ATJ
THE seat of conscience is the heart of the individual; and it has no other. AMS December 2, 1897, page 737.1
THE heart that is truly given to God, is given to the best service of home and country. AMS December 2, 1897, page 737.2
THE sacredness of a right does not depend in any degree upon the number of people who possess it. AMS December 2, 1897, page 737.3
THE Sabbath is the Lord’s day, but this does not mean that the day should be monopolized by the church. AMS December 2, 1897, page 737.4
IT is easy enough to do right when you are allied with God, whether there is any law of the state backing you up or not. AMS December 2, 1897, page 737.5
EVERY step in the direction of forcing people to keep the Sabbath proclaims to the world that the gospel of God is a failure. AMS December 2, 1897, page 737.6
WHAT I ask of you, and you ask of me, is not that you shall decide for me in matters of conscience, but that you shall respect my rights. AMS December 2, 1897, page 737.7
THERE is not a Sunday law upon the statute books of any State in the Union which is strong enough to meet the wishes of the people who want the State to be religious. AMS December 2, 1897, page 737.8
A UNION of religion with the state means a religious state; and a religious state means a state religion. And where was there ever a state religion without a union of church and state? AMS December 2, 1897, page 737.9
“GET a Sunday law enacted, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and ye shall find the needed rest.” Is this the language of the divine Counselor?—No; but “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Is the Saviour right in this statement? Try it and see. AMS December 2, 1897, page 737.10
IF the Lord had not wished Peter to forgive his trespassing brother seventy times seven times, he would not have labored to convert him to the true religion. In other words, the true religion is only for those who can forgive trespasses against them seventy times seven times. Can the state do this? and if not, can it profess the true religion? AMS December 2, 1897, page 737.11
ATJ
THERE can be no such thing as reform by civil law. AMS December 2, 1897, page 737.1
This is a fact that should be evident to every Christian, and to every thoughtful student of history. AMS December 2, 1897, page 737.2
There never was any such thing as reform by civil law since human history began. AMS December 2, 1897, page 737.3
There never was a law enacted by any power whatever that could make a good man out of a bad man, or bring a good life out of an evil heart. AMS December 2, 1897, page 737.4
Even the law of God is powerless to produce good in the life of an individual fallen, as all upon earth are, under the power of sin. This is a fact plainly set forth in the scriptures of truth. AMS December 2, 1897, page 737.5
Yet the law of God is a perfect law; every other law that was ever passed, or that ever can be, is inferior to it. How, then, can it be expected that a law of man can produce results which are beyond the power of that law? AMS December 2, 1897, page 737.6
Yet reforms are necessary. Without them the world would have gone to destruction long ago. And there have been great reforms accomplished, which have brought benefits that have reached down through the ages. There is nothing to which history testifies more plainly than to this. AMS December 2, 1897, page 737.7
What, then, is the true agency in real reform? Both history and inspiration answer, The Word of God. AMS December 2, 1897, page 738.1
In the first place, the Word of God formed all things, and made them perfect. This being so, it is evident that the same Word has power to re-form all things and restore them to their original state. AMS December 2, 1897, page 738.2
When God would destroy the world by a flood because of its wickedness, he sent Noah, “a preacher of righteousness” unto the people, for a hundred and twenty years. The world would not be reformed, it is true; but not Christian will question that God employed a means which would have wrought a reform, if the people had received the message which Noah preached. AMS December 2, 1897, page 738.3
When God’s ancient people, Israel, fell into sin, he sent to them, from time to time, the prophets, who proclaimed the word that the Lord had given them. And when the people heeded that word, it brought them again into the ways of righteousness. AMS December 2, 1897, page 738.4
Coming down to modern times, we note the great Reformation which swept over Europe in the sixteenth century. What was the power of the Reformation? Was it any other than the power of the divine Word, proclaimed by Luther and his associates? AMS December 2, 1897, page 738.5
After them, Wesley, Whitefield, Bunyan, and others, by the same preaching of the Word, wrought reforms which swept over wide communities, and contributed powerfully to the realization of the peace and prosperity which English-speaking nations enjoy to-day. AMS December 2, 1897, page 738.6
