Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-03-25
CHURCH'S DUTY IS.
TO PROTECT LAWS
OF NATION: HARDING
president IN ADDRESS BEFORE
. WASHINGTON BIBLE CLASS
i SAYS MORAL BREAK DOWN BE.
|, GAN PRIOR TO 1918.

4 Washington, d. c, March 25,--The
"churCh can give no higher service
gthan to put forth the utmost influence
b In behalf OF crank and willing obcdi.
rence to the law of the land Presl.
dent Harding declared last night in
an address before the bible class OF
Calvary Baptist church.
"Thero is no relationship here be.
tween church and state the presi-
dent said. Religious liberty has its
uualterable place. along with civil
ana human liberty, in the very foun-
dation Of the republic. There in is
shown the farseeing vision of the i'm.
mortal founders, and we are q bet.
ter people and "a better republic be.
cause there is that freedom.
q fear it is forgotten some times
In the experiences of a year in the
presidency there has come 10 me no
other such unwelcome impression as
the manifest religious intolerance
which exists among many of our CItl-
zens. | hold it to be a menace 10 the
very liberties we boast and cherish
in spite OF our complete divorce.
ment of church and state, quite in har-
mony with our religious freedom
there is an important relationship be-
tween church and nation, because no
nation can prosper, no nation can sur.
yive if il ever forgets Almighty God.
81 have believed that religious rev.
erence has played very influential
and helpful part in the matchless
American achievements. and | wish 1t
ever to abide. If | were to utter a
prayer for the republic tonight, 1t
would be to reconsecrate us in re-
Iigious devotion and make us abiding
300 ly a God fearing God loving people.
81 do not fail to recall that the
religious life makes for the simple
life. and it would be like divine ben
ediction to restore the simpler lie
in this republic.
There is a good deal Of loose talk
nowadays about the cause OF the
spiritual Generalization OF the COM
munitv, which il has become popular
10 attribute to the abnormal condi
tions that were incident to the war.
But in fact the war was not Wholly
TO blame. Before the war started or
was dreamed of we were already rea-
lizing the tendency toward a certain
moral Iaxitv, a shifting of standards,
weakening of the sterner tibers.
"Take. for example, the matter&ot
regard for the law. Without giving
too much weight to alarmist express
there is a very apparent tendency 10
lighter and more frivolous we"
of the citizens relations to both the
state and church.
at is absolutely essential to the
maintenance of secure society ana
to the attainment Of a proper moran
pIane that the law should be recog'
ptzed as sacred and supreme.
Whatever breeds disrespect for
the law of the land in any particu
lar department Of our community reia
lions. is a force tending to the gener
al break down Of the social organlza
ton. If people who are known d
leaders, as directing Influences a.
thoroughly respected and respectable
members of society, shall in their re
spective communities become know
for their defiance of some part OF tn
code of law, then they need not b'
astonished if presently they find tina
their example is followed by others
with the result that presently the la'
in general comes to he looked upoI
as a set Of irksome and unreasonable
restraints upon the liberty OF the II
dividual"