The Outlook by W. N. G.

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 29, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 17.

The Outlook

By W. N. G.

"I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will look forth to see what He will speak with me."

ANOTHER NATIONAL REFORM SCHEME.

A CALL has been issued for a National Good Citizens' Convention, to be held at Nashville, Tenn., May 18-20. The principal purpose is the organization of an International Good Citizens' League, the objects of which are thus set forth:—

"1. To unite for efficient and concerted action, and for mutual encouragement, all friends of good government, liberty, and prosperity."

"2. To purify politics, and for public office to 'provide out of the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating unjust gain.'"

"3. To accept Christ and his law as the true basis of government and the supreme authority in national as in individual life."

"4. For alleviation of suffering, uplifting of humanity, and, as far as possible, abatement of poverty."

"5. For universal diffusion of knowledge and promulgation of truth."

"6. To promote the study of citizen-duty from the Bible standpoint, the glorious opportunities, privileges, and possibilities within reach of that nation whose government honors God's authority."

Like all the ostensible purposes of the various religio-political associations and combinations, these expressions sound well to persons not awake to the deceptive spirit that is abroad in the land endeavoring to establish such principles as must inevitably result in Church and State government. For the most part, the men and women who are engaged in these various enterprises are deceived as to their logical outcome, and are opposed to what they call Church and State union, namely, the adoption of any particular denomination as a national church. They do not see, or do not want to see, that the control of the government by all the churches combined involves the same principle, and must end in the support of, and consequently the enforcement of, certain religious tenets by the government. All these associations openly aim at one point, namely, the elevation of Christians to political office. Most professed Christians are at once attracted with the idea that this is a commendable object. They think it would be a grand thing to have the government in the

hands of Christian men, seemingly overlooking the fact that this was just what led to the corruption of both the Church and the State in times past. The great mistake arises from blindness to the fact that Christians do not want to control the government; only professed Christians, ambitious of political power, seek to control the government in the name of Christianity. No such effort was made in the days of Christ and his apostles. But the advocates of such a measure will stop at nothing to accomplish their purpose. With them "the end justifies the means."

But why are there so many of these associations, leagues, unions, etc., aiming at one point?—Evidently it is because one of them can not run long without its defects being manifest, and others hope to institute something that will not expose such vulnerable points. Again, jealousies arise; should one association succeed in bringing about the desired object, its leaders would have a prestige which others have an ambition to attain. Then there are sectional and denominational prejudices which have more or less influence in bringing about diverse, if not rival, institutions having the same end in view. The Christian Statesman, organ of the National Reform Association, says of the platform here quoted:—

"The third of the above-named objects, it will be noticed, is in substance identical with the fundamental aim of the National Reform Association. It may be said that the forces of this proposed convention and league might better unite with either the National Reform Association or the Christian Citizenship League. But if the friends of good government who gather at Nashville prefer to organize a league of their own for the noble purpose indicated above, we bid them Godspeed."

This third object is also "in substance identical with the fundamental aim" of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. And the second, third, and sixth objects are "in substance identical with the fundamental aim" of the Christian Citizenship League. Furthermore the kind of "Christian citizenship" which the Christian Citizenship League advocates is one of the prominent objects of the leaders and manipulators of the Young People’s Society of Christian Endeavor. So we see that the proposed International Good Citizens’ League is to be merely another factor in the "national reform" combination, having for its object the control of civil government by political religionists in the name of Christianity. This aim is wholly papal in principle. W. N. G.