And now come the great organizations which number in their ranks to inaugurate another great reform—to turn the people again into the way of righteousness and peace—by an agency of which the great reforms of the past know nothing. They propose to inaugurate their great reform through politics. AMS December 2, 1897, page 738.7
They propose to mass all their forces at the polls. They propose to have politics preached from the pulpit. They propose to desert the prayer meeting for the primary when the two assemblies are held on the same evening. They propose to lay siege to every legislature until they shall have such laws enacted in every State, and by Congress, as they deem necessary for the regeneration of society and the preservation of good government. AMS December 2, 1897, page 738.8
In the face of the fact that no reform was ever in the history of the world accomplished by such means, and of the equally plain fact that the Word of God is the one divinely appointed agency of true reform, they propose to reform society and the nation by civil law. This very next month, one great division of these church forces will send in a petition of a million and a half names to Congress, calling for a recognition of God in the national Constitution. AMS December 2, 1897, page 738.9
What will be the result of this work? It will have some result, that is certain. It will have a tremendous result; the magnitude of the forces employed, and of the interests affected, afford sufficient evidence upon that point. But as it cannot produce a genuine reform, the result will be of that nature which every counterfeit must produce,—that of damage to the people. It will bring ruin upon their interests, both material and spiritual. AMS December 2, 1897, page 738.10
“By the law is the knowledge of sin;” and by the law is condemnation. But the trouble with the world is not that it has no knowledge of sin, or is not condemned. The world does not need more law; but more of the preaching of the power of love, and of the righteousness of God, which is not by the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ. AMS December 2, 1897, page 738.11
THE important question is not that of whether we are citizens of this or that country on earth, but whether we are “fellow citizens with the saints,” or belong to the “strangers and foreigners.” Ephesians 2:19. No foreigner can set foot on the shores of the land of promise. AMS December 2, 1897, page 738.12
ATJ
THE oft asserted idea that social disorder and revolution are the outcome of non-recognition of God by the state, receives a rude shock from the facts of history. It is not generally known that the worst scenes of the French Revolution, which is so much pointed to as illustrating the results of national repudiation of God, followed hard on a formal recognition of God in the constitution adopted by the revolutionists; but such is the fact. The first two articles of that constitution read thus:— AMS December 2, 1897, page 738.1
“ARTICLE 1.—The French people acknowledge the existence of the Supreme Being, and the immortality of the soul. AMS December 2, 1897, page 738.2
“ARTICLE II.—It acknowledges that the worship most worthy of the Supreme Being is the practice of the duties of man.” (See Theirs’s “French Revolution,” Vol. III, p. 354.) AMS December 2, 1897, page 738.3
Just two days after the adoption of the constitution, June 10, rivers of blood began to flow from the deadly guillotine; and between June 10 and July 17, twelve hundred and eighty-five persons put their necks under its descending knife. AMS December 2, 1897, page 738.4
But did not a national convention at Paris repudiate belief in the Deity, and institute in its place the worship of reason? it may be asked. Yes, that is true; but that was before the adoption of the revolutionary constitution. When this document was drawn up, there was put into it a formal recognition of God; and under this constitution the terrible work of the Revolution went on to its greatest climax of horror. The streets of Paris ran red with blood, and this was after God had been put into the constitution! AMS December 2, 1897, page 738.5
Of course, there was no real putting of God into the constitution; but the very thing had been done which it is proposed to do with the United States Constitution, in order to avert national demoralization and disorder. AMS December 2, 1897, page 739.1
But in the light of the French Revolution, what good may be expected to result from a formal recognition of God by the state? AMS December 2, 1897, page 739.2
THAT government is the best government which leaves most freedom for the development of individuality, by the exercise of every useful faculty of the individual organism. And not the least among these is conscience. AMS December 2, 1897, page 739.3
ATJ
FREEDOM of conscience is something that hardly needs to be defined to any person of intelligence, old or young. All persons have a conscience, and each conscience should be left free to dictate the conduct of its possessor. AMS December 2, 1897, page 748.1
