Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-03-26

lack of respect for Gods prophet. in
difference to Gods counsel, gross in
justice of man to man, dependence up
on material resources, rather than up
on the eternal God
Men Had Grown Tired.
We are not to suppose, however,
there was not a single honest man in
Jerusalem. Doubtless there were, in
this morally corrupt society, many
good men, but these had somehow got
ten out of sight. They were hard to
find. By no means had the city as
yet sunk so low there was not an hon
est man within its limits. The trou-
bic was the good men had grown tired
in the struggle with evil. They would
seemingly, much prefer to let the
devil have his way, to let the youth
of the city go to ruin, than endeavor
to stem the tide of sin. They did not
care to be known as "goody- goodies"
in the Misunderstanding like re-
form was a hopeless task. Therefore,
they will wash their hands of the
whole thing, foolishly supposing that
God will not hold them accountable
for the exercise of every moral power
which has been entrusted to them.
Same Condition Today.
| Now this situation is not altogether
an ancient one. There are cities in
the world more modern than Jerusa-
lem or Athens, where the crying need
| is man who will seek truth, love
justice and execute judgment. The
search for such man is being con-
tinued today, or ought to be. The
startling revelation of corruption in
municipal affairs, in cities with which
we are acquainted is just as much of
an indictment against passively good
men, as against the activity of bad
men. There are plenty of good men
in every city, but their goodness is
of the passive order, and therefore not
worth a pinch of dust SO far as eff
cheney is concerned.
The Corruption of Sodom.
The soul of righteous Lot was vexed
/ at the corruption in Sodom Doubt
less in his secret soul he denounced
1.-THE existing municipal administration
and desired there might be relief at
the next election. But the righteous
ness which Lot possessed. was not OF
the kind that wins battles. He may
have had faith, but it was not the kind
that fights. There are great many
men of this type. They are like some
choice pieces of bric-a-brac-to be seen
and admired but not to be touched OF
used They are like choice pieces OF
lchina-laid away on the shelf, and
not exposed to the hardship of SER
Vice They are like some relic
of a coin-precious no doubt-but nc
longer in circulation. Good men, yes
plenty of them. They would not be
dishonest, they would not steal, cheat
Tor lie. They would not defraud any
one. That is exactly it. They would
not do any thing The trouble is not SC
much the scarcity of good men, as il
lis that good men are not found where
they ought to be. They do not stand
;. where they ought to stand They dc
not discharge their responsibility as
-Icitizens, as protectors of the ignorant
and notwithstanding to their abil
lily They are out of sight when ii
comes to an alignment of the forces OF
righteousness against the forces Of
Ievil
The Type of Man Wanted.
Notice if you please the type
of man the prophet is searching for
I He is to be characterized by two NOR
lal qualities. First, he must be mar
that "doeth justly" Secondly, a mar
that "seeketh truth" A seeker of truth
and doer of justice. The two are in
iseparable in Gods ideal of man.
1. A seeker of truth. What does that
mean? Not osophical-speculat-
i've or theological truth. But truth in
common life-truth in all the relations
of life-truth in speech-so that YOU
word shall be as good as your bond
Truth in action-so that no one can in
. terpret your action as being an indica
ton of dishonesty If you are seeker
: after truth you will scorn to take meal
| advantage of any man, though vol
have thousand opportunities to de
So Even though that man be YOU
) rival or competitor in business. Thu
man who is seeker after truth mus
! he sincere He doesn't think ont
thing and say something else He il
: absolutely pure, therefore his motives
: are as transparent as the MONDAY
: iVeracity in speech; honesty in action
/ sincerity in Thoughtful this is EN-.
: braced in the man who seeks for tn
/, truth.
Will Not Accept Bride.
: But this creed is to be worked ou
in practice 1t is not enough to seel
for truth--a man must do justly. Thi
word Justice" which occurs SO oftel
lin the Old Testament is equivalent t
, Righteousness life of action restin
/ upon right foundation. 1t refers es
. Ipecially to mans relation to God, an
1 mans relation to his fellow man. II
4 who does justly will see to it that b
S does not debase himself by the &C
l. Iceptance of brides in public service
S He who loves to do justly will seek t
e protect the innocent from the selfis
5, and cruel action of others. "Whs
e doth the Lord require of thee?
l. cried the prophet of old, "but to
n Justly. to love mercy and to walk hun
h Ibly with thy God?" Pure religion an
+. undefiled, before God and the father
n this: ITO visit the fatherless in the
h affliction and to keep himself unspo
l. ted from the world" 1t is not enoug
p to have the truth This truth, if it
e worth having, is worth working out
q action. 1t is one thing to know tn
II truth and quite another thing to do
l. And can we say until the latter
l. done, that any man has gained posse
3 sion of the truth.