November 30, 1899
TRUE reform starts in the heart not in the legislature.
THE God of injustice can never be recognized by an act of justice
THE Government is no more a human personality than “Uncle Sam” of cartoon fame, is a real being.
SUBTRACT for sum of individual accountability to God from national accountability, and there is nothing left.
THE person who says the Government ought to execute the will of God, always assumes to be the mouthpiece of God for the authority declaration of his will. It is folly to try to “recognize God” by putting into the Constitution that which would deny God-given rights. God would not recognize such a “recognition.”
MORAL and religious accountability cannot exist apart from moral and religious freedom. No one can be held responsible for that in which he can exercise no choice.
POLITICALLY, Christians are but a drop in the bucket; but religiously, they are the “salt of the earth.” The earth is preserved not by Christian votes, but by Christian lives.
NO GOVERNMENT can be for religion without at the same time being against religion; for no religion can be named that is not contrary to some other religion. The government ought to be against no religion; and it can be so only by being non-religious.
THE greatest foe of Sabbath observance is not the Sabbath newspaper, or the Sabbath excursion, or any other thing of human device or manufacture; but the carnal heart. While this holds the citadel, all efforts to make the individual a Sabbath keeper will be useless.