Milford chronicle., 1904-10-21
Calmage
Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmase, D. D.


denim in one sex what is tolerated in
the other and the almost universal
habit Of denouncing in others sins
which we conceal and excuse in our
selves. The better way of the divine
law is illustrated from the text John
viii, 8, What sayest thou?"
Have you studied constitutional law?
Without doubt it offers one of the most
appetizlng feasts ever spread in the
banquet hall Of the mental epicurean.
1t follows with mcrring eye the rami-
ticatiOns OF a governments internal or
ganism, even as a medical student
searches out the entangled pathways
of the nerves and muscles and arteries
of the human frame
Constitutional law is above all other
kinds of law. The national congress
and the legislatures of the states deal
with conditions as they arise, and some
times, in their haste to remedy an evil
or to provide means for an urgent pur-
pose, they enact a statute which proves
to be unconstitutional. What do we
mean by that? We mean that there
are certain fundamental principles of
government embodied in our cOnstitu-
tion which must not be transgressed.
If law is passed which violates one
of those principles there is no need
to repeal it, because when it is found
to be unconstitutional it at once be-
comes void and imperative Thus
back of all legislation stands the con-
stitution as the supreme test by which |
the acts of president and lawmakers /
are judged. 1t defines the rights of .
rulers and Legislators and sets limits to
their power and is the safeguard Of
national liberty.
In the kingdom of God we have also
4 supreme authority. The councils of
the churches may formulate doctrines.
make DEGREES and construct creeds and
catechismS but high over all there is
the viii Of the great King of kings.
Christ is the supreme ruler of his
kingdom. and his word is the test by
which every dogma and practice must
be judged. Let us consider some Of
the characteristics of this government
An Absolute Monarch.
First, it is. an absolute monarchy.
We have governments on earth that
we describe as absolute monarchies,
meaning that they have no constitu-
tiOn. We speak about the Russian
government as an absolute monarchy,
but it is not. There are thousands of
things which the Russian czar would
like to do which he cannot do. With
his pistol or sword Nicholas might
slay his own children, as Ivan the
Terrible in maniacal rage killed his
drstbom son. and no power on earth
could bring him to justice. But there {
are limits to the present cars power.
His own subjects recognize the fact.
The old Russian proverbs tell us there
are many things the ear cannot do. 4
Among those proverbs are the follow
ing: Even the czar gets his shoes {
bespattered if he puts his foot in
puddle The cars crown cannot l
protect him from a headache" The
OK Of the car can have only two s
horns Even the cars vinegar will {
not sweetcu' Put the car in the {
desert and he is q man and nothing
more" The cars edicts are good 1
for nothing unless Gods Amen is 5
written Oh them" BY these quaint
lphorisms, current in Russia, do the
people show that they realize that, !
powerful us the Russian autocrat is. 5
he is subject to human limitations, like s
the most obscure peasant in his EN- 5
lire. L is well known, too, by states l
men that even as a ruler he is not 5
so supreme as is thought The mobiles
who surround him exercise con !
,traint upon him, and his agents often S
-hwart his will. 1
In an infinitely higher sense is Christ &
he absolute ruler in his kingdom. In
lis wisdom and power lie governs
without check, and his word is the law {
md life of his people. He is in truth I
more than president, more than n j
loge of Venice, more than king more I
han a ear. He is an absolute mon $
Irch in the Christian world {
A significant illustration of Christs J a
and his freedom from cur q
ent principles and preiudices is given c
n the gospels, and it may help us to $
understand his attitude if we study S
he story One day while Jesus was a
eaching in the temple surrounded by Y
he people the scribes and Pharisees a
ried to entrap him. Right into the t
emple where Jesus was they dragged f
trembling. frightened, sobbng wom- O
p who had been taken in adultery. v
l1;sht through the crowds of listeners a
hey pushed ber. Then they cried out $
n stentorian tones so that all could h
lear: "Master, what shall we do with b
er? Shall we stone her TO death, as n
loses commanded, or shall we let her r
o free?' Instead of Christ condemn |,
ne or acquitting the poor creature, as y
hey all supposed he must do, Christ Q
Y his actions as well as by the word "
( lip condemned the men who were II
or accuSers. What was the meaning n