The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-08-23
VIC. T.U. DEPARTMENT.
Conducted by the ladies Of the ". C.
T. U. of Anderson, S. e.
Moral Force OF Law.

| QUAOO oSSNA~SS~J'
law betokens lax moral status, while
high and noble law indicate good
moral fibre. A law that justifes evil,
or even Nlerates it, reflects discredit
upon the Legislators that enacted it.
Legislators are supposed to be chosen
| because of their intelligence, integrity
and sound moral character. The high
er the standard Of the laws they enact
the nobler the honor reflected upon
their character. It is invariably true,
in America at least, that the enact
ment of vicious statutes brings leg
islature into disrepute.
Laws should be educational as we'll
as corrective. They should exalt cor
rect ideals as we'll as to reflect just
convictions. Laws are made for evil
doers.. They should be in advance OF
average practice, and should represent
the best thought Of the best classes.
The law Of God presents fine illus
tration of this idea. 1t requires OF
man the best conduct and the best
moral condition Of which he is capa-
BILE. No man can be better than the
divine law requires. It is trans
| cript Of the divine mind, representing
Gods wish concerning mans practice.
Wesley says the moral law is IAN IN
corruptible picture Of the High and
Holy One that inhabiteth eternity.
It is the face Of God unveiled : :
copy of the eternal mind, trans
cript Of the divine nature. y Every
time man measures up in any degree
to the requirements Of that law he
helps to reflect the lofty thoughts of
the great law-giver. 'Thou shalt
love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart, and thy neighbor as thyself >
is the picture God shows us of the
ideal man. lis photograph OF the
original sketch by the Master Artist
of the most beautiful thing in the
universe creature rejecting the
noblest thought of the Creator.
The laws of men should be modelled
after the laws of God. They should
represent all that is pure, lovely and
Of good report in the best society.
They should be stimulating to good as
we'll as corrective and repressive to
evil. The idea that no law should be
enacted which is higher than the pub
lie sentiment behind it is as reprehen-
sible as the idea that all law should be
repealed which is not strictly enforc-
ed. Both are parts of an evil whole.
The application Of this principle to
the law of God would result in the
cancellation of the entire code. Hap
ply, men of sound judgment do not
stoop to the serious consideration Of
such course. The apologists Of
wrong-doing are the croakers who
croak for lenient statutes and who
seek to stain the honor of high legal
ideals. Much of this sort of croak-
| inr has been heard /. relation to pro-
hibitory laws, and unfortunately it
has had mischievous effect in many
instances, resulting in the repeal of
wholesome laws and the substitution
of measures which foster the liquor
traffic with its long train of moral
evils.
Were the common adagc, You
cannot make men good by law, car
ried out to its logical sequence, every
precept Of Jesus and every command
of Jehovah would be obliterated from
the sacred page. History shows that
men have been made good by law, and
and it is the purpose Of every law
bearing upon human conduct to make
better citizens, better neighbors and
better men generally. Instead, there
fore, of lowering the law to the level
Of vicious practice. We should seek to
raise the practice to the high ideal OF
the best legislation. The precepts OF
the law arc these '"To live correctly,
to do an injury to none, and to render
every man his own. - All law-abiding
people exemplify these precepts, and
law.breakcrs should be compelled to
do so. Hold up the law. Make it
praise to the good and terror to evil
doers. Enforce it to the utmost cx-
tent possible, and show by educational
work in the form Of agitation and cx-
plauation, that further enforcement
would be for the best good Of the
greatest number. r.--ntcligan Christian
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