The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-05
SERMON ON THE MOUNT
THE REV. j. c. SMITH INQUIRIES INTO
ITS PRACTICABILITY.
Jesus Was Legislating for the Gen.
turtles When He Addressed the
Multitude ON the HiIltOps.

yesterday morning the Rev. j. Cumming
Smith preached on lis the Sermon on the
Mount Practicable?" He said
when Jesus addressed the multitudes
on that hill slope He really was legislating
for the centuries. He was advising the
growing ages. Hence there is a reserve
power in that sermon as in all great state
ments of spiritual truth. Each age can
appreciate from its higher planes the depth
and pertinency of that divine utterance.
Some of it's commands are plain and
capable of instant response. Judge not
that we be not Judged Enter We in at the
straight gate Pray We not as the hypo-
critics. Seek We first the kingdom of
heaven'-these commands allow no shirk or
equivocation. We must surrender on the
spot.
"Other commands refer to the future.
They open perspectives shadowy with mys..
ticism. They imply reconstruction of
There is a loftiness and telescope distance
in the sermon-a rifle range as well as a
pistol range. Every theory of Christian
pDol Suggestive seeq phos s You
have watched clouds sweep over plains
I'm the West and while their base trailed
along the earth and left verdures and
foliages impaired as with morning dew,
their summit reached high attitudes and
a golden glow touched their ragged edges
of white. AS the sermon sweeps along 1t
is full of direct issues and practical, search
ing analysis that must provoke the sleep
lest conscience and then the utterance rises
to high levels. Jesus looked down the
vistas of time upon changing human con-
ditions and breathed lessons whose sweet
ness and penetration would dawn on the
world long after the throng Immediately
in front of him had gone down to the
GIIR FIJrENCy
There is too glib fiuency concerning
the sermon. A mayor in city flaunts the
Golden Rule minister writes a doubt
full book with the catchy headline, What
Would Jesus Do? So far as these voice
the general desire to bring Christianity
from the cloudy realms of dogma into the
actual arena. they are healthy and virile.
But fallacy underlies them. A certain
irreverence mars them. The Sermon on the
Mount is capable only of a gradual en-
fOrcement. Jesus gave commands, but
commands are to be classified.
when a boy is running his eyes over
adventurous books at midnight and the
father calls up, Son, blow out the light
and turn into bed, in a minute or two
there ought to be darkness upstairs. When
next morning the mother calls, Son, hurry
down and fetch in kindling and wood
within half an hour at the outside she
ought to hear the blocks tumbling into
the woodbin. When at breakfast the boy
groans over mathematics and the father
algebra the command involves consider
able future. When toward close of
day the home 9bs st giroup athers for
mellow voice, adds: Son. get goodness,
it is clear that this command entails far
futures; and long after the boy has grown
to be a man and left the breezy years far
behind the goal of goodness still lies ahead
and it retreats as he advances. Now, this
series of commands involves imperative
authority, yet the element Of time and the
capacity of human nature enter as ele-
ments. If they were extorted Immediately
they would be as despotic as If a mother
ordered a babe in swaddling clothes to
music to evoke a symphony from the or
PLACE OF ENVIRONMENT.
''Then, once more, there, are commands
that imply levels or graduations of en-
vironment as conditions of their execution.
To order man to cooper some defective
church spire is unjust unless he is able to
work at that elevation in that dizziness.
A syndicate cannot justly order an en-
ploye to repair some trolley wire unless it
is assumed they will provide him with the
wagon and ladder affixed by which he may
stand on that level. In plain words. God
is love. His Son represents His tempera-
ment and sympathetic adjustment of
burdens to shoulders, Of taxes to
wealth, wealth of of duty t? strength :. Of
mental range and perspicuity. God never
expected Timothy to produce masterpieces
which came gushing out from the won
drous soul of Paul as from a mountain
sermon that appear extortion in our COM
petitive system. Not until cooperation
ciety can the ideals of human brotherhood
be realized. So long as society dances To
the fiddle of jostle and scramble, so long as
the world is but jungle only somewhat
so long there are laws of Jesus that admit
of very imperfect and slovenly fulfill
ment-egoism or altruism, ourselves or
our neighbors-we must simply do the best
we can in the circumstances and urge
the world onward to a nobler organization
when the royal dictates Of human brother
hood and unity may be more fully en-
shrined in commerce.
such an Interpretation as this may ap-
pear to rob the sermon of practical au-
thority over our lives. Or it may appear
to doom ii to invalidity in the immediate
present. Far from il. On the contrary, II
heightens it's power and effectualness. 1,
is a series of statutes which we must al
commence to apply at once BE perfect al
your Father-commence this before yoJ
leave this church. Do unto others as "
would others should do unto you'-com
mence at once and as soon as the mex
hymn is given out be sure to hand your
neighbor a book, because he stood al
through last hymn without book. and q
book is like a crutch while six verses are
being Sung
NOT EVANESCENT.
Begin every command right away
However, do not be inveigled into the idea
that this great sermon is a brief, evanes
cent piece of exhortation. 1t is the con
stitution for changing centuries. 1t ad
justs itself to the slow, torturesome evo
luton of the race. IT is gentle and con
siderate. even while IL Is severe and i'm
perialistic. And. therefore. while the worlt
has right to rail at all forms of unreality
and half-heartedness in our religious life
II has no right to mock the church becaus.
| IL does not perfectly embody the sermon
| i'm practice. 1t is impossible. As well ash
| saints TO soar and walk among the stars
Il Inn q ol.o