“THE First of all the commandments is this: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.”AMS May 20, 1897, page 305.1

And the Second is like, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”AMS May 20, 1897, page 305.2

“There is none other commandment great than these.”AMS May 20, 1897, page 305.3

“On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”AMS May 20, 1897, page 305.4

It is certain that if these two commandments had been always observed by all men, there never could have been a State on the earth.AMS May 20, 1897, page 305.5

There would have been government, but no State. The government would have been altogether the government of God; He, the only King, the only Governor, on earth even as in heaven.AMS May 20, 1897, page 305.6

There would have been society, but no State. Because, men loving God with all the heart, and all the soul and all the mind, and all the strength; and their neighbors as themselves; the will of God would have been done on earth even as in heaven. All would have been one united, harmonious, happy, holy, family.AMS May 20, 1897, page 305.7

There is an essential distinction between society and the State.AMS May 20, 1897, page 305.8

SOCIETY is the union which exists between men, without distinction of frontiers—without exterior restraint—and for the sole reason that they are men.AMS May 20, 1897, page 305.9

The civil society of STATE is an assemblage of men subject to a common authority, to common laws,—that is to say, a society whose members may be constrained by public force to respect their reciprocal rights. Two necessary elements enter into the idea of the State: laws and force.—Janet: “Elements of Morals,“ p. 143.AMS May 20, 1897, page 305.10

This distinction, however, though clear and easily evident, is seldom recognized. Indeed, it is not recognized at all by those who are anxious to secure the union of religion and the State in the United States.AMS May 20, 1897, page 305.11

But men did not observe these two “first of all the commandments.” They would not love God with all their heart: They would not love their neighbors as themselves. They rejected God as their only Ruler, their only Sovereign, and became ambitious to rule over one another. And thus originated politics and the State.AMS May 20, 1897, page 305.12

The Scripture outlines the story of this: “When they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.” “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind.”AMS May 20, 1897, page 305.13

Note, that at the first, men did know God. But they chose not to glorify Him, not to honor Him, not to give Him the first place in all their thoughts and actions. Knowing God, they did not like to retain Him in their knowledge.AMS May 20, 1897, page 305.14

The next step was that they became vain in their own imaginations. They professed themselves to be wise, or themselves. The consequence was that they became fools; and their foolish heart was darkened.AMS May 20, 1897, page 305.15

In their vain imaginations they made gods of their own. And then to assist them in their worship, they made images of the gods which they had imagined.AMS May 20, 1897, page 305.16

The image was always the outward, tangible form of the god which they had already conceived in the imagination. Imagining is simply mental image-ing. The outward form of the god, whether it be the shining sun in the heavens or a hideously shaped block of wood or stone, is only the outward form of the image-ing that has already been performed in the imagination.AMS May 20, 1897, page 305.17

Thus, from the knowledge of the true God, they went to the worship of false gods. From the light, they went into darkness. From righteousness they went to wickedness.AMS May 20, 1897, page 305.18

This is the truth. And the records of the earliest nations witness to it. The earliest records—those of the plain of Shinar—witness that the people at first had a knowledge of the true God. The records of the next two of the earliest nations, Egypt and Assyria, bear witness to this same thing.AMS May 20, 1897, page 306.1

In all these places the earliest records testify that the gods were their first rulers and the real kings; while men, in the places of authority, were but the servants, the viceroys of the god who was held to be the real king.AMS May 20, 1897, page 306.2

For instance, one of the earliest records from Shinar runs thus: “To [the god] Ninridu, his King, for the preservation of Idadu, viceroy of Ridu, the servant, the delight of Ninridu.” Another: “To [the god] Ninip the King, his King, Gudea, viceroy of [the god] Zirgulla, his house built.” Another: “To Nana the lady, lady splendid, his lady, Dudea, viceroy of Zirgulla ... raised.”AMS May 20, 1897, page 306.3

These are not only the earliest of the records that have been found in that land, but they themselves show that they are of the earliest records that were made in that land. And they clearly testify of the time when as yet, there were no kings amongst men. The gods were the kings; and the men in authority claimed only to be the viceroys of the gods who were held to be the real kings.AMS May 20, 1897, page 306.4

And all this testifies of a time further back, when the people knew and recognized God as the only King and rightful Ruler of men. They show also that this knowledge of God was so recent, and still so strong upon the minds of the people, that men who stood in places of authority had not the boldness to assume the title of king, even though they held the power.AMS May 20, 1897, page 306.5

The records of Egypt and Assyria testify precisely to the same things. And so far there was as yet no State. There was society.AMS May 20, 1897, page 306.6

There came a time, however, when even this lingering knowledge of God as King and only rightful Ruler, was cast off; and the man assumed the full title and prerogatives of king, himself.AMS May 20, 1897, page 306.7

