I request of those who may peruse my sermons, that they will seriously ask of themselves, whether all the senti ments advanced, be not strictly in accordance with the text; and then (in case these should appear to be subversive alike of political independence and of moral freedom) to reflect, what a dangerous thing it is, to maintain the divine authority of a book which can furnish texts like these to despots. R. D. O.

SERMON ON LOYALTY.

BY ROBERT DALE OWEN.

[Extracted from the Free Enquirer.]

BUT for her utility as an engine of state polity, Christianity would not now rule the land. But that she furnishes a tool to the hands of power, she had ere this followed the fate of her more classic predecessors, the mythologies of Greece and Rome. But that it was found convenient to rule the ignorant mind through its superstitious fears, those fears had long since been dispelled.

Injustice is not easily supported. The strong may gain despotic power for a time; but the crafty only can maintain and strengthen it. No monarchy nor aristocracy can long subsist by open force, but only by specious deception. The few cannot tread on the necks of the many, unless they first blind their eyes.

And never was a bandage found that blindfolds so effectually or so conveniently, as the bandage of religion. Through its thick mysterious folds scarce a ray of reason's light can pene trate; and thus the political juggler can play off his legerdemain tricks, without fear of challenge or detection.

This is the secret of Religion's success. She supports the throne, and the throne supports her. Run your eye over the pages of history, and say if Church and State have not been inseparable allies. Say if the sword has not planted the cross, only that the cross might sanctify the sword. Look to England, look to France, look over the civilized world. Are not Religion's ministers at the beck of the powers that be? If the first command be "Fear God!" is not the second "Honor the King!" Call to mind the French revolution. What gave the death-blow to despotic power and aristocratic sway, in that great struggle for reason and freedom! Was it not the fall of the beneficed priest, and the loss of his influence? And who reestablished that influence? Was it not the autocrat Napoleon? Well does religion suit with tyranny! and well have all

tyrants known the fact! Well have they known to profit by its hopes, by its fears, by its dazzling solemnities, by its imposing mysteries! Well have they known to dictate its precepts and interpret its lessons! Crafty and politic was he who first called down a voice from heaven to establish injustice on earth. Worldly-wise was the despot who, that he might put the judgment to sleep, aroused the imagination, and spoke to her of worlds beyond the grave. Then was a spring touched, whose lever-power has bent down the human mind to the standard of loyal submission. Then was a secret learnt, whose mysteries are not yet brought forth to open day.

Shall I be told that all this is but the abuse of religion? and that the holy science, like many other precious things, has been but perverted to selfish ends, while in itself it is blameless and pure?

I know not. I can but judge things by their effects, and books by the words they contain. For the things I see their effects all over christendom; I see a Holy Alliance, clothed in the robe of orthodoxy, and lording it over the rights and reason of man. For the words they are neither weak nor of doubtful import. The scriptural penman, when he writes of doctrines and mysteries, often writes in parables, that we may hear, yet not understand; but when submission to kings and governors is his theme, his words are plain as truth itself. There is nothing left to conjecture, no eastern metaphor to solve, nor dark saying to unriddle. Let every soul be subject to the higher powers; for there is no power but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God." Ignorance itself cannot misinterpret the command.

I never attempted to write a sermon. Yet, methinks were I a tyrant, or a tyrant's pander, or a tyrant's priest, it were no hard task, from such a text, to preach submission and obedience. Let us see how it would read.

SERMON.

TEXT. Romans xiii. 1, 2. Let every soul be subject to the higher powers. For there is no power but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever, there

fore, resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God; and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

I beg for a moment to call your attention, my christian

friends, to the book from which I have now read to you. It is the Bible; it is the Word of God; of that God who cannot lie, who cannot err; whose words are a light to our wandering feet, and a lamp to our devious paths. It is our rule of life; and from its holy commands there is appeal neither in Heaven above, nor on the Earth beneath. The sainted spirits of our reverenced forefathers hear the blessed voice, and fall prostrate in adoration before the almighty presence; the angels on their heavenly thrones hear the blessed voice, and bow their heads in humble submission. All-all obey, and adore. And can ye, worms of the dust! can ye do less than this? Prostrate your human will, prostrate your human reason before His throne, at whose nod the Heavens tremble. Approach the Almighty with bended knee and heart, and say: "Not my will, Lord, but thine be done!"

Is there among the assembled crowd before me, a reprobate so hardened that he feels not God's authority, or doubts His holy Book? Is there a wretch so impious that the words of mercy fall on his ear unheeded or contemned? I ask ye yet again, lives there among ye such an one? Mark him well. Let him receive special attention. His is the portion in that lake, whence the voice of torment ascendeth up for ever and ever to the throne of offended Justice. He shall depart into eternal fire, forgotten of man, unpitied of God, the damned child of everlasting perdition! Wo, wo to the wretch! Better it were for him that he had never been born! Better that a mill-stone had been hanged about his neck, and he had been cast into the raging sea!

But such are not ye, my christian hearers! Ye will be submissive, ye will be obedient, ye will hearken to the commands of Him, who, after he has killed the body, hath power to cast the soul into hell fire. I know ye will. I see it in your mien of meek devotion; I see it in your looks of holy reverence; I see it in your attitude of pious attention. Ye will come to your God, to your Saviour. Ye will listen when the Lord of the Universe speaks; and ye will obey, when he commands your obedience.

Here, then, on this consecrated spot, on this hallowed day, at this holy hour, the Creator speaks to the creatures of his hand. He speaks to them in the words of a man. He points to that conduct in this world that shall make ye His forever in the next. He opens the gates of Paradise and bids ye enter→→

so ye will only, for a few short years, walk in the earthly paths He has selected for ye. He says to his chosen people: "Let every soul be subject to the higher powers." Here then is your duty; submission to those whom God has placed above you. Would ye evince your fear to God? honor the King. Would ye please your Father which is in Heaven? obey his Vicegerent upon earth.

And how light is the duty! how easily construed the command! Ye have not carefully to examine the orders that are given to you, nor cautiously to weigh their consequences, nor presumptuously to question their propriety, nor laboriously to calculate their effects. "Submit yourselves" as it is elsewhere said, "to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake." Exclaim not! question not! judge not! hesitate not! Hath not the Lord said it? And who art thou, oh man! that repliest against God?

See here the considerate goodness of our gracious Creator! He requires of no one that which it is beyond his power to give. All men are not born with correct judgments to decide right from wrong, or justice from injustice; and accordingly, we are not called upon to exercise our human judgments, to examine, to weigh, or to decide. But all are born with ears to hear ; so that, hearing, all can obey; and it is obedience only we are commanded to give. All have not received the ten talents the knowledge of good and evil; but the one talent of obedience has been committed to every one of you. See that ye employ it for the purpose for which it was given; that when the King of Heaven cometh, he may receive his own with usury.

I beg of you to observe the simplicity and explicit nature of the command: "Let every soul be subject to the higher powers. For there is NO POWER but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God." Ye are not presumptuously to judge for yourselves whom ye will have to rule over you. Ye are not to obey when it seems right to you; and to withhold obedience, when that ye find your duty grievous and heavy to be borne. Take heed that ye fall not into the snare of the tempter; that ye ask not, "Who hath made thee a judge and a ruler over us?" Behold, "there is no power but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God." Be not led away, then, by the voice of the impious, crying "Reform! reform !" These are the children of the Devil; and even as their father prompteth them, so they speak.