Religious Liberty by W. A. COLCORD

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 26, 1908

Religious Liberty

By W. A. COLCORD

Christ came into the world not to destroy life, but to save life; not to enslave men, but to set them free. His methods were not to compel men, but to convince and convert them; not to drive, but to draw. He made no appeal to Cæsar for assistance in his work. He taught no union of church and state, but instead laid down the rule which, if followed, must forever separate them. He said: “Render to Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's, and to God the things that are God's.”

In its purity the Christian church has ever upheld this rule. The apostles made no attempt to use laws or to secure laws to compel men to believe or to observe any Christian ordinance or institution. Only when it became corrupt and worldly, did the church seek an alliance with the state, or use force in matters of religion.

The Reformers of the sixteenth century said, “Whosoever believeth let him draw nigh, and whoso believeth not, stand afar off. Let there be no compulsion. Liberty is of the very essence of faith.” Notable words!

Godly men of later times have taught the same. Wesley, the founder of Methodism, said:

“If you can not reason or persuade a man into the truth, never attempt to force a man into it. If love will not compel him to come, leave him to God, the judge of all.”

“And Spurgeon, the noted Baptist divine, added, “Christ wants no help from Cæsar.”

In harmony with the teachings of Christ and his followers, Seventh-day Adventists, while believing in civil government and respecting its authority in its proper sphere, hold to the separation of church and state, and are doing all they can to perpetuate the blessings of religious liberty, or the right to worship God according to the dictates of conscience. They maintain that to protect liberty of conscience is the duty of the state, and that this is the limit of its authority in matters of religion. To no earthly power has Christ given the commission to propagate religion by law.

God never forces the will or conscience of any man, but, led by Satan, men will employ the most cruel measures to control the conscience and dictate in religious concerns. And it should be noted that this work of compulsion is often in favor of human creeds and laws, and in defiance of God's holy law.

To-day there is a controversy on in regard to the Sabbath, a conflict between the claims of the rest day ordained by God and that enjoined by man. And the almost universal demand on the part of religious leaders for laws to compel the observance of the latter is an evidence of the wide-spread departure from Protestant and primitive Christianity, and of the need of a genuine reformation and a return to Bible doctrine and gospel simplicity. The appeal to Cæsar is an evidence of apostasy, and unless repented of, must in the end result in persecution to those who choose to obey God rather than men. Against this apostasy and this appeal to Cæsar in matters of religion, every lover of truth and liberty should raise his voice in earnest protest.

W. A. COLCORD,

Secretary of Religious Liberty Bureau.