The first man to do this was Nimrod. Nimrod was the first man in the world who had the boldness to take to himself the title and prerogative of king, in the face of the yet lingering idea of God as king. And the name which he bears, itself testifies to the fact that his action in this was considered by men and also by the Lord, as precisely the bold thing which is here indicated. The name Nimrod “signifies rebellion, supercilious contempt, and is equivalent to ‘the extremely impious rebel.’”AMS May 20, 1897, page 306.8

The Bible record of Nimrod is that “he began to be a mighty one in the earth;” or, as another translation gives it, “He was the first mighty one in the earth.”AMS May 20, 1897, page 306.9

That is, Nimrod was the first one to establish the might, the power, the authority, of human government, in the form of an organized State. He was the first man to assert the power and prerogatives, and assume the title, of king over men. “And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.”AMS May 20, 1897, page 306.10

Consequently, “With the setting up of Nimrod’s kingdom, the entire ancient world entered a new historical phase. The oriental tradition which makes that warrior the first man who wore a kingly crown, points to a fact more significant than the assumption of a new ornament of dress, or even the conquest of a province. His reign introduced to the world a new system of relations between the governor and the governed. The authority of former rulers rested upon the feeling of kindred; and the ascendancy of the chief was an image of parental control. Nimrod, on the contrary, was a sovereign of territory, and of men just so far as they were its inhabitants, and irrespective of personal ties. Hitherto there had been tribes—enlarged families—Society: now there was a nation, a political community—the State. The political and social history of the world henceforth are distinct, if not divergent.”AMS May 20, 1897, page 306.11

Such was the true origin of the State. It was the result of the apostasy of men from God. Such only could possibly be its origin; for if all men had always observed the two “first of all the commandments,” it would have been impossible for there ever to have been any State. There could have been no human authority exercised. All would have been equally subject to God; He would have been the only Sovereign.AMS May 20, 1897, page 306.12

Before Nimrod there was society. Respect of the rights of persons and of their property was maintained. It was only when the apostasy grew, and men got farther and farther from God, that the monarchical idea was established and personified in Nimrod.AMS May 20, 1897, page 306.13

Let us not now be misunderstand. We do not say, nor do we intend to imply, that there should now be no human government, that there should be no State, nor even that there should be no monarchy. We simply say that which is the truth, that if there never had been any apostasy from God, there never could have been on earth any of these.AMS May 20, 1897, page 306.14

It is true that these things are the consequences of the apostasy from God. But men having apostatized from God, these things all, even to such Monarchy as that of Nimrod or of Nero, became necessary, just in proportion to the degree of apostasy.AMS May 20, 1897, page 306.15

It is better that there should be a government, bad as it may be, than that there should be no government at all. Even such a government as Nimrod’s or Nero’s is better than none at all. But without apostasy having gone to a fearful length, there never could have been any such government as Nimrod’s or Nero’s.AMS May 20, 1897, page 306.16

Nimrod’s example was eagerly followed by all the tribes around, until they were all absorbed in it. Society had passed away, and only States remained: and these universally idolatrous. In all that region, only Abraham believed God, even his own parents being idolaters. “They served other gods.”AMS May 20, 1897, page 306.17

God chose Abraham then to be the father of all them that believed God; the father of all who will have God alone to be their God. Abraham represented then, the religion of God, the beginning of the Church of God.AMS May 20, 1897, page 306.18

And from that State, God separated Abraham. He said to Abraham, “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, into a land that I will show thee.”AMS May 20, 1897, page 307.1

And in thus separating Abraham from that State, from his country, God taught the people then, and through all time, the separation of religion and the State, the separation of Church and State.AMS May 20, 1897, page 307.2

THE faith of Christ was not made to be guarded by the power of man, but to guard by its power the man to whom it is given.AMS May 20, 1897, page 307.3

“Note” American Sentinel 12, 20, p. 307.

ATJ

THE faith of Christ was not made to be guarded by the power of man, but to guard by its power the man to whom it is given.AMS May 20, 1897, page 307.1

“‘Christian Citizenship’ Defined” American Sentinel 12, 20, p. 307.

ATJ

IN answer to the question “What is Christian Citizenship,” the May Christian Endeavorer says that,—AMS May 20, 1897, page 307.1

“We must not confuse the ‘Christian citizen’ with the idea of the Christian business man, Christian mechanic, Christian father, Christian soldier, or Christian church member; but the ‘Christian citizen’ is one who brings Christian principles to bear upon his political life.”AMS May 20, 1897, page 307.2

In regard to which it may be said that the Christian, merely as such, is a Christian business man, Christian mechanic, Christian father, and Christian in every other relation of his life; for Christianity covers the entire range of life’s activities. And as the “Christian citizen” is “not to be confused” with this, it plainly follows that something different from this Christianity regulates his conduct as a “Christian citizen.”AMS May 20, 1897, page 307.3

And such, indeed, is the case; for in politics the aim is to compel men to a certain course of conduct; while Christianity knows no compulsion, but simply says, “Whosoever will, let him come.”AMS May 20, 1897, page 307.4

“A Government of God on Earth” American Sentinel 12, 20, pp. 307, 308.

