The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-28
LIMITATIONS OF CHOICE
TOPIC TAKEN BY REV. C. e. BACON,
OF ROBERTS PARK CHURCH.
A Good Time to Get a Portrait Now of
President Mckinley, He
Thinks.

Rev C. e. Bacon, d. D., pastor of Rob-
erts Park M. E. Church. delivered a SER
mon yesterday morning to a large congre-
gatlon on The Limitations and Powers of
Choice" 1t was a philosophical and meta
physical discourse, in which were developed
SOME new and original thoughts. The text
was from Deuteronomy, xiii, 10: Therefore
choose life" DR.. Bacon said that the free
dom of the will is the most beautiful at
tribute of mans being, of which conscious
ness is a witness. If man worship deity
of necessity; the deity must be of not high
order, god of force; but If the god has the
quality to attract and invite worship, he is
exalted. There were kings and princes in
Napoleon's retinue. an exemplifcation Of
the fact that the greatness of the worlds
greatest captains is seen in the subsection
of the great to their sway. 1t must be a
little god to compel worship. Worship is a
free act, or nothing; so mans greatness
and Gods greatness is revealed.
Mr.. Bacon said that to define a subject is
to begin a process of limitation. He said
he intended treating the subject at hand
practically, proceeding to show instances in
which man has no choice. In the first
place, man has no choice in regard to his
coming into the world. He has no will in
the matter of being born. Neither has he
any choice of dying There is no alterna-
tive. This point was illustrated by refer
ence to newspaper interviews several years
ago with millionaires. Each was asked how
to make a million. One only said: There
is no need to make million. 1t will bring
no more happiness than a much smaller
sum, and death cannot be bribed."
A third point in which man has no choice
10 n mh or Oa under
divine government. Some men are atheists
and others defy God, but they are all con-
trolled by the divine laws. The very con-
dition of being makes all men subject to
these laws. A man may choose to put his
hand in the fire, but he cannot decide that
he shall not be burned. He may destroy
the sanitary laws and neglect his person.
but he cannot will that he shall not be Ill.
A man may choose to be mentally lazy. but
he cannot decide that he shall not grow up
dull He may. choose to neglest his religious
duties and education, but he ca mot prevent
himself becoming morally abased.
FIRST SINS THE GREATEST.
"A deed once done is yours no longer,
said DR.. Bacon. at passes from you for
ever into Gods kingdom of eternity While
the speaker said that the deed could not be
recalled, it's force might be modified by oth-
er deeds. man might, with suicidal IN
tent, hurl himself from precipice to the
rocks thousands of feet below. This would
be great SIM but he would not necessarily
be SHINING while falling. He might repent
heartily, but he would still be in the relent-
less grasp of gravitation. The physical ef-
feet of this deed was unchanged by, the
deeds which followed. but the spiritual Ell
from this thought briefly to the idea that
first sins were often the greater The con-
firmed drunkard is looked upon as grea ie
sinner from day to day as he lives out MS
life as a drunkard. Mr. Bacon tnougnI tn me.
act of taking the first drink was greater
sin than all the others combined. ho;oa
Another case where man has no cnolGe
is in choosing whether he accepts God, S
government or not. There are Two Ways
of accepting temporal Jauthorlty-oy OBEY
ing the laws or by receiving the penalty Tor
disobedience The criminal who suHers III
prison for his deeds of violence agallsL r,, d
ment And so it is in Gods governments
Perfect bodily, mental or social uncondl-
tional limitation is an evidence OF olNlne
.sWhiIe it is true" continued the speaker
that we may not choose whether we Sll aL
wa are to live in it; while we have no cnolce
about death, we may make our cnaraGi ,i9a
such as we want 1t When we uS, Wiz" IN
we NAV not choose whether we shall I'VE
under divine government or not, we may ue-
eide what our attitude toward tnat govern
me" eTn View view of these facts the appropriate
ness of the text is apparent: Ihereio re
choose lfe,' because 1t is WITHIN the spleae
IF mans choice to accept either alterna5
tive: I have set before We this day life ana
good and death and evil -xIo saar,
70 think they can drift into the heavenly
Canaan without effort. All drifting IN tnls
life is toward evil. 1t is necessary 10 eioof fo
TO be a good man or a good woman; 70
choose to be a Christian to c mo- tb,s ms e.
Tohn's definition of life was ana inns u
life. to know Him, the only true God' ana
Jesus Christ WHOM He hath sa,d Sf ehat noble
~, ~ ~ transfioures q man in whom there is
certain amount Of animal al eoq mag wh nee
Lii Lii host renresent his physical beauty Is
When wi,e he he is aroused by righteous anger or
by some noble thought. Now wouia De tI ne
most favorable time to get portrAt OF
resident I51U McKiniey-when he Is in the act
of sending an ultimatum to SPAN, upon upon
which depend principles OF rlgnteousS11;s less
and humanity. So a soul, when declolhs
human destinies is ennobling its oeing'