"OUR DUTY TO THE STATE."

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10240, 17 May 1911, Page 3

"OUR DUTY TO THE STATE."

SERMON BY REV. H. WATSON. Tli© Rev. Herbert Watson, M-: A,. preached an interesting sermon in St. Matthew's Church, Masterton, on Sunday last, talcing his text from St. Matthew, 22. 21: "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Cesar's, and unto God the things that are God's." 1 "Let us," he said, "go back in imagination to the Wednesday in Holy Week. The Master is teaching in the temple courts; thefe is not a sound but His voice; the people are hanging upon his words. A deputation arrives with a question. The deputation is composed of two classes—(l) Pharisees —religious leaders, very proud of their nation, intolerant of any other people, impatient of the hated Roman rule, representing the patriotic resistance to air foreign power; (2) Herodians — supporters of Herod's court, who acquiesed in,the Roman rule. They had one thing in common —hatred of Jesus; they came to ensnare Him. Their question was: "Is it lawful to give tribute unto Ckesar or not?" The tribute was a tax paid to the Roman Government in Roman coin, and was offensive to the patriotic party. If He answered "Yes," the Pharisees would condemn Him and 1 put Him to scorn before His Galilean followers, for it was written, 'That thou mayesfc not set»a stranger over thee.' (Deut. 17. 15.) If He answered "No," the Herodians would declare His teachings dangerous, and would hand him over to Pilate as a rebel. It was a well-thought-out plan—they were sure of success. Notice their hypocrisy. Our Lord asked for a coin. The Jews had a saying, 'He is King whose coin passes current.' And our Lord asks them, 'Whose image and superscription is this?' They answer, 'Caesar's.' Jesus saith to tliem, 'Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the , things that are God's.' In the providence of God the Jews had become subject to Caasar, To him they owed a duty, jand what was due to him they must pay back, just as the higher duty of obedience was due to Got, under whom Csesar ruled. The answer oonfounded the conspirators, they marvelled and went away and left Him.-

"I would draw your attention to what our Lord, plainly lays down that His followers have a duty to render to . the State;. His words are of deep signifi- \ cance when we remember the ruler was n. heathen. ' By his character he oould hardly claim obedience —he was a morose, selfish, cruel tyrant. But under God's providence he ruled ; to him, to his government must be given back which'' was their due. The Apostles irstil into the infant Church, despised and persecuted, the same principle. They see in the appointment of the Emperor and those under him, the hand of God. They are God's min- ' isters —tribute, custom, fear, honour j is to be rendered to them. To them | the Christian is to submit, as unto! God. For them prayers and intercessions are to be offered. This at a / time when the Christian church was j being mercilessly persecuted by those i in authority; when the Emperor was | none other i than Nero—probably A the worst ruler, the greatest tyrant that ever lived. So, in all ages; the church j has endeavoured to her members | their duty to the State. To-day the j lesson was continually before us. The | young are taught in the catechism 'To honour and obey the king, and all that are put in authority under him.' Not a Eucharist is offered, but iiiterces-; sion is made for all Christian kings, ; especially our Sovereign, that we may j be godly and quietly governed; his whole council is embraced in prayers. These should be real prayers, not al matter of form, not a relic of the An- j cient Mother Church, but prayers that 1 we mean; prayers made real by lives ; of loyalty and obedience. I "This duty has been often forgotten. There is, of course, a duty to the State resting upon everybody. The/ burden of government, the burden of ' defence, the struggle after progress ' are to borne and shared by all. as each is able. We,.;as members of our Empire, owe a debt to those who have gone before. From them and from their labours we have, gained many blessings, we have gained many advantages. We have a duty to maintain that Empire, its peace, its nrogress. Not only for our own time, but to strengthen it'in truth, in sure- j ty, in righteousness, that it may be es- j tablished for generations to come.! From what we have said,.the duty is | more incumbent on the follower ' of : ! Jesus Christ., He: is not truo to his. 1 faith if he'does not take a special in-, terest, a -special cafe, in the things that affect the country to which he belongs, .the-town in which lie lives. Yet often,is this forgotten by Christians.- It"has been, and still is, the' j custom with many to divorce the direct religious duty, and the duty of citizenship. (a) To some the salvation of one's own soul, the labouring afterpersonal holiness, is so important that ! there is no time for anything else.-(b)- ! Others realise that there are #iany ! difficulties and not a few dangers in public life, it were well to keep as Far I as possible from contact with worldly I ! affairs, (c) With others there is ' a J conoeptifln that this world is but a , j place in which we tarry for a .short I while; here we have no abiding resting place; our citizenship was in heaven. True; but they' forget that they are citizens of an earthly country, | too; an earthly countt-y that has to be j claimed for the Master, (d) Then there is that misleading distinction between things' relirriovs and things secular. Ten thousand mti<\« that two such words wefo ever coined,. ever tiseidj Where will you -draw the boundary'line? Are not all things' re-, ligious. Does not the Apostle.'tell-us to do all to tho glory of God. whether even we eat or drink ? And what more earthly occupation can we imagine—whatever we do is to be done to the,, glory of God. "This subject seems particularly ap| propriate because of tho new lav. which is in; mediately to come into effect, and which will indirectly affect all of us, and demand a considerable amount of the nrrubers of this country, esnecially of the young men and boys—that is, the new regulation. l ; with t'eecar Ito defence. F]V'>t v W and voung man is to he trained .t:< defend his country.' This is not to discuss tho wisdom of tho law'. AH must admit it is one of rrren'- niWibilities—for the individual, for the country, for the Empire. And. if rightly administered and enforced, and willingly obeyed, will bo of rr->at benefit and service. It seems that the fact that it is coming into immediate