ATJ

IN a Christian government God is King, Judge, and Lawgiver, and the individual man or woman is the subject who is governed. There is a government of God on earth wherever there is an individual who has entered into governmental relations with God. This can be done only by faith, for “the carnal mind is enmity against God,” and only faith in God can eliminate the carnal or natural propensities from the soul.AMS May 20, 1897, page 307.1

It is in accordance with God’s plan of redemption that the government of God should exist in this form among men. It is the only possible form in which it can exist under the conditions which have ensued since the fall. Every other “government of God,” therefore, is not in the purpose of God, and is not God’s government. It is as useless for men to try to set up a government of God on the earth as it would be for them to undertake any other form of opposition to God. The plan of redemption can be carried out only as it is now being carried out through the operation of God’s grace upon the individual heart, bringing it into subjection to the will of God. And the grace of God must operate through faith.AMS May 20, 1897, page 307.2

In the government of God, God’s law is the rule of conduct. This is a perfect rule—the only one in existence—being dictated by Omniscience. It would seem that all people who have the Bible should be aware of this; yet almost the first step that is taken by certain professors of Christianity in their repeated attempts to set up God’s government here, is to enact laws. There is no room for legislation in the matter. God’s own law covers every possible phase of activity under His government.AMS May 20, 1897, page 307.3

What all men ought to do, and the only thing that any man or class of men properly can do, is to fall in with the plan and providence of God, which is working to gather out of all nations and peoples of earth subjects for the kingdom of God, by establishing a government of God in each heat that will yield to the gospel invitation.AMS May 20, 1897, page 308.1

When this work shall be finished, as ere long it will, the government of God will be set up on the “new earth,” in visible glory.AMS May 20, 1897, page 308.2

TRUE reform effort aims to change the man himself, and not merely his circumstances; and this is why human laws possess no reforming power.AMS May 20, 1897, page 308.3

“Lawless Lawmakers” American Sentinel 12, 20, pp. 308, 309.

ATJ

THE chief law-making body of the country is involved in a scandal. The fact has come to light that several United States senators have made use of their official positions for purposes of personal gain. By speculating in shares of sugar stock at a time when the price of sugar was dependent upon their own action, knowing that the price of sugar stock would be advanced as soon as certain Senate proceedings became known to the public, they were able to add thousands of dollars to their private wealth. There was no risk involved in the transaction. It was simply a matter of using the knowledge and power which were theirs by virtue of their official positions.AMS May 20, 1897, page 308.1

Such a proceeding is plainly dishonest, and therefore in violation of a principle which every law-making body is bound to uphold. More than this: it is a betrayal of a high public trust, and therefore indicative of a thoroughly selfish—or lawless—disposition.AMS May 20, 1897, page 308.2

Law-making cannot be safely entrusted to lawless men. And when men in the highest law-making assembly in the land themselves disregard the law, the spectacle affords the strongest illustration of the inability of law in itself to produce good government.AMS May 20, 1897, page 308.3

The first need of all men—in positions of public trust or out of them—is an unselfish character. Such a character makes men good as neighbors and good as legislators. But law is powerless to produce this character. Self can be overcome and driven out of the heart only by the grace of God.AMS May 20, 1897, page 308.4

When the grace of God shall no longer work upon men’s hearts—when by continued rejection the Spirit of God shall have been driven away from them—the Government is doomed. Its Constitution will not save it. No principles of right and justice which have been established in a government by its founders, however noble and great, can avail aught when that government is administered by selfish, unscrupulous men.AMS May 20, 1897, page 309.1

True, it is proposed to remedy the situation by removing all such men from office, and putting good men in their places. But of this it need only be said that it cannot be done. The cry, “Turn the rascals out,” has long been the campaign motto of the “reform” forces, but the “rascals” are in office still. There is nothing in politics which has a tendency to evolve good men. And as long as men retain natures susceptible to corrupting influences, as long as the masses of mankind remain followers instead of leaders, so long will politics continue to be ruled by the “boss” and the “machine.”AMS May 20, 1897, page 309.2

The influence of evil is spreading, its power is augmenting; and it cannot be overcome by law. Law will not administer itself. He who makes and administers the law much have his own heart safeguarded from the prevailing selfishness, or the law will not be made the instrument of justice.AMS May 20, 1897, page 309.3

Not law, but the grace of God, is first in the maintenance of peace and justice in the earth. Without the power of the Spirit, no reform from evil is possible.AMS May 20, 1897, page 309.4

“Longitude vs. the Week” American Sentinel 12, 20, p. 311.

