The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1901-06-20
SERMON BY
REV. ]. SHAPE.
Preached at Delaware Avenue Bap.

1t is probable that from Christ s
answer to the scribes question MARX
IL: 23) arose the suggestion for the
I. division Of the Ten Commandments
into two tables. The first having to
do with our duties toward God and
the second with our duties toward
our neighbors. to love them as our
selves. TO the first table belong the
first four commandments: to the Sec
ond the last five, while the one under
consideration tonight (the Fifth) is
the connecting link between these two
tables, "the centre piece of the deca-
logue, the keystone OF the Sinaitic
Arch"
The text presents simple requir-
ment and promised reward. "IIon-
or thy father and thy mother is the
requirement and the reward Is: ',that
thy DAYS may be long upon the land
which the Lord thy God, giyeth thee"
1t has something to say to the chill
dren, and it speaks between the lines
in no unmistakabe way to the par.
entS.
"Father' is a term often used in
wider sense than the mere parental
idea. Though this surely is of su-
preme Importance in this day, when
cherub-faced boys speak with impious
lips of their father as the ''old man"
and little girls soon want their long
plated hair done up like the "old
Yoman's.'
Shame on bows and girls who speak
OF those who gave them life to S tart
with, and care when they we're help
less.
one can scarcely imagine that such
a scene as that was witnessed in a
Philadelphia Court were possible,
when strong. grown sons, each max.
ing wages enough to support their
aged father, saw him led away to the
poor house, without fllial tears or fl
ial sympathy. TO those of us who
loTe our parents, this commandment
is superhuous tor love is a greater
commandment than law. We hear
the story Of the wounded soldier in
the hospital whispering 'mother"
as a soft touch rests lightly on his
brow, the well known touch of her,
who was permitted by his side only
under the solemn promise that she
wolld not speak to him. She did not
need to- her touch was sweetest Ian
guage to the sufferer. And the story
only makes us love our parents all
the more and delight to do them hon
or.
The word "father' may stand for
all who are above us in authority,
even in political authority. Rever-
encc for the flag is not so much a sen.
timent as duty, an act of obedience
as well as an act of patriotism.
Respect for city officials and sub
lection to the powers that be is our
right and scriptural duty. We ought
to pray for our political fathers.
1t means respect for pastoral au-
thority, only to be ure if he is wor-
thy Of it.
There was time easily remember
ed by most of you that are here, when
respect for pastoral authority was
more noticeable than it is to-day.
There was force in what the new
president of a certain college said in
his inaugural before the boys. Let
me be a quiet conscience, not famiI-
lar friend to you. Expect me not to
be a bosom com panion. but let me in
my own self imposed isolation be your
constant warning instead. 1t may
be that there will be a reversal in the
present tendency to think lightly of
seniority in the pulpit, but as yet it
has not come.
Today while people send for the
lawyer with the most experience and
the grayest beard when their pre-
cous property is jeoporadizcd; engage
the long practiced phys clan if their
bodies languish; insist that for pollt.
ical Office years must weigh but with
the care of the soul of as much
greater value than all of these as a
diamond is greater qhan paste, people
are willing that only the Youngest
men should be entrusted. Whining
ton has set the pace for the reversal
of this sentiment for one OF its
(M L. sent in a special re-
quest last March for an old preacher.
To be president Of the United
States one'must be at least As years
old; to be pastor life time one must
die at A.
Some churches pass resolutions
when they are in need of a pastor
not to call one who has committed /,
the objectionable crime of having
passed his forty.tifth year. plead
for the old minister for respect for
his gray hairs, and for confidence in
him and place for him in the very
ground that he has had experience.
There are hundreds Of pastorless
churches and thousands of pastor
less preachers just because the
churches want young men, There
S room for all--there ought to be
'cspect for all.
1t stands for pedagogical authori-
for teachers. Children
If our schools ought to respect their
,eachers because OF the reading Of
his fifth commandment and perform
heir school duties for Scriptural Tea.
IONS.
1t stands for patriarchal authority.
t means respect for all old people.
Those who shout ''old bald head
lfter any Elisha are in danger Of
,earS today but those who honor
heir seniors may live long in the
arth.
The reward may contain in a pri-
nary way local idea but the New
Testament reference to this com.
nandment I(Ephesians 6: 2,3) shows
he univers al application. Parental