Year: 1865

obey those powers are rendering obedience "a


God. They being MS ordinances, we cannot


disobey them without disobeying God him


self God commands that children shall obey


their parents, because the poweror authority


Of the parents is higher than that of the chill.


dren. Servants for the same reason are COM


manded to obey their masters, and to honor


them in all things; failing to do so they re-


bel against God. Citizens are commanded to


obey magistrates, governors, kings, and all


who hold higher power, and their neglect to


do so is disobedience to God But In all


obedience due from them they are to reuem-


Der that there is no power or authority but


Of God. Iftherefore rulers shall require Of


the ruled to do what God has forbiddsn-to


steal, lie, rob or commit murder, they are to


obey God rather than men; for no man has


authority from God to require Of their fellow


men what God has forbidden. Should par.


ents command their children to steal, lie or
blaspheme, or should masters command their
servants to worship idols, or transgress any


OF the laws Of God, they are justified in DISC


beying such unlawful commands. They are


not to recognize, respect or obey any power,


authority or dominion that is not of God


Every soul is in sUbordination to a still high
er power. The king or potentate who may
occupy the very highest place Of power on
earth, is commanded to be in subsection 10 The
still higher power of God, 80 that every soul
is equally bound to be in subjectiou to all the
powers ABOVE him, whether it be the wife,
the child, the servant the citizen, the ruler,
the king or potentate. .aI EF


If kings or earthly rulers could meet tie
responsibility Of their peoples transgressions
against God at his bar, then might they be
empowered to domineer over their conscience.
But God has given them no such power. but
holds every individual personally amendable
for himself He has therefore commanded US
to render unto Cesar the things which belong
to Cesar, and to God the things which belong
to God. $500


The most important consideration present.
ed in our text is that, 'Whosoe7sr resiststh
the ordinance Of God, and is therefore q
transgressor, not only of the authority Of
men, but also of Gods ordinance. The child
who disObeys or dishonors his parents, the
servant who disobeys the lawful commands
OF his master in the flesh, the citizen who is
disloyal to the wholesome civil government
under which God has cost his lot, is trans
gressor Of Gods law and shall receive 20
himself damnation, or as we presume shs
word may be rendered condemnation. Men
i'll the exercise Of such authority as God has
invested them with, must be honored and
obeyed on pain of condemnation. Their
condemnation not only by the laws Of men,
but confirmed by the law Of God, whose
mildest penalty is everlasting damnation.


"FOr rulers, (they who administer the rule
which God has given,) are not a terror 70
good works, but to the evil. Wilt tbou then
not be afraid of the power2 Do that which
is good and thou shalt have the praise Of the
same, for he is the minister OF God to thea
for good. But if thon do that which is evil.
be afraid; for he beareth not the sword Ia
vain, for he is the minister of God. 3 reVsnc,
er to execute wrath upon him that doeth
evil" The temporal judgments and wrath
OF God are executed or administered to eEil
doers by these ministers of God whom be
has appointed and empowered for that pur-
pose. Wherefore, ye must needs be sub
iect, not only for wrath, but also for con.
science sake. For this cause pay ye tribute
also, for they are Gods ministers attending
upon this very thing. Render
therefore to all their dues, tribute to whom
tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear
to whom fear, honor to whom honor: owe
no man anything but to love one another:
Tor he that loveth another hath fulfilled the
law" No parent, master, king or ruler has
a right Or power from God to demand. as a
minister of God, any more than that whichis
the fulfilling of the divine law. 'For this,
Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt
not kill. Thou shalt not steal Thou shalt
not bear false witness. Thou shalt not coyet;
and if there be any other commandment il
is briefly comprehended in this saying, name
ly: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy
self Love worketh no i'll to his neighbor;
love is the fulfilling Of the law


In the foregoing we have confined our re-
marks to the obligations Of loyalty in the
civil department Of governments, omitting
for the present to treat upon the subject Of
government, the laws and insti-
tutions Of the house Of Goo, and the obHga-
tons of all the children of God to walk in all
the ordinances of the gospel kingdom, and to
submit to the administration of all the laws
Of the spiritual kingdom as administered by
the apostles and ministers Of Christ whom
God has authorized to take the oversight Of
his flock.


We have purposely avoided illusions to the
present political affairs Of this country, not
because the subject is inappropriate or unim-
Dortant but from consciousness of the ex-
cited state Of the public mind and peculiar
manifested too frequently, even
BY professors of our faith when the divine
.ule is brought to bear against any prejudice
hey may have imbibed against some of the
Institutions Of power which God has ordain-
ID. We only ask that the article may be
.andidly examined in the fear of the Lord
md in the light of the scriptures OF truth, and
hat all the saints may lay aside every weight
md the sin that doth so easily beset, and run
With patience the race set before US, looking
into Jesus, the Author and Finisher Of our
aith.