The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-14
UPPER AND NEITHER CRUsTs.
Rev. MIR. ViIIers's Sermon at First
Baptist Church.

Rev Mr. Villers of the First Baptist
Church. had for his topic last night, Signs
of Division Between Our Upper and Neither
Crusts," with the text, And l will put a
division between my people and thy people;
tomorrow shall this sign be-" Elk. viii, %.
Pharaoh with the seepter of Egypt and
Moses, with the rod of God, stood face to
face" said the minister. Next day would
witness a proof of divine power. Goshen,
where Israel dwelt. should be set free from
of flies which buzzed and stung and de-
voured free from storm clouds that burst
in hot thunderbolts and rained hail mingled
with fire. i will put a division between my
people and thy people, said Jehovah; to-
morrow shall this sign be- Between Jew
and Egyptian there was a three-fold divis-
ion--racial social, religious. Difference of
race led to a natural isolation, making
Goshen the Hebrew quarter of that day.
Among US similar division eXiSts-German,
Jewish, African. Irish and American quar-
tiers. This is well, but it has it's dangers.
We are unwilling for any nation to es-
tabish colonies here, maintaining their old
world language customs and allegiance. In
the public school, the digestive organ of our
body polite, let at least the children be
placed and kept, until our heterogeneous
racial mass has been converted into Amer
lean bone and Sinew.
1.-The means of the wretched crowds in
the brick kilns Pharaoh heard with the ut
most unconcern. Lives embittered with hard
bondage were increasing his revenue. What
matter if the herd of common foreheads
were beaded with sweat? Their stiffened
and aching bodies were but fitting sacrifices
to his exalted majesty. Some of our lower
pitied rather than pelted. Others are prac-
tically useless. Along our streets | have
watched men with picks and shovels-some
withdrawing from their position to let a
car or carriage pass. then standing and let
ting that conveyance go, until it was al
most time for another to come. But ignor-
ant or refined, industrious or indOlent, their
value is not to be estimated in dollars and
cents. l never like to hear workmen called
hands. man is something more than
a bundle of muscles, something more than
combination of flesh and blood He is
an immortal soul. Cypress him and God will
smite you.
the thoughts of human brotherhood but the
fact of our blood relationship can never be
altered. OF one hath God made every ma
ton to dwell on all the face of the earth.
The color or angle of a mans face does
not decide the question whether he is my
brother. to be comforted and helped. SO
intertwined are the lives and interests of
men that If the lower element suffers the
upper will SHORTLY feel the pang; and if the
upper strata are Iwronged, their injury VIII
soon filter TO the lower. 1t was a murderer
who asked, Am | my brothers Keeper
Our social problems will find no solution
until this sublime truth OF brotherhood Is
burned into the consciousness of society's
every segment; nor will our social sores be
healed until touched by the pierced hand
of him who said, All things whatsoever We
would that men should do unto you, even
so do We also unto thm.' Between jew and
Egyptian there was also social division
clearly drawn. To the king and MS court
iers Hebrews were only parcel of slaves,
unit for polite society. SO, too, partition
walls divide us, often unWisely: the upper
and neither crusts being sometimes deter
mined by pedigree, not by character Were
il not for family connections, many a man
now ionized would be ostraciZed. Stock
may count. but character should be the su-
preme test other of our division walls are
built out of gold and silver dollars. Money
is counted talent discounted. This IS pecul-