then are We My disciples in
deed And again. Search ye tn"
Scriptures, for in them We think -"
have eternal life On the contral
the state Is to be governed by the
secular laws. the laws made by tho
people, and not by the laws of Christ
az such.
3. There IL Il difference also aS 10
the aim and object in view. The aim
CT the church is the spiritual welfare
q her members It is her div inc mis-
sion to win people for Jesus. to mako
, them spiritually happy here and cterr
ALLY harry in heaven, Not 80 the
go atn Z M Gfn 70 t,vr L
pies security, liberty and hs'1)iness.
II il protects its citizens, Furnishes
crime. regulates commerce and trade,
and does all il can to enhance tn"
bodily welfare Of its pee, e the state
has done all that can be expected
Of 1t.
! However. while the church and hc
state differ vitality from each Cthc:.
The duties whi,h We owe to both nj
them are very mach alike.
L. We owe 10th 10 the Church and
to the state cur true constant and
heartfelt prayers The reason VII,
both the church and the state are SO
very often pOweress in coping with
the great problems confronting them
is because We have forgotten to pray.
p 20 We owe both the church and the
Sate our honor and esteem. BC.h ar
servants of God, the state as well as
the church, the state in her sphere
and the church in hers. the state as
watching over the body and the
church watching over the soul. and =,
they are worthy OF car highest esteem
A man who does no. love his country
and man who does not love tn"
church are both alike traitors and
scoundrels,
y ?. We owe them obedience. No
country can exist unless is peoples
obey the laws. and no church can
thrive unless her members render
obedience to the laws OF God. Now,
& both the laws of the church and those
81 the state are often iiksome and dis.
agreeable to our flesh They restrain
us. discipline lls and curb our. or what
we believe to be our. personal liberties.
But 1t is just That which makes com.
munity lite and churCh life noble"