The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-10-31

| sunday we nave, llOHi duI ISI
ter TO the Romans, a lesson on
good citizenship which includes
= and emphasizes patriotism, phi
lanthropy and piety. Rome was
mistress of the world with Pales-
: tine as an insignificant province
and the scattered Jews paying un-
4 willing tribute into the imperial
3 treasury. The Apostles word,
therefore, was as brave as it was
7 true when he urged Christians at
Rome and everywhere to obey and
: enforce the laws of the land, to
live among their neighbors a life
of love, and TO clOthc their souls
in the white robes Of goodness.
DUTY TO COUNTRY
Patriotism implies the duty to
country. Government is Of divine
, origin, being not only permitted
but planned of God. Not every
: government measures up 10 the
divine plan and purpose, but the
principle of government is essen
tial TO the welfare of mankind.
. Hence, piety requires patriotism,
/, and duty TO God involves duty to
our country. Certain imperatlves
follow: Cd Be in subsection to
the higher powers. The power of
all in the body polite is superior
TO the power Of the individual. So
each person must subordinate him
. self to the COMMONWEALTH. That
lmeans that he must be law-abiding,
| government supporting, public
spirited. Resistance to CONSTITUTE.
, ed authority which is ordained Of
God and fulfilling its high destiny
is not only wrong and wicked but
disastrous 70 him who dlSregardS
and defieS the government. The
| parasitical socialist and the de-
structive anarchist, the one sap
: ping and the other supplanting the
civic power, are the enemies Of
l God and country and deserve the
condemnation Of the laws they de-
spise. (2) Do that which is good.
The citizen who does right has
nothing to fear in any well-regu-
lated government. On the con-
, trary public officials will gladly
. recognize his worth and work; for
they would rather speak the word
of praise to a good citizen than
WELD the sword of vengeance
against a bad citizen. They know
. that conscience may require pas
sive resistance TO wicked leglsla-
, ton, but even then the citizen who
Iobeys the voice Of God rather than
, men may be the trueSt of patriots
and a devoted lover Of his country
. 81 Reader to all their dues. For
one thing, the payment of taxes IS
-. a duty which no one should at
tempt to evade. The good citizen
will conform to the legal require
ments which are necessary to keep
the machinery of civilization run
ming smoothly. And certainly he
will award due fear and honor TO
those who merit them in positions
of responsibility. If we do not re-
spect our own country, we need
not expect others to do so. We
ought. therefore, to have proper
regard for those in authority, for
law and order. and for good gov
eminent.
Philanthropy implies duty to
neighbor. Observe two impera-
tiveS here: On Owe no man any
thing. Failure to meet obligations
promptly sets things awry. A debt
paying people are apt to be pros
porous and contented. Nothing
can equal love in making people
pay their just and honest debts TO
: each other and to the government.
Every inferior motive comes short.
(2) Love thy neighbour. Love
acknowledges obligation. Love
works no i'll and does no harm.
Love fulfils the law not only by
exact and faithful obedience, but
by completing the higher and
richer meaning Of the law beyond
: legal requirements. SO there is a
preventive fulfilment of law which
keeps one from breaking the sec
| ond table of the law embodying
our duties to. man, such as the
commandments against adultery,
murder theft and covctousness.
But also there is a philantrophic
fulfilment which shields a neigh
Dor from all and extends to him
nothing but good. A good neigh
Dor is therefore a good citizen.
Piety implies a duty to God.
There are five imperatives here:
It Awake out of sleep. 1t is a
time of crisis requiring vigilance.
1t is an hour of hope inspiring &C
ton, for our faith is approaching
its full fruition in the ultimate
and eternal salvation. (2) Cast
off the works of darkness. The
garments of the night must be re-
moved, sloughed off, and forsaken.
The eternal day is about to dawn,
now for the individual who departs
to be with Christ, but more fully
for everybody when the Lord
comes again in power and glory.
80 Put on the armor of light. 1t
is armor, for there is Conflict
ahead. 1t is the armor of God,
for he furnishes it and guarantees
1t to be effective. II is the armor
of light which diSpels the worlds
darkness by the Light of the
World, ca Walk becomingly. !
The habit of life must be honest
within and without. 1t must be
well-behaved according to the |
most exacting human standards, /
IL ought not to vince under the
open light of day. 1t ought to be
free from the dominion of appe- |
tlte with it's revelry and its brawls,
II ought to be infinitely above the |
life of sensuality and lust, II