operation is. not generally realised. Only a small percentage of those who ha\e to undergo this training have so far enrolled. Within the next eighteen days every boy and you i it: 'nan bn tween fouxteen and twenty one years of pge has to enrol. This njust be done before June 2nd. The »iature of the training is that lads from xourteen to eighteen years old will be trained as Senior Cadets. They will be required to attend a weekly d ni ; chiefly of a physical nature,, six half days, or a week's camp. Senior Cadets are not liable to be called out for active service. It is admitted on all hands that such ciscipline can have nothing bub a be aeficial effect up on the youth of the Dorr in ion. At the Senior Cadet is drafted into the Territorial force. "The authorities suggest that these Senior Cadet corps should be formed in connection with organisations already .in existence. In this they have shown forethought and wisdom. The church and other religious bodies are taking advantage of this opportunity. It was .suggested to me that such a " corps be formed in connection with our church. It was put to me very strongly that we should do this for the sake of our boys, who will thm ( kept to a certain cutout under the influence of,.our 'church. The expanse..of the corps and the -;r'iKmsibilif-.y an j to equipment raid training the Govern- ] ■ ment .will'bo responsible- for, but tlie j work will be done -in con-j nect-ion with those- in. chnnre of our i parish. The connoetnm of the church ! j will be there. and it:- influence. The J 'opportunity will be there, in :-o;ne ; 'measure »t- 1 o;;.. 1. !o overeor.H> w'-• ' has been found nw- of the difficulties,'to keep in-touch w"! boy when he leaves sch'-e 7 -■ •••'•' out into the battle of life. 1 v. i>:h ; : v>•parents to consider very carefully this j matter. The bo." h;r: io bo enrolled; 'ho is compelled to utidc-go certain training. That that traijiing may be given with the. co-operation of the church, and under the influence of the ( church, is an opportunity which ought' not to be allowed to slip by, and th\js, as a congregation, we may show our' loyalty and willingness 'to fulfill our) duty to the State. The matter i? c/< { : such importance, requiring our im~'j mediate and can-in! consideration. . that I have thong]'! if -necessary to j put'it before you to-night. Let. nie j I remind you of the nrmebie nnderly- i ing this and all other nmiiar matters. We are members of the kingdom of j Christ, a.kingdom rot. of this world: | citizens of a heavenly, city. All the j same, we are members-of .311 Empire j into which God has caused us to he 1 born. As such we have, a duty-to the State plainly laid down by nir A3 aster, and though Christ's. kingdom be not of this world, yet we rail in our. duty to the Master unless we strive to bring His kingdom into this world, ] unless it be our desire and effort that I Christ may enter ir.ro every { pathway in life, and pass into every episode, as. it were, of existence.