The Louisiana populist., 1896-02-07

Il Is in heaven.
The first word that Jesus uttered
when he began his public ministry is
positive proof Of the evil of the then
existing social and moral conditions,
and Of the necessity of reform. He says
to his hearers "Repentw Turn your
back upon the existing order that has
brought you to the very verge
OF political, social and moral ruin.
end accept the new order, for the king
dem Of heaven is at hand" We do not
need to go to the musty records Of pro-
iane history to learn that the social and
moral conditions Of the people at that
day were at war with the social and
moral welfare of society and had in
CURED the displeasure Of God. The
words Of the greatest of all reformers
will convince you of that.
Neither do we need to search the
'musty records of the past to understand
the nature of the reformation intro
duced by Jesus and carried forward by
hIs apostles. Now he has told us In
language not to be misunderstood
"The kingdom of heaven is at hand"
A new sociology, of divine origin and
birth, was to take the place Of the old
order-a sociology wherein the will of
the father might be done In earth as
In heaven.
But, the objector to our view Of the
meaning of Christ in his announcement
Of the near approach of the coming
kingdom will say: "Ah, this was
wholly spiritual kingdom and would
be set up In the hearts and would
affect only the spiritual and religious
Life Of the nation, and would have moth
ing whatever to do with the political
and social life of the people.
answer: Certainly the kingdom of
heaven set up in the earth, would.
doubtless, greatly affect the religious or
spiritual life of the people. but can q
eeople be morally right and at the same
time politically and socially wrong? To
my way Of thinking there can be but
one kind of right, and people cannot
be right and wrong both at the same
time. You cannot be socially wrong, or
in wrong social relations with your
fellows, ana at the same time be re-
ligiously right In your relations with
God. You must not only love God, but
you must love your neighbor as your
Celf. Neither can you be politically
wrong and be socially right. There Is
20 close relation existing between our
political duties that we dare not say we
may go on from day to day in life of
political wrong doing, and yet have the
approval Of our social conscience.
Hence. agree that the coming king
dom Of heaven whose near approach
Jesus has heralded forth, calling upon
the people to repent and turn away
rom present customs and environment,
was to affect and completely change not
llone the religious life of that nation.
but the social and political life as well.
That. in its effects, the kingdom Of
1eaven in earth was to do away, for
,yer, with the industrial, political, So
,ial and moral conditions that had |
'obbed the nation of its life and brought |
I to poverty and ruin, and was to build |
lp such political, industrial. social and
moral conditions as are named, "the |
Eingdom of heaven" in which the will |
" God should be done In earth as In |
leaven. A41 -ff -
But what are we to understand by the |
win" of God? Why the mind or inten-
ion Of God expressed in the form of !
aw. We call the ten commandments |
he law Of God, but the real law existed |
.efore the writing Of the command
nents. the writing being simply the ex-
,ression Of His will or intent Really
Tod has but one law. As there Is only
me kind Of right, 80, also. there IL but |
me law. All other statutes are but
receipts Of the one great law, and that
. the law Of love. Thou shalt love |
Tod. Thou shalt love thy neighbor.
Hence. His win done in earth means
lothing more nor less than that his love
hould rule on earth as in heaven
Not much has been revealed to Us Of
OuO4llOu8 IN ucovcus OuI cuOuB0 10
how rs that all Is harmony there; that
here IL no sorrow nor tears, NO break
ng up Of families. no wounded hearts, |
% weary and aching heads: that its in
abitants live In perfect accord. And
heir principal occupation might be
escrihed in the sentence, They are |
dong the will ef God"
Now His will. done IN earth as In
eaven, would be replacing our present
Dcial and moral relations in which We
re- prompted by spirit Of individual
m, with those social and moral rela-
ons prompted and emphasized By the
pirit Or law Of love. And this was what
as In the mind Of Jesus to accomplish
hen he began his public ministry.
The angelic announcement Of his ad-
ent into our world was Peace on
nth and good will. or Gods will-love
to man." hence when we pray, Thy
I'll be done in earth as in heaven" We