The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-01-13
ELOQUENT SERr1ON ON
LAW AND LIBERTY.
Freedom of Worship Also Set Forth
by Rev. Asbury E. Krom at Benefi-
cent Congregational Church.

tended the regular services at the Bene-
fcent Congregational church. yesterday.
both morning and evening. and at both
the pastor. Rev. Asbury L.. krom, offi-
ciated. The music was OF an excellent or
der and at the evening service Rev. MIR.
Krom discoursed on "I.ife's Barries"
The mornings service was equally Inn
pressive and the sermon interesting.
lie spoke on Law and Liberty" and his
text was as follows: James les: "But
whose looketh into the perfect law OF lib
erty and continueth therein he being not
"a forgetful hearer but doer OF the work,
this man shall be blessed in his deed"
The writer is pleading for action. He
believes in IL as thoroughly as this age
believes I'm H. The need for It was doubt,
less as great among Christian men and
women I'm his day as Il is in our day. In
the course OF his appeal he
speaks OF the perfect law OF
liberty. This statement must have sound
ed strange I'm the ears OF many men who
thought of law and bondage being eter-
nally related.
II savors somewhat of rhetoric and ex-
aggeradon in the minds OF men OF this
day 1t is for us to inquire into its
meaning.
Well may IL be said that greater than
the plains of Marathon, where Grecian
arms retired flushed with success, great
or than the slopes of Waterloo, where
the best in modern civilization met the
self-seeking of genius and won victory.
Tor
burg, where focused the bloody streams
OF Rebellion, greater than all these is the
battle-ground OF the human soul. 1t is
here that the struggle is fercest. Great
indeed is the victory when on this field
there Is heard the shout OF triumph
Black indeed the defeat when on this
field there sounds the final groan OF de-
spair. The greater the soul the greater
the battle. tss from the experience or
Jesus tempted in the wilderness or ST.
Paul struggling To be free that the
shock OF battle is felt down through the
ages.
The biography OF the Apostle 10 the
Gentiles is a record OF the struggle OF one
OF the worlds great ones with law on
the one hand. liberty on the other.
After all history Is best when IL is the
record not OF external events but a re-
porAof the soul writ large.
As we read history today we are con-
Scious that the struggle i'm the soul OF
81. Paul has repeated Itself in every hui
man soul and the account OF that strug-
gle Is a large part of the records of the
past ON the one hand men have strug-
gled to reduce human society. nature and
the universe to law. At the
same time man has sought with
great yeaEnlng OF soul TO be free. Run
ming through the ages have been these
two oft-times opposing tendencies
When Rome sank into decrepitude and
old age, her weakness invited the attacks
OF barbarian hordes which, even after
her strength had failed, her majesty had
long held in check. When her last en-
peror had been deposed and her institu-
tons had crumbled and the requiem was
being sung over "A civilization that SEEM
ed 10 be dead. there arose spectre like
Yet with strength and splendor, the maj
esty OF the law. Before 10 fell In awe and
wonder the wild bone and sinow OF tne
north, when this chaos OF humanity
arose after taking the oath OF allegiance
10 Roman law, the foundations had been
laid for Italy, France Germany. indeed
for the whole modern world. IL was the
great legacy OF Rome TO all after ages
Rarely has the history or two nations
separated by so short space, differed as
widely as has that or England and
France What France accomplished by
bloody revolution England accomplished
by wise patience and continued educa-
ton.
LAW VS.. ANARCHY.
The difference in the history OF the two
nations is due less TO the fact that one
is Anglo-SaXon the other Latin than C.
that other fact that England had been
trained for centuries In obedience 10 law
and France had been rocked In the cradle
OF anarchy and trained I'm its after years
TO riot and disorder. What Is true I'm this
respect of an individual is true Of a ma
tion. and the man who is the best cti-
zen In the community, the best member
OF the kingdom of God, is the man who
has-earned obedience at the knee of a
mother and has taken TO heart that wise
Injunction OF Scripture. children obey
your parents In all things for IL is wise
Despite the youth OF this nation we are
able to look back on its past and recall
the names Of few AT least. who have
heen assigned by history 10 the galaxy
Of immortals. We recall tho names OF
these great ones with pride. Nor is this
pride without foundation for these men
have been defenders Of our institutions,
supporters OF our laws. advocates of or
der. shapers OF our constitution and the
doing OF these things is the showering OF
the greatest blessings upon n nation that
81 can receive from the hands OF its chill
dren
u was lslUfVln y loNHilNs even unto
death, 10 the constitution Of these Unit
cd States that has given him Immortality
~ was the grim determination 10 en-
force the precepts and commands OF the
constitution that won Grant renown. We
are proud today Of the eloquence the
stately periods of Webster. but 20 was
only because that mighty food OF silvery
speech was poured forth I'm behalf OF our
law and constitution that We crown him
with honor.
The great legacy or Rome TO the world
was her law The great legacy Of Eng
land 20 America was her common law
The dignity OF America today Is due 90
the fact that II Is not land Of anar-
chy, but a land Of law. And as We view
the progress OF human society. the devel-
opment OF nations, the effort OF wise
statesmen, We arc conscious that tho
stream or tendency and effort has been
toward n perfect law
The advance Of science consists IN the
discovery or law Great discoveries are
the dsroNcriee Of order aud fnefbod The