Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-05-08
TALNAGE
SERMON
By Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMAGE. DID,.
Pastor CT jefferson Park Presby-
terrain Church, Chicago

higneSt opportunities are set side by
side in vivid contrast i'm this discourse,
which has an interest for all classes.
The text is 1 Timothy I. s. Tho law is
good il man use it lawfully"
Paul had all the mental qualifications
of a great lawyer. When he stood be-
fore Felix and as his own advocate
tore into pieces the charge made by the
prosecuting attorney, Tertullus; when
the king admitted ne was almost per-
suaded;" when he pleaded upon Mars
hill with the jury of Greek scholars
until at last even that central seat of
Athenian culture was shaken to it's
very foundation by his proclamation
Of the unknown Cod we find the
highest development of forensic train
ing and legal acumen. AS one schooled
in the law, Paul knew the mighty and
majestic power of the law, both spirit
ual and temporal. Therefore he lays
down the broad proposition that law is
good for the community and that it Is
needed not only for the vindication OF
the right, but for the punishment of
wrongdoers. whether the laws that
they break are human or divine.
But, though the legal profession offers
such wonderful opportunities to defend
the weak and punish the bad, there are
some cynics who profess to believe
that an honest lawyer does not exist
Sir Hartley Williams, celebrated
Australian judge, once pessimistically
commented upon the fact that there
was a pious lawyer in his circuit who
used TO regularly pray that he might
get clients. Imagine" said the judge,
1.-The insult to the Almighty contained
in the request that God should stir up
strife among the people, foment dis
cord and promote litigation. just to
serve the selfish purpose of this pious
SOLICITOR But that cynical comment
of the learned judge might have been
entirely wrong. That lawyer might be
innocent of any desire TO foment strife
md only anxious to have the opportu-
nifty OF serving his fellow man and be
able to redress the wrongs of some in
jured person.
The noble profession of the law is
often unjustly maligned. Like other
professions, ii has in it's ranks I'M
worthy men who disgrace ii. and there
is no profession in which trickery and
rascality reap so rich n harvest. But
ii has also in its ranks noble. honest.
sterling men. whose knowledge and
talents are devoted TO the cause of
right and justice. 1 want to say to all
young men who are entering that pro-
fession that IL they set before them
selves n lofty ideal and hold fast to
Christian principle they may win sue
cess in it, serving God faithfully and
keeping their character unstained. Let
me try to give you briefly my concep-
ton of the principles of a Christian
lawyer.
The Christian Lawyer.
He will never champion n cause that
he knows 20 be dishonest Why? Be
cause he would be aiding one man to
deprive another Of his rights. oh. the
wrongs that are perpetrated 10y the rich
and powerful, oh, how many there
are who suffer all their lives ut the
hands OF INSCRIPTIONS foesi For years
in the French Bastille was confined n
state prisoner known as the MAN With
the Iron Mask" He died in 1903. This
prisoner was supposed by many writ
ers to have been twin brother Of
Louis XIV. He was confined in his
living tomb with an iron mask over his
face lest he should come forth and
claim the French throne and thus
cause n revolution. The iron mask
concealed the face because the prison.
or was supposed TO be facially an exact
duplicate of the reigning king. If this
story be true. it brands Louis XIV. as
one of the most stony hearted monsters
who ever sat upon throne No mat
ter what his own rights may have
been, to protect those rights he was not
justified in practicing lifetime in
justice upon n brother. How many
men are trying TO deprive their brother
man OF his rightsi The lawyer who
helps them in their nefarious attempt
Is partaker with them in their crime
am not here contending that IL Is
wrong FOR the lawyer to defend n GRIM
inal in court. Every man is entitled to
a fair trial. Even the wretch Cool
gosz had his rights before the law, nd
justice required that those rights be
projected. lawyer often does n he
role part in defending criminal or in
pleading that mercy be shown him.
out there is no heroism-there is only
shame-in aiding client to cheat or
defraud another.
fet there are n great many lawyers
VINO affirm that they have nothing to
do with the honesty or dishonesty of n
chent All that they must do is to pre-
sent the best side OF civil suit. and
tnen the judge or the jury will decide
whether cause is Just or unjust. If
drunkard by his own carelessness
rails Off moving electric car. they
VIII Drlng suit against the street car
corporation for $4,000 and not have
one qualm of conscience. If distant
relative by n technical flaw can break
q VIII, they will help him do it and d.
vert the money of a rich man into n
channel where it was never intended
by the testator to go. This was the
way the estate of n famous LAWYER
statesman was legally stolen. Every
one who read his will clearly under
stood what the dead statesman wished
10 have done with his property. He
wanted to have built a great public
institution. Yet some distant relative
with whom he never had any close
nfhliation, by the aid of scheming law
yers, broke that will 1t was only be-
cause one OF the new heirs was intrin-
sically honest that part of the estate
was placed at the disposal of the trus-
tees who were appointed to carry out
the scheme.
Where Lincoln Stood.
There is an old saying that nothing
Is more deceptive than a column of fig
ures. There is another old saying,
Nothing is more unjust than law"
Any lawyer who prostitutes his brain
and energy to plead the dishonest civil
suit of client becomes a party TO the
corrupt purpose. The lawyer himself
by that advocacy becomes Il dishonest
man. Abraham Lincoln won the an
pellation Honest Abe" How? He
would never allow himself to get mix
m In