The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-29

fender when caught, but cannot even then
reform the culprit
But what does the code OF the Ten Com
mandments say? Thou shalt rot covet thy
neighbours wife" not even entertain
thought that might lead to 1t or sully the
beauty of thine own soul Thou shalt not
kiIl,' indeed; but more than that thou shalt
not be angry with thy brother, not even
envy him in his rightful possessions; not
even against thine enemy shalt thou harbor
hatred or any i'll will. Thou shalt not
steal,' indeed; but more than that. thou
shalt not even covet what belongs to an
other, not desire anothers goods without
wishing to make compensation for them.
Thou shalt not bear false witness against
thy neighbor''-not falsely swear away his
good name, his reputation, but, more than
that, thou shalt not even judge him rashly
or unjustly, though the judgment be never
uttered.
CIVIL AND HIGHER LIFE.
The civil law cannot enter into mans
heart and viii; and yet there is where adul-
teries and murders and robberies and per-
juries take their rise.
God made man for civil life, but he has
higher life and that civil life cannot reach
it's ideal disconnected with the principles OF
this higher life And this appeals to COM
mon sense as well as to the individual ex-
perience OF men and the history of the
world.
Take a society," no matter what the form
Of government be, every member of which
is imbued with these everlasting and eter-
nal principles Of right and justice-with Cod
behind them rewarding and punishing-and
tell me If the civil law has not here an aux
iliary that no mere human legislation can
fashion for itself? Unless conscience con-
trolls in the inner court of the soul, civil law
is lifeless thing. AT any moment our life
our property, our honor, may be brought
into Jeopardy The civil law must protect
US in these. They depend for their protec-
ton upon the oath of a juror, a witness,
judge, a lawyer. These several officials
raise their hands to high heaven, and call
on God to witness the integrity Of their
word and act, and upon that integrity all
depends. / say if these men attach no re-
hgious importance to their oath, then no
civil law, however equitable the letter of
its enactments may be. can afford US any
ample protection Therefore do 1 say that
our haven of refuge is in religion; the
anchorage of our hopes in God.
Washington himself confirms this. He
did not place our greatness in extent of
territory, it's fertility, it's commerce; nor in
our army, our navy, nor even in our just
and wise legislation. No, but he placed it
just where have placed it. He says: Let
it simply be asked, where is the security for
property, for reputation, for life itself, if
the sense of religious obligation deserts the
oaths that are the instruments Of investi-
cation in courts of justice?"
There is the principle in a nutshell. In our
form of government delegated govern
ment, not only the ordinary courts of law
are the courts of justice for us; but our
executive offices, our legislatures, state and
national are for us courts of justice; and
fidelity in them, according to Washington,
is secured by the sense of religious obliga-
ton which the official attaches to the oath
he takes when accepting the power we dele
gate to him.
Abundant natural resources, just laws
written on paper, beautiful declarations of
rights, powerful armies and navies, cannot
secure to us life, liberty and happiness. I'M
less this law of God control in our civil at
fairs.
Gentlemen, here is something for the
workingmen of America to study We can
not change the laws that underlie human
life and human nature any more than we
can change the law of gravitation, and the
nation or the people that ignores them and
thinks it can dispense with them invites
upon itself inevitable failure