DO THE preachers of this day really believe that crime is a worse thing than sin? If not, why are they fighting crime so much harder than they are fighting sin?AMS April 8, 1897, page 209.1

It is a fact that the clergy are devoting their energies to the suppression of crime. They are preaching about the prevalence of crime, and calling upon the civil authorities to enforce the laws, or to enact new laws which they deem to be needed. They are discoursing persistently upon problems of national, State, and municipal government. The religious societies of which they are the leaders are putting forth their strength to get control of the civil power for the suppression, as they believe, of the iniquity which so abounds under the Government. All this is too plain to be denied. And in it all the clergy are combating crime and not sin.AMS April 8, 1897, page 209.2

It may be, indeed, that they believe they are combating sin. It is probable that this work is so regarded by the majority of the people. Nevertheless they are not dealing with sin, as such, at all. They are not even combating crime in a proper and effective way. They seek to mix religion with devil enactments, and so to manufacture, rather than suppress, crime; for, the more religion is incorporated into the civil laws, the more will those laws be infracted by people who do not believe in religion, or whose religious views are different from those embodied in the law.AMS April 8, 1897, page 209.3

Crime and sin are vastly different things. Crime is the violation of human law; sin is the transgression of the divine law. The divine law is “holy, and just, and good” (Romans 7:12); it partakes of the attributes of its divine Author. Human law is often unjust, and therefore neither holy nor good. A transgression of an unjust law is not sin. On the other hand, a transgression of the divine law is very often not a crime. The divine law embodies the conceptions of Omniscience. It is therefore as much superior to human law as the thoughts of God are superior to those of man. The divine law is “exceeding broad” (Psalm 119:96), covering the domain of the thoughts and desires of the heart. Human law can be of force only in the domain of outward conduct, and even there to only a limited extent.AMS April 8, 1897, page 209.4

Hence a vast difference must exist between the means employed for dealing with these two phases of conduct. For the suppression of crime there exists the machinery of civil government, by which are enforced the penalties of the civil law. But this means is altogether inadequate for dealing with sin. And on the other hand, the purpose of civil government could not be secured by the use of the means instituted for the suppression of sin.AMS April 8, 1897, page 209.5

Now it must be admitted that from the standpoint of Christianity sin is a very much worse thing than crime. And as this is the standpoint professedly occupied by the clergy in this country, they must be supposed to hold this view of sin. Why then, we may ask again, do they devote their energies mainly to the combating of crime?AMS April 8, 1897, page 209.6

Sin cannot be suppressed by legislative enactments, for it cannot be reached by such means. And should all the measures by enacted which the preachers and the religious societies want enacted by Congress and the State legislatures, and should the churches and the religious organizations get possession of all the power for which they are grasping, all this would accomplish nothing toward the suppression of sin. The seat of sin is the heart; and from this secret citadel sin dictates that outward conduct which, when it invades the individual rights, is punished by the civil law. The suppression of these outward acts does not touch the sin that is back of them. The trimming of some of the branches of an evil tree does not in the least hinder the flow of sap from its roots.AMS April 8, 1897, page 209.7

It must be evident, then, that in calling for the application of the civil law to the evils which abound in the land, or for votes to accomplish the purification of politics, the clergy are not combating sin. Were they combating sin, they would also be combating crime, in a very effective way; for crime, when it is the violation of just law, is always a manifestation of sin in the heart. But law, in opposing crime by another avenue of attack than the heart, they are leaving sin free to continue its work not only of destroying the soul, but of producing crime as well.AMS April 8, 1897, page 209.8

Sin is the transgression of the divine law. 1 John 3:4. The only effective means therefore for suppressing sin is that which enables the individual to keep that law. And as this law is infinitely higher and broader than man’s law, only the Infinite One can provide the means required. And this He has done in the provisions of His gospel, which is “the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.” Romans 1:16. It is the privilege of Christian preachers to preach the power of God for the salvation of every sinner. It is their duty as well, and they are not true to their calling if they fail to do it. And what is “the power of God unto salvation”? The first chapter of Genesis furnishes an answer to the question. God said, “Let there be light,” and “there was light.” He said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters,” and “it was so.” He said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed after his kind, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind,” and “it was so.” His word created that which did not exist before; and in “every one that believeth” His word, there is created by its power that which did not exist before, even a new heart, which is clean and without sin. Psalm 51:10. By faith, the sinner becomes a “new creature” in Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17.AMS April 8, 1897, page 210.1

Can those who stand before the people as ambassadors of God do better than to devote their whole energies to the proclamation of the power of God unto salvation, through a new creation in Christ? Can they accomplish more by preaching the power of man for the suppression of crime? The SENTINEL thinks not.AMS April 8, 1897, page 210.2

“Theological Anarchy” American Sentinel 12, 14, p. 210.

