Religion First by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, Cal. · Feb 13, 1907

Religion First

By Editor

How to pray will become more and more of a perplexity to our political legislative chaplains. California's Legislature has some members of the Hebrew faith, and one of them, Senator Wolfe, requested that the name of Jesus should not be used in the prayer, because he could not join with the chaplain in thus praying; and then came a "tempest in a teapot," nay, in many teapots. It has helped out various ministers looking for modern texts, and there has been all sorts of things said in praise or dispraise of the services of legislative chaplains. One prelate says, and with force, that the legislators knew the chaplain was a Christian when they hired him, and they must suppose that he would pray as a Christian. Then, as a Christian, if he were asked to do otherwise, he could resign. But presumably some of the legislators concluded as did Balak of old. He hired Balaam to come down to Moab to curse Israel, and surely he ought to prophesy as Moab desired. So if the chaplain is hired to pray for a non-sectarian Legislature, he ought to pray non-sectarian prayers, or "Pope's Universal Prayer," at least, he ought not to offend those who voted for him.

The whole controversy shows the farce and mockery of the thing. First, the squabble for the place of saying prayers at so many dollars per prayer, and then the formal prayers too often offered to the Legislature and the listening public. If the Christians in this State follow the Christian Bible, the Legislature and government have many prayers offered in their behalf; for thus we read: "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men; for kings and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour." 1 Tim. 2:1-3. If Christians would do more praying and less lobbying for place and power and class legislation, the church of Jesus Christ would increase in power and influence, and Sunday laws and paid sectarian chaplains would not be deemed needful.

Religion First.

The Pacific Christian Advocate of January 3 most forcibly and truthfully says: "Unless there is a tremendous revival of religion in this country, patriotism will ferment into bitter antagonisms, and American freedom, for which so great a price has been paid, will be evaporated into demagogery. This is not a theory, not a prophecy, but an actual condition now facing the statesmen and political leaders of this great American republic."

But the Pacific Christian Advocate will never help to a religious revival by demanding religious legislation, and denouncing those who oppose it as unpatriotic, fanatical, etc. The revival needed is religious, not political; a religious revival of the old-fashioned, Pentecostal sort, in which there is repentance of sin, renunciation of the world, regeneration in soul and character. Indirectly such a revival will help the government and citizenship more than all the religio-Sunday law politics in the world.

Publications and Preachers.

Because it is said—and it is doubtless true—that our publications are doing a greater work than the living preacher, it does not follow that the living preacher should be ignored; nay, more, it does not follow that he is not the most important agency in God's plan. The reason of the above statement lies in the fact that the ministers are very few, while the publications are many, and may be used by all classes. It is still true that it has "pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." Still there are different ways of preaching. The lesson is, Use both preacher and publication as thoroly and widely as possible.