National Republican., 1875-06-03
The BENEFICENCE OF LAW.

laureate sermon before the law class Of the
National University, at the Metropolitan church,
before very large audience.
Dr. Newman read his text from Romans, Vii:l2-
Wherefore the law is holy; the commandment
holy, lust and good" The honorable distinction
between man and the brute is the difference be-
t cen volition and instinct. We may not salts
fact oriy define the difference between vOlition in
man and instinct in the animal; but mankind has
conceded the difference between the two. In law
ii is fact today that the bee builds his wax in
cells the same as bees of Attica, on the slopes Of
Hymethus, and the beaver Of to day builds his
house as deity as in the days Of the past. What
ever the animal does is stereOtpyed-hXed as
law. Not so with man, who acts volitionally.
Here he is not subject to automatic laws-of being
governed by motiOns-of aiming at an objective
point and then gaining that point with all the
earth in the elements of his body; he is allied to
the animal creation in his appetites and PASSIONS
he is allied to God IN his spiritual moral and in
tellectual nature. Endowed with volitIon, gifted
with reason. winged for Immortality. he is ready
for the moral government Of God. The chapter
from which the beautiful text is taken, contains
the sense in which St. Paul employs the term
law.
Many have supposed because he wrote this to
the Romans he therefore referred to Roman law,
while others thought he referred to the ceremO.
nial law of the Jews, but careful analysis of all
that precedes and succeeds proves that Paul was
speaking Of
THE DECALoGUE-
the Ten Commandments. This law had to be
re-enacted hence is possible for the Intelligent
student Of the Bible to discover the Ten Com
WFitfpVs Of his Apostles The e. Decaiogue I CO comes
to Us with the power and plenitude that II came
to Moses. Now. in speaking OF this law given to
that people, we will consider what the law is that
is binding on our hearts and copsciences. What
is law? 1t is the expression OF the legislative
will. Here the Doctor gave series of definitions
of law. Lastly, 1t is the automatic expression
existing in its ideal, forever touching the AL
mighty. One thing is true: Law is not selEOpe-
rating 1t is the sheerest nonsense for scientists
tn that law snlEayaeutfya THnra
lowed an argument supporting his theOry.l Civil
law is the expression of the legislative will as to
what a man shall do or not do. There can be no
responsibility where there is not voltion and in
telligence. Moral law is the revelation Of Gods
will TO man. 1t is the bright eftlux Of his essen
tial wisdom-the original idea of truth aud good
lodged in the eternal mind-the tairest offspring
Of Jehovah-the immortal beauty, the transcript
of the mind divine There existed bsliefamOng
the ancient philosophers that law was divine.
Plato said "NO mortal was capable of inventing
law to purpose;' Demosthenes, that it was "the
gift of the gods"
1t is fair to suppose that God has will touch
ing the conduct Of his creatures, and that will
would be revealed. Law is universal. There is
no grain Of sand, no drop OF water, no tree that
grows, no flower that blooms, without law. The
winds rise and fall the Great Ruler of the skies
Commands; The planets revolye in their orbits.
The whole business OF life, everything pertaining
to man, is
oBEDIENT TO LAW.
The sensibilities-the will-are the operations Of
law: and. now, It is reasonable Tor us TO suppose
that he has ordained law for mans moral ma
ture. Can we suppose that man in his moral ma
ture is an anomaly? There are two books, young
guidance OF life-the Bible and the Duke of Ar
Eyle's "Reign of Law" 1t is natural that law
should impose restraints. The cry to-day all over
the land is for
ABSOLUTE LIBERTY.
Young men, there is no such thing as a laRless
creature in Gods universe. Law binds the devil
damned and the angels before the throne. Law
controls everything in the universe. Throw of
the law Of Limitations from the planets and they
would fly of into a thousand pieces. Everything
intelligent flows from the operations Of law.
Young men, all letters are not to be deprecated.
The chain that unites the majestic ship and the
anchor is chain Of JOY to the sailor All high
and gloomy walls are not to be deprecated. All
along the Alpine regions there are walls beyond
which the traveller may not pass; which are raised
for his protection. These are doctrines of limta-
tiOn which cannot be passed. The benehcence Of
Nature requires legal restrictions for the happl-
ness Of man. There is as much bsneicence in
what law fOrbids as in what law provides. Vice
natural appetite for food. Pride is the excess Of
selErestraint, and in the excess of these gratih-
cations appears the necessity for the limitations.
Let US taEe the prohibition thrown around the
family. What would II be without limits? Take
THE sANcTITY OF LAW
thrown around the irdividual-the law of prop
erty. What were it worth without restrictions?
within a coat Of mail. Only when a man throws
of the restrictions does he become an enemy of
his race. Young gentlemen, you must not pre-
sumo too much on the atOnement by Jesus Christ.
1t is limited to prescribed classic the true and
humble peniteDt that pleads for divine mercy.
The atOnement is substantial. Christ received in
his own person the punishment due those for
WECm he died. Law is eternal The penalty will
find you somewhere; thougkyou may go TO the
confines Of creation, still the penalty will reach
you there. oh, man, time may be too short, but
eternity is added to time, and the period is COM
mensurate with the execution Of the eternal law.
Burke Gays, that "law is benefcence in actiOn;"
and how STRANGELY we are inclined 20 overlook the
benefcence! We think hardly OF the inhbitiOns
of law. But take 1t there are none in the law
that are not benefcent. Anslyze them; they are
for your interest, these inhibitiCns. The
earth would be a paradise if every man
would practice the Ten Commandments. This
poor earth would rejOice-would blossom like the
rose if these divine precepts were embodied in
everyday life. Then, gentlemen, yours is an
honorable profession; one of justice. You are to
be the advocates and defenders Of Justice: justice,
the ligament that holds together civilized beings
and civilized nations; justice, the foundation Of
social order, Of general happiness, and the ad-
YsLcement Of our race
WITHOUT JUSTICE
society cannot advance to a better future Those
Of your profession are the refOrmers of nations
and the builders Of society. Such were MinOs
titus, Mansfield and Blackstone, Story and Mar
shall, Chase and Webster. You will be subjected
to the temptation to lose faith in humanity; even
those respectable in society may become your
clients, and to gain their suit, will stretch the
Truth; but remember that there is the better
sue VI sOclSLg, p6EsOus WIN dE6 nut lOuuu III Il6
halls of justice, whose virtue reflects credit on
our race. 'Tis said that ministers see the best
side of humanity, physicians both sides, and the
lawyer only the bad side. You will mingle
in everyday life with the extremes Of
social purity or moral depravty. You will
be tempted to secure success at all hazards.
Success to the lawyer is wealth, a name and
fame. To obtain this success you will be tempted
to confOund right with wrong-to manufacture
testimony and employ improper motives with
Judge and jury. But remember that success is
not the standard Of true manhood, but duty
rather than success. 1t is yours to intone the
public conscience. There are two tribunals for
you to pass-posterity and history. Men who
have amassed large fortunes love TO be remem-
bered by these. The other tribunal to come Is
your own day of trial, when yourselves will be
the clients before the bar Of the Infinite Judge
'wheD life's htful fever Is over" Then you will
need the Divine Advocate TO plead your cause and
obtain for you Heayen. 1 Oeseech you to-day,
this Baccalaureate day, 70 repent, to confess and
to bind yourselves in on eternal alliance to obey
His precepts to do what is pleasing in his sight,
and your entrance into the Spirit Land shall be
reiOiced over by the angels, and you shall hear
that welcome word "Wel done, thou good and
faithful servant thou shalt enter intO the inv nF