p. 6 (54) | CONGRESSIONAL THEOLOGY by W. N. G.

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 28, 1897

CONGRESSIONAL THEOLOGY.

By W. N. G.

THE kind of theology that finds its way into politics is invariably unscriptural, just as the kind of religion that seeks political preferment is foreign to the Spirit of Christ. This fact is brought forcibly to mind by a recent theological effort in the House of Representatives. A time was set apart for delivering eulogies upon the life and political record of Hon. Charles F. Crisp, deceased, Speaker of the House in the last Congress. The report says that Representative Deamond, of Missouri, “departed somewhat from the beaten path of such discourses, and considered the future of the departed.” He is then quoted as follows:—

His spirit, where? Has its existence terminated with the existence of the body? Whatever philosophy may say, man rebels at the thought. The hope, sometimes clung to in desperation, sometimes clung to in brightest anticipations, that there is a hereafter, and that men live in that hereafter, none of us will give up. The philosophy of ages of calm reasoning can not banish it. It springs as an inheritance of humanity, as an instinct in the soul of every being that breathes. We believe—our hopes, our affections, all that we hold near and dear in life, admonish us to believe and constrain us to believe—that our friend has not perished, but in a higher and nobler sphere this great intellect, this loving spirit, will flourish and expand and achieve new and perform new acts of glory and of grace.

In contrast with this effusion, we call to mind a few expressions found in the Word of God on the subject of the dead; for instance this: “The living know that they shall die; but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun.” Eccl. 9:5, 6. “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.” Verse 10. “Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.” Ps. 146:3, 4. “His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.” Job 14:21.

In Mr. Deamond’s eulogy of the doctrine of post-mortem activity—the root and ground of both ancient and modern Spiritism—he says, “The philosophy of ages of calm reasoning can not banish it.” That is true, for the reason that it is the “philosophy of ages” that supports it. It is the Word of God that banishes it from the minds of those who believe his Word in preference to the “philosophy of ages.”

We are now in the days when demands are being made upon Congress, as well as upon State Legislatures and municipal councils, for religious legislation. We are in a time when courts are called upon to render decisions in matters of religion. The foregoing is an illustration of the unreliability of Congressional theology. The Word of God is the only true standard of religious doctrine, and we ask the candid reader, Do you want a body of men to legislate in religious matters for you whose ideas of theology are so at variance with Scripture truth?

About five years ago we had another illustration of Congressional theology that was even worse than this. This may have been the result of ignorance of the Scripture, but that was a case of deliberate perversion. The proposition then was to enact law upon the Sabbath question, and an act was passed to close the World’s Fair on Sunday, ostensibly on the basis of the fourth commandment. The theological lawmakers that composed the two houses of Congress at that time actually enacted that Sunday, the first day of the week, is the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, which says that “the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.”

Now it is conceded that our Congressmen are men of more than ordinary intelligence; and it is not probable that such bodies will in the future be any more intelligent than those of the past or present. They are chosen representatives of the people at large; and the people of all parties always claim (especially during election campaigns) that their candidates are the very best men for the position. Yet the instances which we have cited are sufficient to show the fallibility of such bodies in matters of theological import, even as the newspapers and other authorities are continually showing their failures in secular matters.

Therefore we see the wisdom of our forefathers in establishing a government in which it was designed that there should be absolute separation of Church and State. The Lord ordained that in this sinful world there should be civil government, and he gave the management of that ordinance into the hands of men. That he has left it in human hands is shown by the great and conflicting variety of governments now existing in the world, and by the fact that the most tyrannical are often the most enduring. But the regulation of his own kingdom has been retained in his own hand, as a separate interest. “My kingdom is not of this world,” says the Saviour; therefore the men of this world have nothing to do with it. His commissioned servants who are to carry on his work here are such as are willing to be led in humility and self-sacrifice by the Spirit of truth, the word of God being their sole code of laws. This work is to take out of the world a people for his name; to take them from “every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.” And these are to be sanctified through the truth, which is the word of God (John 17:17), and not through Congressional theology or civil law in any form.

Yet the great mass of professing Christians, led by the ministerial classes, will go on petitioning and petitioning the various legislative bodies to take into their own hands the work of setting up religious standards for the people. But the believer in God’s word will heed the injunction, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” “He that taketh the sword, shall perish with the sword.”

W. N. G.