The Newtown bee., 1895-12-13

] STRONG AND IMPORTANT SERMON Bl REV J. P. HOYT.-FROM THE NEW l HAVEN LEADER.
 Rev James P. Hoyt, pastor of tho Congregational church, Cheshire. preach
 ed a sermon, last Sabbath, which was highly commended and heartily endors ed by members of the church and con. gregation. We give below some thoughts and extracts from the sermon Text, Psalms 119, 165. "Great peace
 have they which love thy law and noth, ing shall offend them." Not only the
 Law and Order league, but law and or der itself, is on trial at the bar of public opinion in Cheshire and throughout the
 state. Unless we, as Christian citizens. do our duty now, great harm will come tn the cause of temperance and righteous ness. But what is our duty? And how can those who love the law of God and human law, which expresses Gods will, enforce and maintain that law? Chris tians and even Christian ministers are divided by the sword of varying opin- ions. Christ indeed seems to have sent sword and not peace to say offenses must needs come.
 l find in our text this suggestion: Those who love the law and desire to see it en
 
 differ from them, need not be offt nded. Thus ssgreat peace" will be theirs as they move on with firm and patient step and an unfaltering determination to do duty. come what may and oppose them who will.
 In the recent discussions in the state conference and in the ne ewspapers it has been noticed that good citizens and good Christians have differed about men and methods, principles and morals, and even about the moral law; but are we thereby to be disturbed and ''offended?' Seldom can any person or any organizA- 5ion like the Law and Order league, do duty fearlessly without giving Otfense. Those who love the law of God are often compelled to do the very thing which will be sure to offend some, especially the violators of the law and their friends and sympathizers and no matter how kindly it is done it will be resented by some and misunderstood by others. But all lovers of law may be peaceful within, even though a war Of words rages without: if unCffended, although they have given offense in the performance of duty they may be at peace with God and conscience.
 The Law and Order League is soc'e y of Christian men incorporated by the legislature of this state for the enforce ment of law and, incidentally, for the detection of illegality and crime. The sale and keeping for sale of liquor in this no-license town, is illegal. Detec tives, appointed by the governor, for this very purpose, came here under the authority of the league to detect violation of the laws of the state. They used the best available methods. Their object was, not to put stumbling block or an occasion to fall in brothers way, but to prove him already fallen and to re- move out of the way the stumbling blocks oyer which so many fall into intemperanee and ruin chat is they proved sales of liquor and removed large load of liquors. Their methods were successful; hence criti- cism and opposition. Just so the gov ernment uses decoy letters to catch criminals, just as you use marked money Go catch the thief. So they used decoy methods to detect and suppress illegality and iniquity. Being strangers in the town they did what our officers could not do as well. Are not such men, who love the law and are seeking to enforce tt, to be sustained in their work? As l said at the state conference, if we cannot all enoorse all the methods (and no doubt good men may cOnscientiOusly differ as to these,) let us, at least, en- dorse the results; even the brother who led the opposition said: "Amen' to that. Let us then have peace.
 But, if 1 cannot be at peace with both God and man, prefer to be at peace with God by loving and maintaining law. It is better also to be at peace with one's conscience than at peace with those who violate law or those who txy lu hiza Wifh them, I am informed that rule has been made and is, in the future, to be enforced by the 1. O. o. F. in the United States, that no one who sells intoxicat- ing liquor and no proprietor of saloon or hotel where it is sold, can be received into their fellowship. If they wish the fellowship of good citizens they must give up their business. Shall the Chris tian church or the town of Cheshire re- ceive to it's fellowship any who sell liquor, especially when they deliberate ly violate the law? Shall our standard be lower than that of the I. O. O. F.f Are any offended" by these plain words? Let it be so. If l aim at an evil and hit man, he should have kept out of the way by keeping away from the evil at which aim and which aim to suppress. The archer who hit William | nuluss AIuk O1 Nuk i0bAs WASsAC HNAVAA6.
 was not his enemy but his friend; the
 Ring fell. 1t is true, but the occasion o1 his falling was his own carelessness the Xii 2 came in the way of the arrow, So sometimes Christian minister sends forth arrows which are sharp in the hearts not only of the -King's dies, but also of those who are scarce1ySfO be distipguished from them on account Ol their fellowship with them. Such hil the arrow. not the arrow them. They should keep away from that evil or thal place if they would avoid the arrow. i can hate and hit an evil and still love ar l evil dOer. We who love Gods law know that if we defend we must offend bul we are not offended by what our critlct say and do. The suldiers of the cr0si are to be pacific to thcif dispositions kind In their feeliDgs but firm and, | necesearv. severe when ain and wropa a-e opposed. The frionds of temperhnct 1 aud of righteousness and of the law, tht Ifrienda Of the ten commandments and ol l the moral law, should not say sspeace peace, when there is no peace," bu
 should 0rst conquer peace which n l war of elashipe Opinions can break.
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