people of Israel t ip judges and officers, but in the
New Test he recognises such officers as hi- ministers,
and their power as his ordinance, lb- claims obedi- ence to them as bis representatives, and that 1 r
shall be given to tl for his sake, while he tells all
nations that there is no authority unles.s ii he of God (Koin. xiii, 1 7; 2Petii,13 17; fit iii, 1). All Chris- tians are agreed that civil government set upon moral principles is the ••ordinance of God." This implies.
requires even, an acknowledgment of him in the Con- stitution as well as elsewhere. ( ,-. i There are many very solemn services in the exercise of en il rule. Take one of many : A fellow-mortal is charged with mur- der, and must be dealt with, whether he be a citizen or not. This dealing is a Bolemn affair in the sigbl of God: ti' whether we lei him loose on society: (ii) whethi r we hang him up by the neck until lie is dead; iiii) whether he is sem to the penitentiary for life; ii\ i whether he is found guilty or innocent of the charge. In any and all of these cases civil rulers have the destiny of that man in their control for life, as well as an influence which may reach, for good or for ill. to eternity. This responsibility cannot lie evaded, and it can be properly met in the fear of Cod only. So of war and peai i . « hi re thousands are involvi d at once. So of sanitary regulations, s.. of license to sell strong drink, gunpowder, and poisonous drugs, (d.) He verely threatens and awfully punishes the nations that will not honor and serve him. (>.i He has given abun- dant promises to nations who win serve him. (_/'.) There is the same responsibility on a nation that there is on an individual to serve the Lord (.lei, xxxiv. 29). (.7.) The United States have received such favors frora God, in quality and quantity, as have never been be- stowed on any other nation, not even on the chosen family of Israel. Why should we not acknowledge in the most solemn and public manner the hand of him that gives?
(2.) The qualifications for rulers are very defective in the Constitution of the United States. Son,.- offi- cers are required to be of a certain age. and born in the country. It is taken for granted that they will be moil of ability. This is right so far as it goes; but if a ruler is to be regarded as the minister of God, some degree of moral characU r ought to be required, and the < loustitu- tion is the proper place to begin: then the people can select men of the highest order of Christian morality.
(3.) The law of God as supreme law is formally set aside, superseded by three provisions: (a) the -will of the people as stated in the preamble : (6) the Constitu- tion itself as the expression of that will; (c) laws of Congress and treaties with foreign powers in carrying out the Constitution, art. vi, s; 2. II' these provisions meant no more than the relation to particular States, it would not be objectionable; hut there is no allusion to a higher law in any part of the document.
tl. Covenanters claim the universal application of the divine law to all the institutions of men. and l.. the man in all bis relations -the- Church, the family, the civil, military, commercial, financial, legislative, judicial, s.i.-ial. and all possible connections of man with man. They take no stock in street-car or railroad companies, or any institutions which desecrate the Sabbath or oth- er w i»- trench on any of the ten commandments. They
have always excluded freemasons from their fellowship.
7. They hold the Old Test, as still the word of Cod. and of equal authority with the New.
8. In praise they use exclusively the book of Psalms. Th.y al-o disapprove of instrumental music in churches.
'.i. They claim that the pray< r-meeling, in which min- isters and people stand on the same level, is a divine ordinance as much as family worship and public ]> reach- ing. On this item they and the Methodists were long the only witnesses. For some twenty-five years the id.-a has h.-en spreading, until all respectable I. ..dies have their prayer-meetings, to say nothing of irregular associations. While other denominations regard rath- er the utility, propriety ', and expediency of these meet- ings, Reformed Presbyterians stand for their divim in- stitution as well, basing their position on such Scriptures as the following: Heb. x. ■_'.'.; CoLiii, L6; .Mai. iii, 10; John xx. 19; Acts x\i. 13.
m. Besides their adhi rence to the Scotti nant-. they hold thai covenanting is an ordinance of the N.w Test as well a- ol the Old. This th.y find held forth in prophecy (Isa. xix, L8-21 ; xliv, 5; lxii. I : Jer.
REFORMED, TRUE, CHURCH 1015
REFUGEE
1, 5) and exemplified in the apostolic Church (2 Cor. viii. 5).
11. They hold strictly close communion, on a doctri- nal as well as practical basis, according to Acts ii, 42 ; 2 Thess.iii,6; xiv, 15. (R.H.)
Reformed, True, Church. See True Reformed Church.
Reformed Wesleyans. See Wesleyans.