AN individual is not a church, neither is he a State. The sole purpose of the church is to reflect to the world the light of Christianity. To this end it is an organized body, endowed with the various “gifts” of the Spirit. The sole purpose of the State, on the other hand, is to afford men protection and freedom in the enjoyment of their natural rights.
To this end it also is organized and endowed with various functions. The individual may be legitimately employed in a secular trade or profession; the church would be manifestly out of place in a like position. The individual also may profess and practice the doctrines and ordinances of Christianity, but the State would be manifestly out of place in doing this. The individual may legitimately engage in any occupation necessary to the maintenance of his existence or the promotion of his own or others’ welfare.
The sphere of action of the Church or of the State is not so general. The action of both the Church and the State is individual action, since either one can act only through the individuals composing it; but in such a case the sphere of individual action is limited to the sphere of the organization. Organization presupposes a special purpose, upon which alone it is justified. Hence individual action which would be altogether wrong done in a representative capacity, may be perfectly proper if done without such capacity; and individual action in a representative capacity is justifiable only within the limits of that capacity as determined by the purpose of the organization.