Evening journal., 1896-02-17
PERSONAL LIBERTY.
Discussed From Spiritual and
Spirituous Standpoints.
ABLE ADDRESS BY REV. W F.oRAFTs

tist Jhurch Aeeterday morntnc-Fcr-
sonaI W. Popular Libert y-Lsws But
Legal Erpressi,ns Of Well Known
Facts.
The pulpit Of Delaware Avenue Bap-
I tist Church was filed yesterday morning
/ by Rev Wilbur + Crafts, OF Washing
ton, L. o, who was guest Of George
w. Todd His theme was Personal
Liberty, From Spiri al and Spirituous
Standpoints." His sermon was a strong
one and was listened to with the closest
attention by large audience. He spoke
materially as follows;
Nearly four centuries ago. In the days
OF Luther, like the fash Of northern
lights around the upper sky, all Europe
was electrified with the cry religious
liberty There was nothing selfish In
the cry. Il meant, to tho men who
uttered II, liberty 20 die that their
children might have liberty 70 pray. A
century later that light had worked
down into the lower sky aud FOR 200
yesrs Europe rang With the cry, civil
liberty To the men who uttered lt, 1t
meant liberty TO die that their sons
might have liberty to govern themselves.
"rhere Is every thing selfish Ia the cry
OF personal liberty 10 means 20 the
men who utter It, liberty to destroy
/ themselves. and In doing so 20 destroy
the morals and peace OF society.
The watohword Popular Liberty"
In society the watchword Of all save
the slaves of that evil trlumvirato, appe-
tite lust and greed. will be popular lib
F. erty With liberty for the person only 20
far o. Il Is consistent with the liberties Of
the populece There can be no such
thing In civilized society as personal
liberty n the sense that prodigals and
politicians use that term.
Even IN the wilderness, 100 miles
from the nesrost savage tribe aud beyond
the range Of all civil law, the reveler can
not indulge In lmpurity with impunlty.
Even there. for his own good, his liberty
is euorolsd with lsw-the law OF God,
written ia HE body. law from which be
cannot escape. Even IN the solitude Of
the wilderness the tippler shall dnd that
he who sows an act reaps tendency, aud
that he who sow5 tendency reaps
habit; and that he who sowa a habit
reaps a character; and that he who BOWS
a character rsaps destiny. Nowhere In
all Gods universe Is there personal lib
erty to do wrong with impunlty. The
only true personal liberty is liberty 20
choose between various ways Of doing
right
$50 far as civil Law is concerned a man
who will 10 away by himself into the
wilderness may keep stencil az his dooi
OF make night hidsous With his revelry,
n he chooses, but whom he seeks the pro.
lection and Fellowship OF soclety be sur
renders his limitless civil liberty FOR that
Of civilized society.
True personal Liberty"
"Ths man who has no will TO do IN Is
the only man who has true personal
liberty This Is OF the loftlest teaching
OF Christianity, the loftlsst achievement
Of the Chrlstian-the freedom Of the
man who has come out victorious
from that battle OF the seventh
chapter OF Romans beween flesh
and spirit, in which the CRY Is heard.
What I would ] do not. and what
would not that l do and has passed
through the triumphAl arch OF the blessed
eighth, shouting, There Is, therefore
now no condemnation to them that are In
Christ Jesus-fres from the guilt Of sin,
not only, but also from the power OF Il.
and the very love OF it, and 80 free from
the law, because he obevs It freely, from
lnnermost preference. not By outward
constraint, whether OF fores OF fear.
'One OF the very best definitions Of
personal liberty was given by Rev. Dr..
Osrtor. speaking 30 aud for thousand
Germans OF the better sort, gathered In
Brooklyn few years since In behalf OF
law aud order. He said In substance,
that personal liberty Is the right 20 act
without moderation within the limits Of
Liberty Co Do Wrong.
"Ths personal liberty OF the liquor
seller to sell his maddenlng poison, OF the
dens Of infamy TO sell yet more deadly
vices, on any day, means liberty TO
break the hearts Of mothers and damn
the lives Of sons By the score The
personal liberty Of the drunkard to
make himself temporary lunate
intorferes with the liberties OF men aud
women and children wherever he e1er-
cises that liberty. The law sbridges no
mans personal liberty except his liberty
to do wrong and that only Ia the defense
OF the liberties OF others.
"An unabridged pocket edition Of oil
true laws Is afforded by the familiar
} slgng, 'Gentlomsn will not. aud others
must not spit on these steps Az book
Of etiquette does not contal lot Of
arbitrary evolutions for parlors aud
parties evolved out OF some mans con
seriousness Arbitrarily DQU only puts on
record what gentlemen and ladies will
not and others must not do II they
would be recsived In good society, SO
true legislators simply put IN the law
} books what honest msn Will not and
others must not do.
The Legal Expression Of Fact.
"A Sabbath law Is but the legal ex
preston Of the fact that the humane will
not, others must not allow mioerly greed
for gold, or their prodigAl greed for
pleasure, to rob other men Of their right
TO the rest day.
1.-TWO millions OF people to-day, IS
many as were delivered from the
despotism Of King George by the
revolution, are now In more serious
bondage, Sunday slavery 20 King Greed,
doing needless Sunday work with
uneasy conscisnces. At Yorktown. In the
very shadow Of the monument that
celebrates tho close OF the revolution
around which we're the embankments Of
our last war, l asked a cclored man who
was IN charge Of tho adjoining farm,
, Dofufinor fo a hole In the chfmneV OF the