Civil Government and Religion, Or Christianity and the American
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LP509% CIVIL GOVER\ VENT AND RELIGION, OR C RISTIAN ITN THE AMERICAN CONSTITUTION. BY ALONZO T. JONES. • INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS LIBERTY ASSOCIATION, BATTLE CREEK, MICH. IS94. THE BIBLE STUDENTS' LIBRRIff ORDER BY NUMBER. NO. Price, Cts. N 0. Price, Cis. 1 Bible Sanctification 10 *71. Righteousness: Where It Is, 2 Abidir r Sabbath 20 and How Obtained 1 3 Views of' National Reform 15 72 Christ and His Righteousness 15 4 The Saints' Inheritance 10 73 Can We Keep the Sabbath? 2 10 Scripture References ..... 4 74 The Counterfeit and the Gen- 14 The Sufferings of Christ 4 uine 2 16 Christ in the Old Testament, 2 T75 Living by Faith 2 24 Is Sunday the Sabbath? 1 76 Bible Questions and Answers 25 The Sanctuary and the Judg- Concerning Man 2 ment 2 77 The Talent 2 26 The Sabbath in the New 79 Baptism : Its Significance 2 Testament 2 80 Sunday: Origin of Its Observ- 27 The Bible: Its Inspiration ance in Christian Church 15 and Importance 2 81 God's Message for To-day 1 31 The Second Advent 4 83 Angels: Their Nature and 34 God's Memorial 2 Ministry 20 35 The Temporal Millennium , 3 85 Twofold Evidence of Accept- 36 The Signs of the Times 2 ance with God 1 42 Elihu on the Sabbath 2 86 Justification, Regeneration', 43 The Ten Commandments not Sanctification 2 Revised 2 90 The Bible Doctrine of the 46 Without Excuse 1 Trinity 2 47 Thoughts for the Candid 1 93 Christian Science—Is It Sci- 48 Which Day Do You Keep, ence? Is It Christian?, 15 and Why' 1 95 From Sabbath to Sunday 1 49 Can We Know' 1 97 Sun of Righteousness 10 50 Is the End Near' I 99 Prediction, Interpretatipn, 51 Is Man Immortal' 1 Fulfillment ..... 2 52 Wily Not Found Out Before. 1 100 Seducing Spirits 1 53 The Sabbath and the Law 20 101 The Rest that Remains for 54 Nature and Obligation of Sab- the People of God 1 bath of Fourth Command 10 103 Should Christians be Mem- 55 Order of Events in the Judg- bers of Secret Societies? 3 ment 5 104 Justified by Faith 2 57 Tent Meeting Lessons on 105 The Way to Christ 2 "The Life of Christ ", 2 107 Who Changed the Sabbath? 3 58 Matthew 24, or the Second 108 Life : its and Purpose 10 Coming of Christ. ..... 10 110 Appeal to Methodists 1 60 Tent Meeting Lessons on 111 Tormented Forever and Ever 2 "Prophecy" 2 112 Spiritualism: Its Source and 61 Tent Meeting Lessons on "Sin Character 2 and Righteousness" 1 113 The Christian Sabbath 4 63 The Sure Foundation and 114 The Identical Seventh Day 2 Keys of the Kingdom 2 115 Waymarks to the Holy City 2 64 The Full Assurance of Faith 2 116 S. S. Lessons on Luke, Jan, '94 5 65 The Great Day of the Lord 5 117 Prophetic Lights. Illustrated, 67 Bible Election 3 18o Pages 50 68 The Old Testament in the 118 Christ Tempted as We Are 2 New Dispensation 3 69 "Jewish." Christians are Is- raelites Indeed. *Also in Spanish and Portuguese. 70 Immortality of the Soul 4 (Also in Spanish. PUBLISHED MONTHLY AT $1.00 A YEAR. "thus PACIFIC PRESS PUBLISHING CO Oakland, Cal. Or any one of the Offices named on the first page of cover. PREFACE. THIS little work is the outgrowth of several lectures upon the relationship between religion and the civil power, delivered in Minneapolis, Minn., in October, 1888. The interest man- ifested in the subject, and numerous requests for the publi- cation of the main points of the arguments presented, have led to the issuing of this pamphlet. It is not intended to be exhaust- ive in its discussion of any point upon which it treats, but only suggestive in all. The subject is always interesting and im- portant, and as there is now a persistent demand being made for religious legislation, especially in relation to Sunday-keeping, this subject has become worthy of more careful study than it has ever received in this country since the adoption of the national Constitution. The quotations and references pre- sented, with connecting arguments, are designed simply to furnish the reader a ready reference, and directions to further study of the subject.