had very little to do in the organization of civil government.

65. Civil government, it is apparent, is a necessity of man's nature. Society demands it as essential to his wellbeing, to the development of his powers, and to the proper and beneficial exercise of the faculties which his Creator has given him. It can not be dispensed with, and admits of no substitute.

66. In this light it becomes, clearly, an institution in accordance with the order and will of Providence, however it may be established, and hence is a divine institution.

67. It possesses more emphatically this divine character, if established in accordance with the great principles of justice, with natural law, and the revealed will of God. If it has for its chief corner stone, and foundation, the consent of the majority of those qualified to act,-of those whose especial duty it is to estab

lish and sustain it. When thus established, it possesses a sacredness of character, and claim upon the respect and obedience of man, to which other mere human institutions can present no claim.

68. There is so much of human happiness involved in the maintenance, undisturbed, of civil government, that its powers should not be questioned, or resisted, except in the most extreme and aggravated cases.

When, indeed, the labor of a country, or of a people, has become so far classified as to create a mutual dependence and reliance of the several classes upon each other for the means of subsistence, and for the comforts of life, those who may be instrumental in plunging such a country into a state of war, of intestine war, which is war in its most terrible form, are many times more criminal than if they committed the act in a condition of society less advanced.

Peace, and the arts of peace, when those arts have come to be essential to human life, can not be ruthlessly disturbed or destroyed without incurring guilt of the deepest dye.

69. Physical resistance to the behests of a government can not, under its worst forms of organization, be justified, until it is clearly shown that the evils flowing from obedience are greatly in excess of those likely to be consequent on resist

ance.

70. Under a government properly constituted by those who possess the divine right, where the power to make a peaceful change remains with those who are its rightful primary depositaries, forcible resistance, or revolution, can not, under any circumstances, be justified.

71. It is in this view that Christianity enjoins submission and obedience to the powers that be.

"Submit yourselves to every ordinance

of man for the Lord's sake; whether it | be to the king as supreme, or unto governors, as unto them who are sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers and for the praise of them that do well: for so is the will of God." (1 Pet., 2:13-15.) "Fear God, honor the king." (1 Pet., 2:17.)

"By me kings reign and princes decree justice." (Prov., 8: 15.)

"The powers that be are ordained of God." (Rom., 13: 1.)

"Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God; and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation." (Rom., 13 : 2.)

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"The Lord knoweth how ́* * reserve the unjust to the day of judgment to be punished, but chiefly them that despise government, and are not afraid to speak evil of dignities." (2 Pet., 29, 10.)

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"Put them in mind to be subject to

principalities and powers, to obey magis

trates, to be ready for every good work." (Paul to Titus, 3: 1.)

72. It is reasonable to suppose that the powers given to man are intended to be exercised. Without society his highest powers and best faculties have no exercise, no development. Society requires rules for its regulation. Civil government, we repeat, is a necessity to mankind, and being such, is a part, and very important part, of the plan of Providence.

It is, in this view, God's handmaid. Its acts are manifestations of His will. It is the instrument and the means of His special providence, the mode in which He chooses to make known His will in respect to the affairs and actions of men, not to be opposed or resisted, but, if wrong or unjust in any particular, as it may be, since man is the humble instrument by which it is effected, those who suffer must wait patiently the time when