Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1903-05-04
TALMAGE
SERMON
By Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMACE. DID,.
Pastor Of Jefferson Park Presby-
terrain Church, Chicago

highest opportunities are set side oy
side I'm vivid contrast in this discourse,
which has an interest for all classes.
The text IL I Timothy |. s, The law is
good II man use It lawfully"
Paul had all the mental qualifications
Of great lawyer. When he stood be-
fore Felix and as his own advocate
tore into pieces the charge made by the
attorney. Tertullus; when
he argued before King Agrippa until
the king admitted he was almost per-
suaded:" when he pleaded upon Mars
hill with the jury of Greek scholars
until ut last even that central seat Of
Athenlan culture was shaken to its
very foundation by his proclamation
OF the unknown Cod" we find the
highest development of forensic train
Ing and legal acumeu. 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 II 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, a 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,
"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 be
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 its ranks I'M
worthy men who disgrace it, and there
is no profession in which trickery and
rascality reap so rich a harvest. But
Il 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 II they set before them
selves lofty ideal and hold fast to
Christian principle they may win sue
cess I'm IL, 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 a 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 Q
state prisoner known as the Man Will
the Iron Mask" He died in 1903. Thi:
prisoner was supposed by many writ
ers to have been twin brother oil
Louis XIV. He was confined In his
living tomb with an iron mask over biz
face lest he should come forth anC
claim the French throne and thus
cause n revolution. The iron masl
concealed the face because the prison
er was supposed to be facially an exac
duplicate of the reigning king. If thi
story be true. IL brands Louis XIV. a
one of the most stony hearted monster
who ever sat upon n throne. No mat
ter what his own rights may hav
been. TO protect those rights he was no
justified in practicing a lifetime In
justice upon a brother. How man
men are trying to deprive their brothe
man Of his rightsl The lawyer VIII
helps them I'm their nefarious attemI
is partaker with them in their crime
am not here contending that 1t
wrong for the lawyer to defend GRIN
inal in court. Every man is entitled
a fair trial. Even the wretch Go
gosz had his rights before the law, an
justice required that those rights
protected. A lawyer often does b
roic part in defending criminal or
pleading that mercy be shown hir
but there is no heroism-there is on
shame-in aiding a client to cheat
defraud another.
Yet there are a great many lawye
who affirm that they have nothing
do with the honesty or dishonesty Of
client. All that they must do is to pr
sent the best side Of civil suit. al
then the judge or the jury will deci'
whether a cause is just or unjust.
n drunkard by his own carelessne
falls Off a moving electric car, tn
will bring suit against the street c