The Wilmington daily Republican., 1901-07-06
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adultery. Exodus 50: IA.
The idea Of the family In Greece
was that Of 1.-THE neucleus Of society.
Aris totle speaks Of 1t as the founda'
tion Of the State. At Rome the idea
of the family was still more closely en-
twined with that of life in the State,
and the natural power was taken as
the basis Of the whole political and
social organization Of the people.
The Christian family is a copy Of
the highest and perfect union-that
Of the church, with Christ as its head.
Christianity is the ideal family,
wherein Christ power begets through
the spirit and the word children Of
faith unto God.
The basis Of family relations is
marriage, which is divine ordinance.
Ministers do not marry couples, they
only pronounce them married. God
joins them together, and the twain
become one at His command.
Jesus regarded marriage as rnonog-
amous Matt l9:5s) and on its physi-
cal side as enduring only in the pres
ent age.
Man S loneliness Is noticed by his
Creator, and his need Of companion.
ship is met. 1t was not good for him
to be alone and so God made a help.
mate for him. Her place is by his
side, for fr ON his side she cane.
"Not from bis head he woman
took
As made her husband to o'erlook;
Not from his feet as one designed
The footstool Of the stronger kind,
But fashioned for himself, a bride;
An equal, taken from bis slde."
She is not his equal physically, but
why not Intellectually, socially, spirit.
ually, and may l add municipality.
Woman Is to be by mans side, his
complement, not his supplement. "
She IL not mans mistress, but his
queen, and be Is her protector, not
her Lord. Each Is dependent on the
other. She comes from his side; he
btdtuS ny leT Slue.
The marriage relation is a most
sacred relation. | have said to near
ly all the couples that have stood be-
fore me to accept the nuptlal VOWS:
"There is but one relation In life,
that is more sacred than this, that
which exists between each Of you,
and your Maker. There is but one
relation that Is more intimate and en-.
dearing, that which exists between
Christ, the heavenly bridegroom, and
the church, his bride.
And now this relation, sacred, in.
innate, religious, is defended in the
Seventh Commandment, "Thou shalt
not commit adultery"
The sin Of adultery is directly con-
demned by the word Of God. Hear the
denouncing prophet saying TO the sim
ming king Thou art the man, &c"
(lI Sam l2:l7-lO
Hear the warning Of Solomon
PROV. II: 14.3l:9 the indignation Of
jeremiah (Jer 5:7.e); the advice Of
Paul (Col 3:5; Ephisians s. 3-5); the
burning words Of Peter QI Peter 2:
l2-14); the declaration Of the lonely
seer Of Patmos REV 2l: 81
And this crime against God and
man and woman Is both defined and
Denounced by the son Of God. Hear
his words: whatsoever looketh on q
woman to lust after her hath commit
ted adultery with her already In his
heart. Whosoever shall put away his
wife, saving for the cause of fornica.
tion, causeth her to commit adultery,
and whosoever shall marry her that
Is divorced committeth adultery"
The son Of God came not to destroy
the law, but to fulfill 1t. How terri
BILE It's fultillment! II there is adul-
terry In a look, who, who Is innocent2
In Christ's sight. the fact rather than
the act, cons titutes the crime. 1t Is
the inward, impure, lustful feeling
that is adultery. for while man may
look on the outward appearance God
looks on the heart. Indeed our phys.
ical organism, our head, our hands,
our feet, our eyes, our lips, are but
the outlets OF a heart that is either
pure or simple. The hand, the eye,
the tongue, the foot, can never con-
troll the heart, but the heart controls
all these. There is no power in this
hand Of mine of Itself to do evil but
of this combination Of flesh
bone, blood and muscle and nerves,
there Is an evil will the hand offends
me and the holy God. 1t Is not my
sye that is guilty for looking upon
scenes that arouse lust, it is myself
who control the glance Thus Jesus
'ultills this Seventh Commandment
by interpreting 1t. Itmay be broken
BY a glance, look, wish. Keep
therefore thy heart pure and thy body
will be Innocent.
Notice also that the sin OF adultery
affords the only Scriptural ground for
livorce. Christ is very bold. In
Matt 10: 3.l2: Mark 10: 2-l2, he
gives theonly release from the mar ri.
lge relation, inidelIty to the MARI.
'ge VOWS. Divorce is regarded by
lin as impossible exec pit as formal
'ecognitIon Of an already broken un.
Cn. Jesus does not command divorce
n any case. He only parenthetically
permits 1t 1t. one extreme case. And
wen in this case remarrlage on the
oart Of either husband or wife, tears
70 ribbons both the spirit and letter
If the Seventh Commandment aud
isannuls the marriage union which
it'll exists, Though the couple live
'part) until either has been guilty Of
martial infldelity.
The sin of adultery Is to be con.
1emned because 1t leads to other sins.
1t does not lead to ocovetousness, GOV.