Page:Dr Stiggins, His Views and Principles.pdf/188

 be seen that there are no "powers that be" in existence; though there may be delegates chosen for convenience by the sovereign populace. As for government which is not popular, which exists, not by the will of the majority, but in virtue of such a principle as heredity, appealing, perhaps, to imaginary celestial sanctions, and fortified by fetish-ceremonies such as "coronation" and "unction" bestowed by medicine-men, alias bishops: it is the duty of every free man and every Free Churchman not merely not to be "subject" to such powers, not merely not to honour such kings, but rather to strain every nerve, to use every means (including armed revolution and assassination) to destroy so infamous a tyranny. Unless this be our doctrine nowadays, I am at a loss to understand our attitude towards the Cæsar of Russia and his oppressed and downtrodden people, I am at a loss to understand our sympathy with Garibaldi and Mazzini, with the heroes of the French Revolution, with the Fathers of the great Republic of the United States, and finally with our