THERE appeared in the American Lutheran Survey, under the heading, "Shall We Speak of Our Rights?" an article which, if not wholly convincing, is interesting, and worthy of careful consideration.
The question, it seems, had been previously discussed by Christian Work, from which the Survey quoted at some length. The conclusion reached by both journals seems to be, though cautiously expressed, that Christians should not assert their personal rights, but should be ever ready to forego them in the interests of others, and especially for the good of the community. The underlying thought is summed up in these words: "The community is above the individual; and no matter how just our grievance may be, we have no right to set about righting it."
Now doubtless the latter part of this quoted conclusion is true in some cases, but not always; nor is the first part ever true as pertaining to inherent rights.
Natural Rights Held Jointly by All
IT is a most mischievous doctrine that the whole community may properly override the rights of the individual. This is only putting in other phraseology the long discarded dogma of despotism, "The king can do no wrong." Thomas Jefferson was altogether right when he said, "The idea is quite unfounded that upon entering society, we give up any natural right."
It should never be forgotten that it is only as the rights of each are recognized and safeguarded that the rights of all are secure. While it is true that the Christian not only should not be, but cannot be, self-assertive, and that he should always use good judgment, and practice moderation, it is none the less true that certain rights are a sacred trust, and that the individual has no more right to surrender such rights without protest than he has to be careless of his time or property. This is because of duty toward God; but we owe something also to our fellows. One's property may be wholly one's own, but natural rights are held jointly by all. Hence by weakly surrendering his own rights, A may contribute, in some degree, to the denial of the rights of B. The liberties we enjoy to-day are due, under God, to the fact that in the past, men and women have dared to die for their rights. Are we under no obligation to preserve intact this priceless heritage?
Rights of the Individual
THE Lord has not only given us the right to worship Him, but in conferring the right, He has laid upon us the obligation to exercise it. There was no law that said, in so many words, that Daniel must pray three times a day with his windows open toward Jerusalem. (Daniel 6.) But such was his right, and such had been his custom. To abandon the practice in obedience to the decree of the king would have been a tacit admission of the right not only of one king, but of every king, to regulate, suspend, or even forever to forbid such service. Daniel could not yield his individual right without at the same time proving untrue to God.
The same was true of the apostles. Christ had commissioned them to preach the gospel; the magistrates forbade them to preach. Their answer was the only one possible without denying their faith: "Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." Acts 4:19, 20.
Paul and Silas, when whipped and imprisoned, "uncondemned, being Romans," refused to be thrust out privately, but demanded that the magistrates come in person and fetch them out. They had their Christian dignity to maintain, and few will have the temerity to say that they did wrong in claiming the rights that were theirs even as Roman citizens.
But "the heart is deceitful above all things"; and there is always danger that the individual who claims his rights, may not be wholly unselfish in so doing. The same danger exists, however, in almost everything we do. Who is able to draw the line accurately in every instance between wise stewardship and selfishness, between righteous indignation and wicked anger, between corrupting lust and ennobling love?
Endowed with Certain Rights
THE Lord has made us reasonable creatures, and has endowed us with certain rights and powers. It is for us to exercise those rights and to use those powers in His fear and for His glory; but this we cannot do in all cases if we tamely surrender these rights simply upon demand, any more than we can discharge our stewardship of time, talents, opportunities, or goods if we do not properly safeguard that which God has given us. This is a matter that demands very careful thought and much earnest prayer.
We are living in the time foreseen by Jefferson when he wrote: "The spirit of the times may alter, will alter. Our rulers will become corrupt, our people careless. A single zealot may commence persecution, and better men be his victims. It can never be too often repeated, that the time for fixing every essential right on a legal basis is while our rulers are honest, and our selves united. From the conclusion of this war, we shall be going down hill. It will not then be necessary to resort every moment to the people for support. They will be forgotten, therefore, and their rights disregarded. They will forget themselves, but in the sole faculty of making money, and will never think of uniting to effect a due respect for their rights."
Let us not mistake love of ease and of popularity for Christian meekness. The smooth path is quite as likely to be the wrong one as the right one. It is of much greater importance to obey God than to be popular with men. The Christian may do what he will with his own, but he cannot innocently surrender any right involving moral obligation.
