God's Magna Charta of Divine and Human Rights
By Albert Carey
HE Decalogue is God's great charter of inalienable rights. The first four words of the ten guard the rights of the Creator, the last six those of the creature. In such a light, the ten precepts of Jehovah become a new and beautiful code, God's "banner of love" cast around each individual in the vast universe of created intelligences, for protection from every other. As Creator, Supreme Benefactor, and above all, Redeemer of mankind, He of right should be held alone in reverence as God. Nor should worship be paid to representations of Himself or any of His creation. His name should be held sacred to its proper use and significance. And His requirement of one seventh of our time, in which to turn our minds toward the great Heart of the Universe, is both wise and beneficent. These are the rights of the Creator, and their recognition is the solemn obligation of every human being. But His Magna Charta does not stop here. Around each individual, no matter how small or mean he may appear in the eyes of his fellow beings, it throws a guard of protection from those who are stronger, or intent on infraction of his rights. The rights of parents are sacredly enjoined, while life, the marital bond, property, and character are each guarded by a solemn "Thou shalt not." And as a crowning touch to this great Bill of Rights, even the desire for their infringement is forbidden in the last of the code. Transgression of this great charter has thrown the human family into confusion and distress. To restore order, God has ordained two great institutions among men, the church and the state. Each acts with direct authority from Him, but along entirely different lines. The one deals with the thoughts, desires, and intents of the heart, the other entirely with outward acts. The one carries the gospel of salvation, the other is "a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil." The one persuades men to the adoption of new motives through the merits of the Christ, the other restrains by means of threats of violence. One uses the sword of the Spirit, the other the sword of civil power. The church leads to the fountain for absolute cleansing, the state but restrains from outward acts of wrong. The first may beseech men, may pardon, or may excommunicate; the second may punish with civil penalties according to the offense. The charter of the church is the whole ten of the Author's code, while the state may deal with only five, and with those only to consider deeds, not thoughts. The state can not forbid the inward thought of murder or adultery. Such an act on its part could be enforced only by the cruel and uncertain procedures of the Inquisition. For the civil power to command the enforcement of the first four precepts of this universal charter of rights, would be to require of men hypocrisy and blasphemy. The Creator is still able to defend His own rights, without the help of fallen mortals. In its proper sphere of protecting human rights, the powers that be act with divine authority, but meddling with religion, they confront the very Fountain of Divinity. He who observes this great code, will offend against none, but regard the equal rights of all. And he who offends such a one, by infringing his rights, will offend the Author of all rights, and be called to answer before His bar for each such infringement. "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."