The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-09-18
TRUTH FROM PULPITS
DR.. Milburn's Strong Sermon on
the Observance of Law.
Misery Resulting from the Criminal
League of Vice and City Government
Rev. Aliens Appeal for the Right.

Rev. j. \. Milburn. pastor of the Second
Presby terian Church. preached yesterday
morning q strong appeal to his congtega-
ton to stand firmly against vice and crime
in municipal affairs. He preached from
the text:
But lie that keepeth the law, happy is he.
Proverbs xxx. Is.
Mr.. Milburn said: Whether a man DO
working ~6trenuOusly In the market or sit.
ting In his study celebrating IN travail of
mind some intellectual problem, or sooth-
Ing bis shattered nerves with the anOdyne
OF ease, or with some yet more subtle
opi0te. his aim is forever the same-felicity.
lnere are many ways to this common goal,
lust as there are many ways to Chicago and
New York. We have the choice of three
different ways from indianapolis to New
York; likewise the choice of three different
routes to Chicago, but whatever route We
take from indianapolis to Chicago. we
must go north to reach Chicago. and what
ever route We take to New York we must
go east to reach New York. So. while men
may pursue happiness along various lines.
one man going along the line OF wealth
and another along the line of wisdom. and
another along the line OF fame. yet always
must the direction DO the ~same-along
of the iDeradicable principles of righteous
ness that God has written on mans heart.
This universe is under tie regime of an un-
seen k%ing-law; and every force that would
achieve Its mission must move forward
obedient to the touch Of the viewless and
mysterious autOcrat. Every fact In nature,
every atom invisible TO our eye and every
great mOlar mass that rolls along it's Or
cult in the heavens is bolstered. guided
and impelled by law. The rivers flow on
their way to the sea. the flowers blossom.
the nations rise and fall. the dynasties
flourish for a while and fade away all ac-
cording to the touch and the decree of law.
And man Is no exception to this universal
rule. If be would have health he must at
tain it according TO natures method and
not his own. There is here no play for his
ldiosy Dcrasy. for his caprice or within.
submit" says nature, and be strong. or
rebel and be impOtent and weak" All
strength is the recon pense Of fealty to law;
all weakness. disease and suffering are the
awful tribute that disobedienoe must pay
to this invisible lord of men.
MUST SUBMIT TO LAW.
So. too. IS it with wisdom and all other
human faculties and organs. They have
no way of their own, no part to play ex-
cept the great part of submission. They
cannot dominate. nor dictate. nor decree:
their whole and august privilege is
to listen to what nature says and do
her wish. If man would be wise
= AAA4 ~
study. and think as nature orders him to
THINK. and ponder as nature commands him
to ponder. and he must ponder long and
hard. and deep before he behOlds the dawn
ing OF the light. OF course man Is free. 1t
Is his %prerOgatlve to say yes or no. to 60
towards the azure or TO the dogs. to atfilli.
ate with that which ia beautiful or to
affiliate with that which is bad. He may
make wisdom his friend. OF rejecting wis
dom he may make ignorance his boon DOM.
panion. God bequeathed to man the
superlatlve of freedom. and
yet after all man can only say no and yes
within narrow bounds. He con choose the
way he shall go. but by his choice he can.
not transcend the great laws that are OBJ
ligatory upon his body and his sou. These
laws sweep Cd. no matter what his .ohOIoe
may be. Continent with these avs he is o.
power. harmonious with these laws he
strides on to noble destiny; but disobedi-
emit to these la WIS his life Is impotence and
and waste. The drunkard has the power
To drink. but in exercising that power he
does not SET aside the stern law of God
that demands eobriety from the human
race. Tn LothariO has the power to as
sert his lust. but in asserting that lust he
does not thereby nullify in any way thai
law of God that demands purity from men.
And fertile though maj has been in inven-
tion mp to date. he has not Yet found n way
to circumvent q single moral law. He may
do as he pieases. but he shall suffer as God
pleases; he may follow his own bent. but
at the end he shall know Gods will.
There Is only one way 20 happiness. and
that is the straight and narrow way. the
way over which. in all ages. oil wise. good
men have trOd. God says: Thou shalt
not" and man. If he would be happy. must
aDswer. Thou shalt not" He. too, must
bend the knee. as did Moses, to the mandate
Thou shalt Dot steal, thou shalt not
bear false witness. thou shalt not commit
adultery, thou shalt not lie.n Disobsy that
law, slight that law. sneer at that law.
scott at that law, man may, but only at the
cost OF his peace.
HE that keepeth the law. happy Is he"
and only he. And to win this happiness,
moro than mere negations, man must obey.
lie must serve his brother man. We are
here to serve, and we grow great only by
serving. and helping. and loving. By lifting
burdens. by soothing sorrow. by smiling
evil. and by bringing in through herculean
efforts the regime OF light and love. Would
you know real happiness. then serve. Thou
art the beneficiary of God Almighty. only
to he In turn mans benefactOr.
Why is it that men and women are not
more happyf Why IS it that the great
multitudes arc oil under some form of dis
contensf IL it that they have not enough
To satisfy their needsf Not at all. The
most of men and the most of women have
their needs gratihed; they have enough
and TO spare. They have; their trouble Is
that they DO not give. They have; their
trouble is that they do not serve. The
mhiGiy utIo Is uOt III THO having, OuG IN
the giving. and the serving. and the help
ing. and the doing. They ore not in the
way OF happiness. because they are not In
the way of keeping The law of God. that
man must serve his fellOw-men: that man
must love his DeighbOr as himself, for we
have passed hey ond Moses, and here orc
the two great laws supTemely obligatory
upon the IN conscience, Love the
Lord thy God first, then love thy neighbor
az thy This Is the best recipe for
happiness ever written by any pen-love
man. DO something for the human race.
IL you are D man of means. what an oppOr-
by helping some poor soul to
find the light. Hundreds there
are who cannot earn their bread,
who cannot find an honest way to support
their families. their children, their moth.
ers and their wives. Hundreds of men
there are. young and old. right in this city.
who are plOdding the streets day and night
saying to men. GIVE me something TO do
that | may earn my bread. Give me any
thing-l care not what 1t is-only give me
some employment in order that 1 NAV live
for You. Oh! don't be looking for felicity
beg ond the shores of time! Do not be look
ing for happiness only In your prayers DO
not be looking for tho kingdom of God in
some other distant world! You have il in
yoar power TO help this human soul cray-
inc your assistance here and now. and that
Is heaven; that Is happiness, to take that
man out OF his despair and TO put into his
hands bread TO feed those he loves. and
money wherewIth he may buy clothes to
clOthe their bodies. No amount of emo
tional religion could bring you snch Joy Ms
this. This Is religion; this is Gods religion
and Ch-fafts ralrrtnn for ~ go