ATJ

THE Christian Statesman, of March 13, says that “Sabbath breakers” it means all who do not keep Sunday.AMS April 8, 1897, page 210.1

“Anarchists at heart” are not essentially different from any anarchists. As it is true that “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh,” It must be true that “anarchists at heart” will be anarchists in word and acct; and they are therefore to be subjected to the most rigid restraints of the law. This is the Statesman’s idea of “religious liberty,” by the plain logic of the premises it sets up.AMS April 8, 1897, page 210.2

But the question of “Sabbath breaking” is purely a theological one. It is purely a question of theology whether the Statesman is not itself guilty of “Sabbath breaking.” For whether the Sabbath be the seventh or the first day of the week, is a question not determine by human law, but by the Word of God; and this question is warmly disputed by religionists to-day. It is a question which theologians would be called upon to decide and these having decided in any given case who were the anarchists, it would be left for the latter to be dealt with as such by the civil authorities.AMS April 8, 1897, page 210.3

This is precisely the regime which prevailed in the Dark Ages.AMS April 8, 1897, page 210.4

SEPARATION of Church and State means recognition of the fact that it does not belong to the Church to undertake the work of the State, or of the civil authorities or even though the latter may show themselves negligent or incompetent in the performance of their duties.AMS April 8, 1897, page 210.5

“Note” American Sentinel 12, 14, p. 211.

ATJ

SEPARATION of Church and State means recognition of the fact that it does not belong to the Church to undertake the work of the State, or of the civil authorities, even though the latter may show themselves negligent or incompetent in the performance of their duties.AMS April 8, 1897, page 211.1

“Making It Easy To Do Right” American Sentinel 12, 14, pp. 210, 211.

ATJ

THE Saviour said to his followers, “In the world ye shall have tribulation;” and the Apostle Paul wrote: “All who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” People who profess to be Christians ought to believe that Jesus and Paul spoke the truth. Yet to-day, right in the face of their words, we hear this very class calling upon Congress and the State legislatures to enact laws in the interests of religion, so as to make it “hard for people to do wrong, and easy for them to do right.”AMS April 8, 1897, page 210.1

Again: Of Christians the Word of God declares, “Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God;” and the Apostle Paul, speaking as a Christian, wrote: “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” Galatians 2:20. This must be true of every Christian; for it is the very essence of Christianity. It is Christ who lives and who is manifested in the lives of true believers. Christianity is nothing less than the very life of Christ.AMS April 8, 1897, page 210.2

Therefore there is just as much need, and no more, of laws to make it “easy for men to do right,” as there was of laws to make it easy for Jesus Christ to do right when he walked and taught in Judea. And we learn from the Scripture that Jesus Christ encountered every kind of obstacle, and the fiercest opposition, to right living; yet he did right continually. Can he not then still do right, living in his followers to-day, without the aid of man-made legislation?AMS April 8, 1897, page 210.3

It is easy now for people to do right, if they will only go about it right. God has made it easy to do right. It is only necessary that the Word of God should be received into the heart by faith. There is infinite power in that Word, and that power is for the purpose of keeping the individual in the right path. Hence it is no more difficult for a person to do right, under any circumstances, than it is for him to have faith in the Word of God. And the only difficulty about this is that people are so unwilling to lay aside their fancied greatness and wisdom and “become as little children,” trusting the Father in heaven with implicit confidence, as a little child trusts its father on the earth.AMS April 8, 1897, page 210.4

“Notes” American Sentinel 12, 14, p. 211.