Conscience is our natural monitor. Its office is given it by the Creator. The person who is not guided in his conduct by conscience, is not a safe person to be at liberty. AMS December 2, 1897, page 748.2
This does not mean that conscience may not become perverted, so as to become an unsafe guide. The Creator himself is the ultimate Guide of mankind, and conscience is designed to act always in harmony with him. AMS December 2, 1897, page 748.3
He has given to mankind his revealed will—the Bible—and his Spirit is continually striving with men, to lead them in the pathway of right and truth. AMS December 2, 1897, page 748.4
This is included in the provisions of God’s government. There is a government of God on earth, as well as a government of man. AMS December 2, 1897, page 748.5
“The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom ruleth over all.” This statement of Scripture includes the earth as well as all other portions of the universe. AMS December 2, 1897, page 748.6
God’s government on the earth is not a visible government like those of the nations; but it is none the less a reality. And it is the highest government upon the earth. It is universal, and to it every person owes allegiance. AMS December 2, 1897, page 748.7
The governments of men are instituted to protect rights. The object of God’s government includes this, but it aims at that which is vastly higher—the development of a perfect character. AMS December 2, 1897, page 748.8
The free exercise of conscience is absolutely essential to the government of God. Without this the purpose of his government cannot be realized. When it is taken away from a person, the government of God comes to an end with that individual, until it is restored. AMS December 2, 1897, page 748.9
Hence when an earthly government sets up a state conscience, as we may call it; that is, when the state dictates to an individual in regard to his religious conduct, the state sets itself squarely against the government of God. AMS December 2, 1897, page 748.10
Earthly governments are a necessity: and we should give to those in authority the most willing honor and obedience. But as Christians, we must remember that God has also a government in the earth to which we owe supreme allegiance. We cannot maintain this allegiance to God’s government when we go contrary to the dictates of conscience. No person can discard his conscience without at the same time discarding his allegiance to God. AMS December 2, 1897, page 748.11
God’s government on the earth is not now what it was in the beginning, when the earth and man were created. It is the same in principle, but it is different in form. This change in form was made necessary by the fall. AMS December 2, 1897, page 749.1
When sin came into the world, man became in his very nature contrary to God and prone to violate the laws upon which God’s government is established. God then withdrew his visible presence from men, because, having become sinners, they could not dwell with him and live. No sin can abide in God’s presence. AMS December 2, 1897, page 749.2
Instead, then, of having God as a visible ruler and source of authority, men had only themselves for visible rulers, and were obliged to set up some government of their own. Yet for a long time they acknowledged that God was the real ruler, and that their earthly rulers were but acting in the capacity of God’s agents. AMS December 2, 1897, page 749.3
Finally, however, in the days of the mighty hunter, Nimrod, they disclaimed God as their ruler, and set up independent governments of their own. Acknowledging no higher ruler than the state, they virtually put the state in the place of God; and in process of time earthly rulers came to be deified and worshiped as gods. AMS December 2, 1897, page 749.4
This would not have happened if men had maintained their allegiance to God’s government, as still set up on the earth in the realm of conscience. The governments of the earth have no rightful concern with conscience. They cannot have, because they are administered by finite, sinful men, and are in no way fitted to direct conscience. AMS December 2, 1897, page 749.5
They are fitted, however, to maintain the rights of individuals, so that people can live in the enjoyment of peace and civil liberty; and in so doing these governments are in perfect harmony with the government of God. AMS December 2, 1897, page 749.6
But when they try to dictate to the consciences of men, they usurp the place of God’s government, and set up finite, sinful man as a being to be worshiped. AMS December 2, 1897, page 749.7
To allow freedom of conscience is to recognize that there is a higher government on the earth than the civil governments,—the government of God. To interfere with this right is to interfere with God’s government, and also to turn civil government out of its proper channel, and bring it to a disastrous end. AMS December 2, 1897, page 749.8