The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1895-07-04
thing or any person to come between us and

thing or any person to come between us and
God in our supreme regard
q. As the first command was dcs.E" oil to
guard the unity, so Is this, the spirituality Of
God. 1t prohibits the making OF any image,
or likeness Of any object whatever for the
purpose Of worshiplng 1t. The Jews went to
the extreme Of interpreting this comman rs
prohibiting the arts of painting and sculp-
ture.
8. "Thou shalt not take the name OF the
Lord thy God in vain - etc. This command
has a wide application, and prohibits all
forms OF profanity. perjury, irreverent use
Of the Bible, hymns and sacred things.
Ordinary profane swearing Is the most dis
gushing and ineIcusable OF sins. The deadly
nature of profanity lies In the fact that men
lose faith in that they take lightly on their
tongues.
4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep It
holy - etc. 1t is not only a rest day, but a
day especially for worship, 1t is a necessity
OF mans nature, morally and physically.
Unless we worship at stated intervals we are
nj. likely to worship at all. There Is no
greater danger threatening our Christian
government than this tendency to disregard
tho Sabbath.
8. "Honor thy father and thy mother"
This is the connecting link between the two
tables, the one having reference to our
duties to man, the other to God, and belongs
in some sense to both. Honor is a very
expressive word and means much more than
simply obey. Here is the foundation OF the
home, as the home is the foundation OF
society and civil government. Children are
under the same obligation to provide for
their parents in old age as parents to provide
for children in helpless infancy.
8. "Thou shalt not kill" This prohibl-
ton has a manifold application which will
occur to every reflective mind. He is q
murderer who would In any way shorten the
life OF his fellow man He who neglects to
save life Is az much a murderer as he who
takes 1t. And Christ says he who hateth his
brother is p murderer. BY this command
suicide Ia forbidden, and all wars for extend
ing empire and
z. Thou shalt not commit adultery. -
The institution Of marriage OF one husband
to one wife is Of divine origin and polygamy
was never sanctioned In the Bible. The vio-
lation OF the marriage state means the
destruction Of the family and all that is dear
In the social relations. The spirit of this
commandment as interpreted by Christ for
bids all impurlty. Obscene pictures, impure
ilNeTdtuTe anu pTplnlsCuOuS uduClnR all teDu
In q dangerous direction and ought to be
guarded against.
8. Thou shalt not steal" This adds the
sanction Of religion to the rights of private
property. II we had time we could show
how 1t is violated in hundreds of instances in
modern usage; as in taking advantage OF
others ignorance to defraud them; by selling
at exorbitant prices; by giving too small
wages to those we employ; by not earning
the wages we receive; by false returns TO
assessors; by gambling, rafllinv and taking
shares in lotteries, etc.
8. ''Thou shalt not bear false witness
against thy neighbor." There is hope for a
full; but in the case of a liar there is nothing
to build on. There are many ways OF lying.
A lie may be acted as well as spoken, and a
man may lie by his silence. Scandal mon
gers and ~tattlers who tell half truths come
under this head.
10. ''Thou shalt not covet.n This is q sin
OF the mind and heart and strikes at the root
of all evil. For this reason, perhaps, it is
put last. st. Paul denominates it idolatry.
tCol. 1851. All sin is born of desire, and
there would be no sin II this command were
perfectly kept. Romans 7.7), But desire is
also the root Of all Legitimate acquisition.
and 1t Is only inordinate desire that constl-
tutes sin. Covetousness is selfish desire
uncontrolled by conscience and the word "
God. 1t would seek to appropriate for selfish
qualification at the expense Of others.