The organ of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, O. [Ohio]) 1852-1853, 1852-04-23
Lay Sermon.

which We shall observe 10 DO IN the laAu
which the Lord God Of thy Fathers giyeth
thee to possess it, all the days that ye live
upon the earth"
T" Ys shall utterly destroy all the places,
wherein the nations which We shall pos
sess served their gods upon the high noun
tains and upon the hills, and under every
green tree And ye shall overthrow their
affairs, and break their pillars, and burn
their groves with FIRE; and ye shall hew
down the craven images Of their gods, and
destroy the names of them out of that place."
This, as the language clearly expresses, is
the command of God to his chosen people,
aud clearly reveals principle in Gods
government that is eminently appropriate
in the proper administration of human gov.
ernment.
What was the necessity of utterly de-
stroying all the places of idOlatry, and hew-
ing down the craven images Of the heathenl
Had not Gods chosen people witnessed
enough to convince them that only the God
of Israel was worthy of worship. They had
often and signally experienced the favor Of
Heavens King. and seen the vanity and
folly, and wickedness Of idol worship.
The Priests of the Most High, were daily
instructing and ministering in the temple,
and the rites and ceremonies, and discipline
of the church, religiously maintained. God,
who gave this law, knew the carnal heart,
and the proneness to evil continually. He
knew that it would be difficult, if not inn
possible, even for those who had SO often
enjoyed the favor of Heaven, to Withstand
temptation Hence, this decree of our text.
Moral suaSion was not to be given up, the
Office of teacher and priest, and the offerings
Of incense and of bullocks upon his altars,
were not to be abolished. But, in addition
to all these, as an indispensable requisite,
the idol temples were to be razed, and the
images hewn down, aud the last vestiges Of
temptation from without removed.
What a rebuke is here to that class of
seudo-philanthropists who insist that the
only way to purify, and elevate, and refine
society, is to persuade men to be virtuous.
place your children in the midst of vice,
surround them with temptations, and then
tell them the dangers of indulgence! Why
did not God tell his chosen people not to de-
stroy the houses of heather worship and
Danish their idols Why did he not say to
them Preserve these monuments of folly,
gointo these temples, and witness the sense
less devotion to stocks and stones that you
may be better satisfied with the intep pigent,
devout and pure worship of the living God.
School your children to temptation, that
they may better deserve the rewards of vir-
tue-don't attempt to remove temptation
from without, but fortify and encourage the
power of resistance within? Such direc-
ton would have better accorded with the
moral suasion doctrine of the present day.
An intelligent gentleman, professed friend
of Temperance, said the other day, 81
always give my boy glass of champagne
at dirner- this is my way of schooling my
son, that he may grow up with habits of
temperance. Inever fail to warn him of the
danger of excessive indulgence" Had this
gentleman lived in the age when our text
was uttered by the mouth of Jehovah, he
would have protested against this method
of promoting the true worship of God. He
would have insisted upon taking his boy
daily into the idol temple, that he might
become familiar with the mOdus ODerandi
of heather worship. When this boy gets
to be little older and more experienced,
his father will probably take him to the
gaming table, to play little, bet small sums
that he may learn the miseries of gambling,
and avoid them. Thence to the theatre and
the brothel, and by the time he has been
the rounds, we shall expect to find, accord
ing 10 his logic, prodigy of virtue and
moral excellence.
We are told that in these days of light
and knowledge, that the true way of secur
ing a reformation, is not to meddle with the
sources of vice, but to teach the doctrine Of
virtue. Gods plan was, and is, to do both
, He did not relieve those under his direction
and fatherly care from the duty and neces.
sity of building houses for the true worship
and ministering to the moral wants of his
people, when he ordered the destruction OF
the places and instruments of idolatrOus
devotion.
Without further discussion of the subject
of this text, we conclude by remarking:
Ist. That the Maine Law is based upon
the principles of eternal right.
Cd. That legal suasion is indispensable
to the growth and practice of virtue, by re-
moving the temptation to vice, and building
a wall around society 70 protect # from in
vasiQE.
Sd and lastly. We infer that the temples Of
Bacchus, whether "upon the mountains OF
in the valleys, or under the green trees; ,
whether in city or country, should be ut
terly destroyed, and the bottles and casks
hewn in pieces. Temperance, like the pure
worship of God, is a good thing, but il
order to fully perfect and enjoy either
the obstacles and temptations must be re
moved The mighty battle axe of law mus
q assail the Businesses of iniquity. The melt
e ing tones of persuasion and mercy are By
0 no means to be dispensed with, but to rebel
and outlaws, the thunders of Sinai are NOR
effectual. God grant that the children o
men may understand the principles of Cod
moral governments a nd apply them. AMEN