The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1903-05-07
TAIhaAgsT,
SERMON
By Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALhfAGE. DID,,
Pastor OF Jefferson Park Freshly
terrain Church, Chicago

Chicago, May 3. - The temptations
Of the legal profession as we'll as its
highest opportunities are set side By
side in vivid contrast in this discourse,
which has an interest for all classes.
The text is Timothy l. s, THE law is
good if a 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
he argued before King Agrippa until
the king admitted he was almost per
suaded;" when he pleaded upon Mas
hill with the jury of Greek scholars
until at last even that central seat OF
Athenian culture was shaken to its
very foundation By his proclamation
of the unknown God" We find tn
highest development OF forensic train
ing and legal acumeu. As one ScLOo"L
in the law. Paul knew the mighty AMI
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 10 defend
the weak and punish the bad. there are
some cynIcs VINO profess TO beiiiiFv1
that an honest lawyer does not exist.
Sir Hartley Williams. a celebrated
Australian judge, once pessimisticalIy
commented upon the fact that there
was 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
and only anxious to have the opportu-
nifty Of serving his fellow man and he
able to redress the wrongs of some in
jured person, .-
The noble profession Of the law is
often unjustly maligned. Like other
professions, it has in it's ranks IN
worthy men who disgrace it. and there
10 M Y.1.ofncSiop in which f1yiaI-cr.r nh
rascaIity reap SO rich harvest. But
it has also in its ranks noble, honest,
sterling men, whose knowledge and
talents are devoted to the cause of
right and justice. | want to say to all
young men who are entering that pro
fession that if they set before them
selves 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 cause that
he knows to be dishonest. Why? Be
cause he would be aiding one man to
deprive another of his rights. Oh. the
wrongs that are perpetrated by the rich
and POWERFUL. Oh. how many there
are who suffer all their lives at the
hands of INSCRIPTIONS foes! For years
in the French Bastille was confined a
state prisoner known as the Man With
the Iron Mask" He died in 1908. 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 ahe should come forth and
claim the French throne and thus
cause a revolution. The iron mask
concealed the face because the prison
er was supposed to be facialIy 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 a brother. How many
men are trying to deprive their brother
man OF MIS- rights! Inc lawyer VINO
helps them in their nefarious attempt
Is a partaker with them in their crime.
I am not here contending that it is
wrong for the lawyer to defend a Grim
inal in court. Every man is entitled TO
q fair trial. Even the wretch Czel /
gosz had his rights before the law, and
justice required that those rights be
protected. A lawyer often does a he
roic part in defending criminal or in
pleading that mercy be shown him.
but there is no heroism-there is only
shame-in aiding a client to cheat or
defraud another.
Yet there are great many lawyers
who affirm that they have nothing to
do with the honesty or dishonesty of a
client. All that they must do is to pre-
sent the best side of civil suit, and
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