The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-23
THE ROYAL Law"
Sermon by Rev. c. T. Scott at the Baptist
Church, Sunday Morning, Jan. I2, 1890.

GAS ye would that men should do to
you, do ye also to them likewise. y
Luke, 6: 81.
The time had come for a new stage
Of development in Christ's work of re-
demption, and he prepared for it by
spending whole night alone with God
on the mountain. In the morning, re-
freshed and strengthened for his work,
he selected from those who believed on
him, twelve disciples, including the
four selected a short time before. These
were to be specially trained for the
work of founding the new kingdom.
To these, and the people gathered about
him, be delivered his inaugural dis
course setting forth the principles and
laws Of the kingdom of heaven.
The royal law given in the text sums
up these teachings into one great heav-
enly NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. to which
would transform this earth into heav-
en-. Christ does not present this royal
law as novelty, but affirms it to be the
essence of the law and the prophets. 1t
is in fact the primitive command of
God in the hearts of all nations. This
principle was conspicuously developed
in the minds Of the ancients and en-
phasiZed in their teaching. This may
be seen by the following comparison of
Christ's precept with the teachings of
some of the ancient thinkers. Confu-
cius said, five hundred years B. c.,
"What you do not like when done to
yourself, do not do Others" Isocrates,
a Grecian orator, said, four hundred
years B. c., "Do not do to others that
which would make you angry, if done
by others to you" Hillel taught at
the time of Christ, "Do not unto an
other what thou wouldst not have
another to do unto thee"
Christ says, LAS ye would that men
should do to you, do ye even so to
then.n The radical difference between
the teaching Of Christ and the founder
of heather religion-the teaching of
an Athenian orator and learned Jew
ish Rabbi is, that He presents the posi-
tive and they the negative side of the
precept. Christ alone commands us
to do anything.
Christians should live according to
this law because it is the principle Of
the higher kingdom. 1t is conclusive
proof to themselves and to others that
they are under the power of the unique,
fraternal, divine life. 1t is the infalli-
BILE touchstone of spiritual life. "We
know that we have passed from death,
unto life because we love the breth-
ren." The first great command given
by Christ to believers is to "Love
the Lord thy God with ali thy
heart and with all thy soul and
with all thy mind. This is the first
and great commandment. And the
second is like unto it. Thou shalt love
thy neighbor as thyself. On these two
commandments hang air the law and
the prophets" All the law is fulfilled
in single word and that word is LOVE.
We must love God and man with all
our powers. The heart, soul and mind,
are the will, affections and understand
ing; or the vital, sensitive and intel
lectual faculties. All these powers must
be united in rendering superlative
love to God and perishing humanity.
'Love is the fulfilling Of the law" the
underlying principle Of all holy obe-
dience, and, therefore, nothing in re-
ligious life possesses the slightest value
if it does not originate in, and derive
all of its virtue from, the affections.
Love is the rest, the satisfaction, the
equipment Of the soul. And if the life
is ruled by love it will be peaceful,
prosperous, potent.
But it is painful fact that there is
frequently distressing want of true
spiritual affection on the part OF
Christ's professed followers. They do
not evince the long suffering, unselish,
unostentatious, unenvying, believing,
hoping, rejoicing, never-tailing charity
recommended in the New Testament
psalm Of love to the Corinthian Church.
The unifying power of love does not
exist among them. Euvying, division,
strife, false accusations, and evil-speak-
ing predominant. Such as are influ-
enced by such feelings are "carnal and
walk as men," The apostle says, 81
have told you before and now tell you
again, with tears, We are enemies to the
cross of Christ" How unbrotherly
are they to each other. How selfish,
cold and repelling. What uncharita-
bleness in their bearing! What petty
quarrels and alterations! What feud,
strife, groundless suspicion and detrac-
ton, Satanic influences are donlinat-
ing the spiritual. 1t cannot be said of
such professors "Behold how these
Christians love each other" Contem-
plating such a spiritual condition
would impel Jeremiah to exclaim, 20,
that my head were waters and mine
eyes fountain of tears, that might
weep day and night for the slain of the
daughter Of my people," Such state
of things is disgrace, is evidence that
strength has departed. and is prophetic
of spiritual death.
Such hindering causes to spiritual
development and power must be re-
moved, or church life cannot prosper.
Christians must love each other freely,
even with the unselfsh love of Christ,
bearing each others burdens, thus full