ATJ

ARE the majority of the adult citizens of this country Christians? The total church membership is only about 20,000,000 out of a population of 70,000,000 people. And even admitting that a majority of the people are nominal Christians, can it be reasonably claimed that real Christian are in the majority? Certainly no such claim could be admitted.AMS April 8, 1897, page 211.1

The religious people of the country, therefore, ought to realize that any attempt to control this Government in the interests of religion, must be dangerous to themselves. For this is a government “of the people, by the people;” and while a majority of the people no doubt have a respect for religion in its present status, an attempt to compel the unchristian majority to conform to religious customs and views held to by the minority, cannot but arouse bitter opposition; and in the storm thus raised their own religious temples may be beaten down upon their heads. They may then learn to appreciate better than they do now that provision of the Constitution which says: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, nor prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”AMS April 8, 1897, page 211.2

“Noted” American Sentinel 12, 14, p. 211.

ATJ

IT is an ominous sign of the times that so many people are ready to take it for granted that a thing is good if it is done in the name of religion. The people need to be instructed, lest the Scripture be again fulfilled, which says, “The people perish for lack of knowledge.”AMS April 8, 1897, page 211.1

“Noting” American Sentinel 12, 14, pp. 212, 213.

ATJ

THERE is something decidedly curious about the spectacle of a minister of the gospel stepping out from the sphere of his calling and posing as the champion of law. Why should this be done by the clergy more than by the representatives of any other calling? Are not those in other professions honorable, honest, and law-abiding? Are they not as anxious as the clergy to live under a government in which public peace and prosperity are properly safeguarded by law? These questions must be answered in the affirmative.AMS April 8, 1897, page 212.1

Why, again, should it be only in case of a Sunday-law that the clergy assume this pose? Are there not very many laws of the highest importance to the welfare of society, which need to be maintained against the assaults of the lawless? It must be admitted that there are. The tendency of the times is toward an increase of lawlessness, in those forms which are most destructive of human rights. Homicide is alarmingly on the increase, claiming by the latest statistics more than 10,500 victims in this country in a single year. Does not the prevalence of this crime, the epidemic of arson, the increase of robbery and drunkenness and other forms of iniquity which threaten the safety of society, afford as good opportunity to the clergy to become the special champions of law as does the desecration of Sunday?AMS April 8, 1897, page 212.2

Of course, from the standpoint of regard for Sunday as a religious institution, this attitude of the clergy is easily understood. But they strenuously assure us that in upholding Sunday laws they do not speak from a religious standpoint, or as preachers, but merely as citizens upholding the laws of the land. It is mysterious, to say the least.AMS April 8, 1897, page 212.3

Or, consider that other ground upon which the clergy so often base their support of Sunday laws,—that of physical necessity to the race. Why should the clergy take precedence of all other professions in looking out for the physical welfare of humanity? How does it happen that they know better than any others what man’s physical system demands for the maintenance of health? One would suppose that the physicians would know best about this, and that they would have discerned man’s physical need of Sunday rest before it was discovered by the preachers. But by some strange oversight they allowed the latter to surpass them completely on this point of physiological knowledge. Indeed, it is only through the preachers that we learn that the medical profession are even now informed upon this point!AMS April 8, 1897, page 212.4

And here again we are left to wonder that the researches of the clergy in the realm of man’s physical necessities, and their special concern for the same, should be confined to the single matter of Sunday rest. For all this, be it remembered, has nothing to do with the clergy’s regard for Sunday as a religious day, but is set forth by them from a purely civil standpoint, such as is held by all citizens in common!AMS April 8, 1897, page 213.1

Is it so, indeed? We dislike to doubt the sincerity of those who make this claim; but it must be said that the appearances are sadly against it.AMS April 8, 1897, page 213.2

“Notings” American Sentinel 12, 14, p. 213.

ATJ

THE Christian Statesman says that people “will learn sooner or later that no civil right can be secured to any citizen on any other than a religious basis.” This it says with reference to a demand for the “civil right” of Sunday rest, and it is, of course, an admission that such demands properly reset on a religious basis. That which rests on a religious basis is certainly religious itself; and such is the case with all legislation which the demand for Sunday rest has evolved.AMS April 8, 1897, page 213.1

April 1, 1897

April 15, 1897