The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-02-16

deplorable rather than damnable:
and that Ia our own condemnation.
Let US try to recover an sppre-
citation of the grounds on which
we are obliged to use such words
about what has lately been hap
pening in Germany. What 10 the
sanctity attaching to justice N
between man and man. nation and
nation. state and citizen A totali-
tartan regime may establish and
uphold real justice a. between man
and man; II may come nearer to
this than some liberal or demo-
cratic state; and then multitudes
Of people who have ne occasion
for collision with the state. are
prepared to praise that state for
its achievement.
hut they rest on . rotten
Foundation. Unless the state
recognizes the claim Of Justice
~ between itself and Its sub
jects, II will only uphold Jus
tace ~ between those subjects
- long ~ its own interest In
furthered BY doing 10. The
vital question h whether the
state 1.-THE sovereignty recog-
Mics Itself ~ subject 10 the
demands Of Justice and there
BY Acknowledges something
superior 10 itself.
This 10 why the permanent
struggle Of the Christian church
must Be against Caesar-worship,
- 1t was in the first age of per-
secution. a. it Ia depicted in the
Book Of Revelation. as II il pre-
scented to Va in Germany today.
For. II the state il supreme, then
1t h not required to deal Justly.
but only to serve its own interests; |
and II 1t does not uphold justice.
the foundation Of human society
IL destroyed.
God Above STATE
Yet plainly the state L. supreme
unless there Ia y God to whom II
owes allegiance. None but God can
In fact claim to stand above the
state. Only faith in God can pre-
serve us from totalitarianism and
the reputation of justice inherent
In IL.
We may look at the same truth
from the side of the individual.
How can he possibly have q claim
against the state? II he 10 the
creature of moment: one of some
millions of contemporaries in the
flow of successive generations. this
Is impossible. He can have that
claim only If he In a child of God,
q citizen Of an eternal kingdom.
Justice and freedom alike depend
upon the complete dis
tinction between the executive and
the judicatwe-upon the denial of
Hitler's claim after the 30th of
June. Unless q citizen may appeal
from the executive officers of the
state to its judicial officers. and
unless the latter give their deci-
sion independently in accordance
with duly promulgated law. there
Is no freedom and there will soon
be little justice.
But the executive in a modern
state il immensely powerful. II
will not submit its actions to
courts Of law unless 1t has-that
IL. Of course. those who constitute
It and act for il have reverence
for something create than state
and acknowledge In every citizen
= kinship with that higher power.
We are Mortified when we
80 Naxi Germany outrage
Justice, Freedom and Truth;
hut we shall not save them
by defeating Germany alone:
we can save Them only BY
faifh In God which controls
our political philosophy ~
well ~ our political action.
Today. though there are other
and higher tasks beyond, the most /
indispensable task of the church is
to recall men TO acknowledgment
Of the sovereignty of God. over all
states and persons. a. well imper-
ial As private. throughout His uni
verse supreme.
Ito he Centinued)