ATJ

A CORRESPONDENT living in Brooklyn inquires of the SENTINEL how people living in “Fiji, Tonga Isles, and the extreme east of Siberia,” can know which day is the Sabbath, “or in fact any other day of the week.”AMS May 20, 1897, page 311.1

We know of no reason why people living in the regions designated should be obliged to determine the days of the week in any different way from those living in New York City or London or Pekin. And as a matter of fact the inhabitants of those regions have the week and mark the days of the week the same as is done elsewhere, and we have never heard that they experienced any difficulty or were involved in any uncertainty in the matter. Doubtless they would be much surprised to meet with anyone who would express a doubt upon this point.AMS May 20, 1897, page 311.2

Adventurous travelers have explored nearly every square mile of the earth’s surface, but none of them have had any difficulty, even in the Artic realms where there is a “day” of six months’ length, in keeping track of the days of the week or in knowing the beginning and end of each day.AMS May 20, 1897, page 311.3

God made the week and gave it to Adam and his posterity; and this primordial division of time has been maintained uninterruptedly from Adam’s day to the present, being marked at its close by the Sabbath, which has always had some observers in every age of the world. The nation of the Jews has observed the Sabbath from the time of the falling of the manna, shortly after their exodus from Egypt, to the present time; and neither Jews, Christian Sabbath-keepers, Roman Catholics, Protestants or heathen, were ever in any disagreement concerning the identity of the days of the week. So all anybody has to do who wants to keep the Sabbath is to take the week as he finds it in the community in which he lives, and observe the Sabbath as commanded when it comes to him. The Creator knew all this when He made the Sabbath, and knew that in commanding its observance He would not be requiring anything difficult or unreasonable.AMS May 20, 1897, page 311.4

“Applied Christianity” American Sentinel 12, 20, p. 313.

ATJ

“APPLIED CHRISTIANITY” is a phrase that is made much use of just now in discussions relating to social and political themes. It is spoken of as if it were a sort of new science, that needed to be quite fully explained before ordinary people could be expected to grasp its meaning.AMS May 20, 1897, page 313.1

But the Bible constitutes a text-book on applied Christianity, and anyone who will read and believe what it says, will know exactly what applied Christianity is; and on the other hand, whoever will not seek to this source of knowledge on the subject, cannot know what it is, no matter how much he may be told of what somebody says it is.AMS May 20, 1897, page 313.2

The Bible teaches that Christianity is itself an applied thing,—that it is manifested in no other form. For according to the Word of God, Christianity is not a creed, or a round of forms and ceremonies, but a manifestation of the life of Christ. It is the application of the wisdom, the power, the righteousness of God Himself, to the individual, through faith in Christ. It is the application of Divinity to humanity. This will of course be seen and felt in the community which environs it.AMS May 20, 1897, page 314.1

This is “applied Christianity,” by the agency of the Holy Spirit. It is impossible for man to apply Christianity to anything. Nor is any application of Christianity needed further than that which it is the office of the Spirit to make.AMS May 20, 1897, page 314.2

“Christian Principles and Politics” American Sentinel 12, 20, p. 317.

ATJ

HOW can Christian principles be brought to bear upon political life? The question is one that demands an answer, for we are being continually exhorted to attend to this as one of our Christian duties.AMS May 20, 1897, page 317.1

The principles of the Christian life are, Repentance and confession of sin, and faith in Jesus Christ. The power of God operating through faith, produces in the life of the believer the “fruits of the Spirit,” which are, “Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” Galatians 5:22, 23. In the Christian life the ever present, overshadowing fact in each case is, “I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me” (Galatians 2:20); and Christ living in the believer conforms the life perectly [sic.] to God’s standard of righteousness, the Ten Commandments.AMS May 20, 1897, page 317.2

This is Christianity; and we are told that this must be brought to bear upon politics. It is built entirely upon repentance, and faith in the Word of God. And we have never yet discovered any principle of politics which necessitate confession of sin, while it is certainly obvious that faith in Jesus Christ may be exercised by persons of any and all political parties, without affecting their political views in the least, save as it may lead them to give up politics altogether.AMS May 20, 1897, page 317.3

Every principle of Christianity grows out of faith in Christ as the Saviour of man from sin; every step in Christian life must be taken by faith in Christ. But of this faith politics knows nothing.AMS May 20, 1897, page 317.4

May 13, 1897

May 27, 1897