God Has Drawn the Line.
By H. H. Fisher
SECRETARIES GAULT and GRAY, of the American Sabbath Union, do not believe that as a political maxim, governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed.” This statement is quoted and indorsed by the Christian Statesman, official organ of the National Reform Association. We may ask, From whom do these gentlemen believe that these powers are derived? They answer, “From God.” Very well; then they must be believers in the divine right of kings and rulers,308and that whosoever rebels against governmental authority, rebels against God. If this is true, then they must believe that our government has no right to exist, for it is the outcome of a rebellion. But say they, We do not believe that the powers that be are ordained of God to such an extent that men ought never to rebel against them; but that when the power of the government is exerted unjustly men have the right to rebel. When they make this admission they surrender the whole ground, for if God has not delegated to the rulers of earth absolute power over their subjects in all things, then he has drawn the line somewhere. This he has done in the words, “Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s,” thus reserving unto himself the things pertaining to him, and delegating to man the regulation of those things pertaining to man.