“WEAK THROUGH THE FLESH.”
By W. N. G.
The apostle Paul says the law “was weak through the flesh.” It was “ordained unto life,” but men violated its righteous precepts, therefore it could not give them life. It is the same with the Gospel, which is “the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.” Where men will not believe, the Gospel is just as weak through the flesh as is the law. When professed ministers of the Gospel seek the power of the State in order to overpower wickedness, it shows one of two things,—either that they do not believe the Gospel is the power of God, or they deem the power of the State greater than the power of God. Either condition is a state of infidelity. When Christ commissioned His disciples, He told them that He had all power in heaven and in earth, and sent them to preach the Gospel in that power. He said nothing to them about invoking State aid, or attempting a Christian reformation by any other means than the Gospel. To forcibly put a stop to anything that may be harrowing to the Christian feelings is not in any sense Gospel work. “I say unto you, that ye resist not evil;” are the words of the Master. The Gospel is designed to save men’s souls, and the work of the ministry is a spiritual work. To compel men to cease any kind of worldly amusement, through the influence of the church, will not convict them of sin; it will more likely turn their hearts even more against the Gospel. When the church resolves itself into a police commission, or the ministers become a band of lobbyists at the State House, it is evident that the principles of the Sermon on the Mount have been ignored, and the authority of the Saviour’s parting commission has been exceeded. From the standpoint of these principles, which are enunciated upon the authority of the inspired Word, we submit for the consideration of our readers the following extract from the Kansas City Star:— “The Rev. Dr. John F. Handy, of Jefferson City, told the Presbyterian synod, in session in the Second Church to-day, of his intention to introduce a bill into the State Legislature this winter to enforce a stricter observance of the Sabbath day. He said: “We do not work hard enough for the Sunday observance. It was the inactivity of the synod several years ago which prevented the passing of a law in the Legislature against Sunday baseball. I’m going to see that the baseball question is pressed home this winter. You wait and you will hear such an agitation on Sunday baseball as you never heard before. I live in Jefferson City. Right there in the heart of this great State pandemonium breaks loose every Sunday. Nobody seems able or willing to stop it. Well, just wait till next winter and it will be stopped. The Christians will stop it.’ “The synod applauded Dr. Handy’s determination, and Dr. S. D. Jewell, of Butler, said: ‘If the Christian sentiment is roused, it will put down this wicked practise of Sunday baseball. It ought to be put down. If the church wills that it should, it will be put down.’” W. N. G.