CONSECRATED PATRIOTISM by W. N. G.

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jul 15, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 27.

“CONSECRATED PATRIOTISM.”

By W. N. G.

THIS is the term used by Dr. Charles Roads, editor of the Keystone Endeavorer, to indicate the duty of Christians to hold and control the Government of the United States. In claiming that America is founded in Christianity, that “the past is securely Christian,” he says:—

We might form a sublime group of our Christian founders by setting Columbus kneeling on San Salvador and claiming this New World for Christ, by showing Washington on his knees at Valley Forge, and Franklin moving to call in a chaplain at the Constitutional Convention, and even Jefferson appealing to God in the Declaration of Independence. In the foreground we would put Lincoln finding peace with God, as he declares on the Gettysburg battle-field, and holding coins with the words, “In God We Trust.”

Inasmuch as this sentiment was sent forth in conjunction with the Christian Endeavor prayer-meeting topic for July 4 (we quote from the Christian Statesman), it should receive at least a passing notice. As to Columbus “claiming the New World for Christ,” let history testify:—

At sunrise, the boats being lowered, Columbus, with the royal standard of Castile, and the brothers Pinzon bearing each a flag with a green cross, were rowed to the shore. Columbus first stepped on the beach. All knelt down, kissing the ground, with tears and thanks to God. Then, rising and drawing his sword, Columbus, as grand admiral and viceroy, unfurled the royal banner, took possession in the name of the crown of Castile, and named the island (one of the Bahama group) San Salvador.—American Cyclopædia.

The same authority states that seven years after the death of Columbus, “a marble tomb was placed over his remains, with an inscription ordered by the king,” which in English reads, “To Castile and Leon a new world gave Colon” (Columbus). So, instead of taking America (he took only some adjacent islands) for Christ, Columbus, with drawn sword, took what he did take for the “crown of Castile.” Now if this meant an authoritative taking of America for Christ, an act at all binding upon Americans of to-day, and as no one has a right to take anything from Christ, whom the Endeavorers claim is this world’s King, then it is the duty of Americans to restore America to “the crown of Castile,” now Spain.

But this is not all of the logical outcome of the idea that Columbus claimed the New World for Christ. The admiral had his commission from Ferdinand and Isabella, sovereigns of Leon and Castile, who were Roman Catholics of the most radical type. By their decree the Inquisition was established; and by their support it was maintained; and for their loyalty to “the church” they were preeminently entitled “The Catholics.” When Columbus landed on San Salvador, he carried the royal standard of Castile and a green cross and a sword. Thus he went not only under the auspices of the government of Castile, but also of the Roman Catholic Church; and whatever of religion there was in his claiming the New World for Castile was confined to the Catholic religion and loyalty to Rome. This was the extent of his “consecrated patriotism.” Therefore if his claiming this New World in the name of the Roman Catholic Church meant taking it for Christ, then that church is still entitled to it, and a “consecrated patriotism” must acknowledge the right.

The reference to “Washington on his knees at Valley Forge” shows only an individual act of worship; he represented no one but himself while in that attitude, and his sentiment, as expressed in at least one public document, was that the government of the United States “is in no sense founded on the Christian religion.” As to Franklin’s calling for a chaplain for the Constitutional Convention, it is not at all surprising for one to do this who had been reared under a Church-and-State government, from the influence of which many of the patriots of that transition period never became entirely emancipated. As to Jefferson, his emphatic declaration was that “it is wicked and tyrannical to compel any man to support a religion in which he does not believe.”

But the climax of incongruity is in the thought of “Lincoln finding peace with God” while on a battle-field “holding coins with the words, ‘In God We Trust.’” His speech “on the battle-field of Gettysburg” was on a memorial occasion in commemoration of the nation’s trust in its army,—in the efficiency of its weapons, the prowess of its generals, and the endurance of its troops. The very fact of his or any of the people’s having coins at all is evidence of trust in the government; and the words on those coins, “In God We Trust,” do not add a farthing to their value in the estimation of any one. The sole value of that coin as metal is in itself and in the demand for its kind, and its sole value as money is in the government’s stamp, regardless of the sentimental inscription, “In God We Trust.” There is but one way for any man to find peace with God, namely, by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Rom. 5:1.

Patriotism means loyalty to one’s own country. Webster says it is “the passion which aims to serve one’s country.” Then the patriotism of the Arab, the Moslem, or the Zulu may be as “consecrated” as that of the American. The “consecrated patriotism” of Columbus, or Washington, or Franklin, or Jefferson, or Lincoln, would have led them to take the sword against any and every other nation, yea, against parts or parcels of their own nation. However commendable such patriotism may be from the standpoint of civil government, it has no claim to being in any sense Christian. Loyalty to one earthly government is no more Christian than loyalty to any other earthly government. When the Scripture says, “The powers that be are ordained of God,” there is no distinction as to which of the powers. They are all classed together. When the first universal civil government was ordained, God placed over it Nebuchadnezzar, a gross idolater, who took the vessels of the temple at Jerusalem and laid them up in the house of his false god in Babylon. Three universal kingdoms succeeded Babylon, in the providence of God, and all were governed by pagan rulers. “The Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.” Dan. 4:17. And when the last of these universal kingdoms, Rome, formally espoused the Christian religion, and essayed to enforce its recognition upon all subjects (as the “Christian Citizenship” votaries are striving to do at the present time), it became more corrupt, more cruel, and more intolerant than all of its predecessors. And the “consecrated patriotism” that is now being urged in the name of Christianity is most certainly, if unwittingly, leading to the same goal.

The only true Christian patriotism is loyalty to the kingdom of Christ, which he has himself said “is not of this world.” W. N. G.