Election Sermon

A /SERMON DBLIVERED BEFOKB HIS EXCELLENCY HENRY J. GARDNER, GOVERNOR, HIS HONOR H. W. BENCHLEY, LIEUTENANT- GOVERNOR, %\t fonoraWe Crantil, THE LEGISLATURE OF MASSACHUSETTS, THE ANNUAL ELECTION^ WEDNESDAY, Jan. 7, 1857. By JOHN PIKE, PABTOB CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, EOWLBT. BOSTON: WILLIAM WHITE, PRINTER TCf'^THE STAm 1 85 7. UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN (Cninmnninfnltjj nf 3&mn\}m\\%. In Senate, January 8, 1857. Ordered, That a Committee be appointed to present the thanks of the Senate to the Rev. John Pike, for the Sermon delivered by him, on Wednesday last, before the Government of the Commdn wealth, and to ask a copy for the press. And Messrs. Ilunking, Warner and Taylor are appointed on said Committee. Attest : P. L. Cox, Clerk. BUniON ^ no'.fy1 r ':'"P1.ICATE ://archive.org/details/sermondeliveredb00pike_1 ConiniDDinEnltl) nf BlnssnclinsElts. In Senate, January 14, 1857. The Committee appointed to tender the thanks of the Senate to the Rev. John Pike, for his Sermon, delivered before the Executive and Leorislative Branches of the Government of the Commonwealth, and to request a copy for publication, have attended to the duty assigned them, and respectfully report that they have received his compliance with the request, with a copy of the same, which is herewith submitted. They also report the accompanying Order. C. D. HUNKING, Chairman. In Senate, January 14, 1857. Ordered, That the Clerk of the Senate cause to bo printed three thousand copies of the Sermon delivered before the Executive and Legis¬ lative Authorities of the Commonwealth, on the 7th instant. Attest : P. L. Cox, Clerk. ■^73iW>ty v-'iiT. laj Ofiti >!• iio'’.']! ,:i.> ,' '• ■', ti^^n.4’ ' xjki{ X-f,'P j;g»fc.ul*:j)!i|.i-{rf'3^ I'-lrU ; v;0 j, ' jUi .ijs if? ^XJ/f? ■•^vrfir, . .;■ 1 Mjj‘ LMi J ixiii yJil.;'.. ISiiJ I'lir.f : ; • iwt'I n-J'^v ■adi . _ •Ih H 'liii n "H'cill teiiivji* John viii. 32. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you In one of the cities of Europe they pass into the market place through a temple. The merchants fre¬ quently rest their burdens to turn aside and pray. The responsibilities of trade may be great, but those of legislation are greater. It is well for the legislator, if the temple is over against the State House, and he may pass to the business of the latter, through the service of the former. But he must be careful through what temple he passes. The great question is, whether its service is truthful ; for it is only God’s truth that makes free. It is hardly needful to say that some traces of God’s truth are found in every false system of leligion ; but they are too much covered or perverted to qualify its servile power. It is only the Protestant faith that most richly embodies and most accurately expresses Christian truth. So the ancient legislators of the Commonwealth thought. It seemed to them the wellspring of freedom. They expected it would flow away in streams of national glory that a distant future must be left to fathom and compass. And it -may be well to spend a service which had its origin from their Christian sympathies, in showing the connection there is between the Protestant faith and civil freedom, and national prosperity. Fii’st. There is a close connection between Protes¬ tant truth and civil freedom. This is manifest, both from the principles of Protestantism, and the facts of history. Brownson says, “ the Protestant, as such, has no principles, his solitary principle being that he pro¬ tests.” But the question whether he has positive prin¬ ciples, must depend upon what there may be of posi¬ tive, in the authority against which he is protesting. The Declaration of Independence is mainly a protest¬ ing document ; but its positive principles are as mul¬ tiplied as the unwarrantable ideas and acts against which it is directed. So that this reviewer has only to give many of his own principles a negative form, to have the broad and multiplied positive ones upon which the Protestant relies.

One of the leading ideas of Protestantism is — -free thought. A celebrated French writer says : ‘‘ If there be any thing constant in Protestantism, it is undoubtedly the substitution of private judgment for public and lawful authority.” It is certainly distinctively Pro¬ testant to prefer private judgment to public authority. Thought, with the Protestant, is not only a privilege. but a duty. There is no material thing, no intellectual sentiment, no heavenly truth which may not be sub¬ ject to examination. Luther’s doctrine of ‘‘justifica¬ tion by faith ” involved the idea that a man is to search into and understand the Gospel, through which he is to live. He does not know that even the book which is called the Bible comes from God, till he has bal¬ anced what may be said for and against the heaveninspiring idea. He reaches his overpowering belief through such severe questionings, as for a time may leave him in doubt. He meets truth naked, as the Olympian wrestlers met each other, and if he finds it so closely knitted, proportioned and firm that he can¬ not overthrow, he is ready to reverence and defend it. Thought, like our breath, is essentially free. It is for God to say to both : “ thus far shalt thou go.” The Apostle submitted his truths to the reflections of his readers : “ I speak as to wise men ; judge ye what I say.” Nor did he praise the Bereans for an unthink¬ ing reception of his words. The axiom of liUther was, that “ thought is toll free.” The Inquisition sent its minions to coil at firesides, and hide in sleep¬ ing chambers, and glide along the avenues of trade, till they could find out sentiments that had never been uttered, but which fagot and flame could not make noble and honest men deny. …