The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-02-06
THE SUNDAY QUESTION.
The Ten Commandments.

To the Editor Of the BUeniag 1eIeQraph:-
If an engineer were to construct locomotive OF
millIOD horse power, fire 1t up and start it in the
midst of our CITY without governor guide to run
at random through streets and through houses carry
ing desOIation and death in ITS fearful course would
the public account HIM wise and good citizen? Or
would they hold him madman a fiend; and
call him to account for his conductH If some Van
Amburgh should turn adrft an untamed elephant
or terocioUs hon upon the community, without
any governing power to control him, would he be
esteemed a and a good man? And do you
believe that God built such q machine and sent it
thus ocriIt? Did He let loose upon His world such
an elephant or such hon, and yet make no prov
SION for its government rule, and direction? Why
my reader, the wise Creator enacted laws for the
government of every creature of His hand. Dead
matter has its laws and living animals are
governed by instincts created in them, and
with them. And can you believe that man,
the crOwning work of creation, and the
mightest for good evil of all the lnha.
biters of earth, was thrown into the world without
law or governing principle in him? Or do you not
rather believe that law-moral law-was con-
created in him and with him that he was created In
the image OF God, in knowledge righteousness, and
holiness; that this image Of God involved the moral
sense or conscience; IN short, that man was made
moral agent and held accountable for his conductg ?
If so, he must have had a law gwen to him as the
rule OF his action. You cannot form conception of
moral agent which does not involve the idea Of
moral tdW-tbat is, rule prescribing duty. Hence
The generally received doctrine concerning the moral
law of mans creation, that God made man upright
and gave him rule OF action. To this Paul refers
in Romans, ii 15-"Which show the work or the
law, written in their heart their conscience also
bearing witness To deny primitive revelation to
man OF elementary law for q rule OF action is to
deny his moral agency, and TO place him below the
brutes and birds, whose instincts are to them efIec
tive laws. Such is not the characteristic Of him who
is lord OF all this lower creation.
Now, this primitive revelation, so absolutely me-
cessary to mans moral agency, was common 10 the
race that it has been often dsregarded by in.
dIViduals no more proof Of its non-exstence in
the earlier ages the running OF printng-presses
and cars on Sunday is prooftha Pennsylvania has
never had law against such things The first re-
corded of these primitive laws, have seen is,
that prescribing the appropriation OF one day in
seven to rest from labor physical, ana to active
labor in things spiritual But that there were
other moral rules for man in the various relations
of society, cannot be doubted. No law against muir
der is named in the record, but the death of Aoe
and the treatment OF his murderer, in whose favor
pardon, rather a nOl proseQut was issued, shows
that such a law well known at that day.
we now enter on tne PROOF OF tne proposiuOn,
thatthe law of ths Ten Commandments is summary
re-enactment Ct the moral Ia vs. under which God
had placed man.
/. Let us advert TO their history. One month after
the revival and restoration o. the Sabbatic la
Israel arrived at Sinai Moses the Vcegerent OF God,
their King, went up the very next day to meet God
on the Mount. Exodus xix, 8. God remanded him
back to the people, submit to them the terms OF
covenant which he proposed to establish between
Himself and Israel Its terms are-"It ye will obey
my voice indeed, and keep my covenani, chen ye
shall be peculiar treasure to above all peo de
foe all the earth is mine. And shall be unto
kingdom of PRIESTS and holy nation" Verses 8, g.
Moses wont down ''and called the elders of the
people and Land before their faces all these
| words" And ali the people THAT is, by their