- It is hoped that the facts presented will awaken more interest in the study of the Constitution of the United States, and may lead to a better understanding of men's rights and liberties under it, than is commonly shown ; and also to a closer study of the relation that should exist between civil government and religion, according to the words of Christ and the American Constitution. A. T. J. (3) CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. CHRISTIANITY AND THE ROMAN EMPIRE. —The Gospel of Liberty—The Roman Religion exalted the Power of the State—The Rites of the Roman Worship—Martyrs to Roman Power . • 5-13 CHAPTER II. WHAT IS DUE TO GOD, AND WHAT TO CiESAR ? —Moral Law and Civil Law Compared —Sin and Crime Defined—God the only Moral Gov- ernor —The Principle expressed by Christ is the Principle embodied in the American Constitution . • 14-27- CHAPTER III. THE POWERS THAT BE. —An Exposition of Romans 13 : I by Examples from Holy Writ — How earthly Governments are ordained of God — The power of Rulers limited by the Will of the People . • 28-43 CHAPTER IV. THE RELIGIOUS ATTACK UPON THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION, AND THOSE WHO ARE MAKING IT. —Proposed Amendment to the Constitution, respecting the Establishments of Religion and Free Pub- lic Schools —Its Fallacy Exposed—Quotations from National Re- formers — What they want to see in our Government . 43-67 CHAPTER V. RELIGIOUS LEGISLATION.—The Proposed National- Sunday Law —The Bill Arraigned —The Bill Unconstitutional and anti-Christian . 68-83 CHAPTER VI. THE SUNDAY-LAW MOVEMENT IN THE FOURTH CENTURY, AND ITS PAR- ALLEL IN THE NINETEENTH. —The Development of the Papacy— The Papacy a false Theocracy — Constantine's Sunday Law—The Church secures the Aid of the State to enforce It — Resulted in the Inquisition—The Present Demand for a Theocracy—The Power of the State sought for the Support of Religion — What will be sacrified to secure It ...... 84-116 CHAPTER VII. THE WORKINGS OF A SUNDAY LAW. — The Arkansas Cases—The Su- preme Court Decision —Repeal of the Law—Some Facts worthy of Notice in the Arkansas Indictments . 117-156 APPENDIXES A, B, C, D . 157-182 (4) CIVIL GOVERNMENT AND RELIGION. CHAPTER I. CHRISTIANITY AND THE ROMAN EMPIRE. JESUS CHRIST came into the world to set men free, and to plant in their souls the genuine principle of liberty,— liberty actuated by love, —liberty too honorable to allow itself to be used as an occasion to the flesh, or for a cloak Of maliciousness, — liberty led by a conscience enlightened by the Spirit of God, — liberty in which man may be free from all men, yet made so gentle by love that he would willingly become the servant of all, in order to bring them to the enjoyment of this same liberty. This is freedom in- deed. This is the freedom which Christ gave to man ; for whom the Son makes free, is free indeed. In giving to men this freedom, such an infinite gift could have no other result than that which Christ intended ; namely, to bind them in everlasting, unquestioning, unswerving allegiance to him as the royal benefactor of the race. He thus re- veals himself to men as the highest good, an.d brings them to himself as the manifestation of that highest good, and to obedience to his will as the perfection of conduct. Jesus Christ was God manifest in the flesh. Thus God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, that they might know him, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he sent. He gathered to himself disciples, instructed them in his heavenly doctrine, endued them with power from on high, sent them forth into all the world to preach this gospel of freedom to every creature, and to ,teach them ( 5 ) 6 CIVIL GOVERNMENT AND RELIGION. to observe all things whatsoever he had commanded them. The Roman empire then filled the world,— " the sub- limest incarnation of power, and a monument the might- iest of greatness built by human hands, Which has upon this planet been suffered to appear." That empire, proud of its conquests, and exceedingly jealous of its claims, as- serted its right to rule in all things, human and divine. As in those times all gods were viewed as national gods, and as Rome had conquered all nations, it was demonstrated by this to the Romans that their gods were superior to all others. And although Rome allowed conquered nations to maintain the worship of their national gods, these, as well as the conquered people, were yet considered only as servants of the Roman States. Every religion, therefore, was held subordinate to the religion of Rome, and though "all forms of religion might come to Rome and take their places in its Pantheon, they must come as the servants of the State." The Roman religion itself was but the servant of the State ; and of all the gods of Rome there were none so great as the genius of Rome itself. The chief distinc- tion of the Roman gods was that they belonged to the Ro- man State. Instead of the State deriving any honor from the Roman gods, the gods derived their principle dignity from the fact that they were the gods of Rome.