Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-02
Sunday School Lesson
BY
Rev. Hugh T. Stevenson.

has no religious function. Cavour's
saving, recently quoted by Mussolini, OF
"a free church In a free state" Is not
found in the Masters words or the Ma
tons Constitution. No matter what
mans faith may be, he has the same
rights, privileges and fmmunities as
any believer In any other faith. The
power of the state is police power.
In. return for protecting men and CIV.
ing to each the right to worship GOD
in accordance with the dictates OF ms
conscience. the Government has right
to expect from every citizen respect
for its laws and their abstaining from
doing anything evil or detrimental 10
others not through fear. but out OF
love for the Nation and its institutions
Christians Relation to Government.
An aee-long question naturally comes
up in connection with this lesson, con-
corning the relation between the indi-
vidual conscience and civil authority.
In nearly every case there Is no conflict
between the will of God and our con-
science in this land. Whenever there
appears to be any law that is contrary
to any individuals opinion to his duty
to God, we have the means, given US in
our Constitution, to remedy and cor
rect any error. Our weapons are the
power Of public opinion, the rights OF
free speech and a free press, to pre-
serve the freedom of conscience, the
education Of the electorate and the bal
lot box" II we exercise our privileges,
we need never fear in this land with
the strong determination on the part
of the people to give every man square
deal. We need never doubt the result
of an appeal to the Nation when any
class of believers does not receive its
religious rights. The outcome of such
an appeal is certain. Paul insisted in
his letter to the Romans. that even
when the governments came short OF
being lust. because of human weakness,
it was entitled to be obeyed because
it was of divine origin. He claim
ed that any resistance to their authority
was against Gods law.
Paul insisted that love should gov
ern every Christians relation to the
state. This calls for us to love our fell
lowmen and to oppose anything that
seeks to be destructive of the home,
state and church. Every Christian is
required. to subdue the lusts OF the
flesh and to make no provision for the
flesh.9 Without being forced by the
requirements of the law, every Christian
CT his own free will is supposed to gov
ern his life by the Golden Rule: Paul
went further, when he insisted that If
by the eating of meat he would make
his life a stumbling block for another.
then he would abstain from partaking
of the meat. This principle applies 10
all social practices, as we'll as the OBJ
SeryanceS of the laws OF the state ana
the Nation.
Peter in his first epistle took a po-
sition that is virtually the same as that
found in the teachings of Paul. He
urged upon the Christians to whom hi
was writing tn he lOYal to the law. He
advised them not to be disorderly.
but to be loyal to the laws of
their rulers and his representatives as
King or Emperor A noted writer has
recently claimed that Peter traced the
authority of the representatives OF the
government as proceeding from the
people and not from God, while Paul
spoke of those exercising authority as
Servants, of God" This difference has
been made the basis OF the claim that
Peter was a constitutionaltst and Paul
was an inperialist. No one who traces
the influence of Paul's ministry upon
the civilization in the development OF
modern democracy can agree with that
view They both taught that Christians
should recognize and obey the laws OF
thu country where they were dwelling
The application of this lesson to the
present problems in reference to obey
ing the law and Constitution needs no
comment. No one seeks the return Oh
the saloon when they face the fact
that about two billion dollars that was
once snent over the bar, has been di-
verified to the support of better homes
and the development of higher stand
ards of living. Let us in spirit OF
brotherhood seek to serve our fellow
men. be loyal TO our state and country
! and faithful 70 our obligations TO God.