A
DELIVERED BEFORE
HIS EXCELLENCY EDWARD EVERETT,
GOVERNOR,
HIS HONOR GEORGE HULL,
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR,
THE HONORABLE COUNCIL,
AND
THE LEGISLATURE OF MASSACHUSETTS,
ON THE
ANNIVERSARY ELECTION,
JANUARY 2, 1839.
President of Williams College.
Boston:
DUTTON AND WENTWORTH, PRINTERS TO THE STATE.
1839.
SENATE, JANUARY 3, 1839.
Ordered, That Messrs. Filley, Quincy, and Kimball, be a Committee to presentthe thanks of the Senate to the Rev. Mark Hopkins, D. D. for the discourseyesterday delivered by him, before the Government of the Commonwealth, and torequest a copy thereof for publication.
Attest,
CHARLES CALHOUN, Clerk.
Acts v. 29.
Man was made for something higher and better,than either to make, or to obey, merely humanlaws. He is the creature of God, is subject to hislaws, and can find his perfection, and consequenthappiness, only in obeying those laws. As hismoral perfection, the life of his life, is involved inthis obedience, it is impossible that any powershould lay him under obligation to disobey. Theknown will of God, if not the foundation of right,is its paramount rule, and it is because humangovernments are ordained by him, that we owethem obedience. We are bound to them, not bycompact, but only as God's institutions for thegood of the race. This is what the Bible, thoughsometimes referred to as supporting arbitrary power,really teaches. It does not support arbitrarypower. Rightly understood, it is a perfect rule ofduty, and as in every thing else, so in the relations[6]of subjects and rulers. It lays down the trueprinciples, it gives us the guiding light. Whenthe general question is whether human governmentsare to be obeyed, the answer is, "He thatresisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance ofGod." "The powers that be are ordained ofGod." But when these powers overstep theirappointed limits, and would lord it over the conscience,and come between man and his maker,then do we hear it uttered in the very face ofpower, and by the voice of inspiration, no lessthan of indignant humanity, "We ought to obeyGod rather than men."
It has been in connexion with the maintenanceof this principle, first proclaimed by an Apostleof Christ eighteen hundred years ago, that allthe civil liberty now in the world has sprung up.It is to the fearless assertion of this principle byour forefathers, that we owe it that the representativesof a free people are assembled here thisday to worship God according to the dictates oftheir own consciences, to seek to Him for wisdomin their deliberations, and to acknowledge thesubordination of all human governments to thatwhich is divine.
Permit me then, as appropriate to the presentoccasion, to call the attention of this audience,
[7]1st. To the grounds on which all men are boundto adhere to the principle stated in the text; and
2d. To the consequences of such adherence,on the part, both of subjects, and of rulers.
I observe, then, that we ought to obey Godrather than men, because human governm