The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-02-01

regenerate world. it is time tina the
thunders of Mount Sinai be heard again.
and the authoritative voice of the NJ
mighty arouse the siumbering conscience
OF this generation.
The application of this command ex-
tends farther than usually supposed. Like
the ancient Jews. We may content our
selves in a :lavish and supeTstitous liter
aiism. as though The thing 10 be rever-
enced We're only his name, n breath of
articulated air. forgetting Il includes his
character: authority and will in his re-
vealed relationship.
1T condemns profanity az a sin. To ms
this has become. from Its coin:nnfneSs
among US; the chief point OF attack
has been. Of profanity from our stand
point. Heathens have TO come to a Chris
tian land to learn how 10 swear
This is a practice which belongs to the
lower order Of the human race-the low
and the Vulgar. No respecting. man or
woman. however POOR their advantages
have been. will thus tiippantly handy the
that men will not swear in the presence
of ladies proves the practice coarse. II not
criminal
1t denotes a loss Of respect and con-
fiience in ones own word, which must
be bclstcre'l up with %proftne declarations.
Il springs from the daredevil in the de,
praycd heart. a spirit of b~ragadocio and
Of would-be bravery and n rebellious con-
tempt for God. his claims and his threat
enings. Ii originates with the natural in
dependency OF youth. WITH a aSsire 10 apr
superior 10 religious fear, the very root
of godlessness.
Perjury. the using of Gods name
falsely, the making of his name and CHAR
acter pledge a lie. is the main violation oil
the commandment, and the most dellber-
ate. daring form of sin which 1t prohibits.
$50 open and common has been this SIN
among the high and the low of our city
that we are not in need Of material Tor
illustration. How flippantly are oaths tax,
en- in our courts by witnesses, 1uries ana
officers, Too often the taking of an oatr:
Is looked on as a mere trifie. Ofhcills VINO
have taken the most solemn oatns break
them continually in the performance OF
their responsible duties.
70 mike a false statement Is bad
,noush. hut to perjure oneself by calling
Oh God to NitEess is the very acme OF
crime and b'asphemy- The irst Is a SIN
against society. sappinG confidence in It's
very foundations; but when we appeal 10
Go with n lie on our lips. it is an insult
% his character and his hatred OF false
mood: il is TO treat his majesty with con
tempt: it is to defy the terrors OF has
Judgment seat. Do We wonder that he
ldds TO this commandment for the Lord
will not hold MIN guiltless that taketh his
name in ain
Perjury is not confined to judicial
oaths: oathS III other capacities may be
lust as sacred and solemn, The VOWS of
marriage and church membership are no
less binding as such. How common 1t is
o call God to witness our VOW to ~renounCe
sin and obey his will before church affairs,
which are Immediately forgotten. The
multiplicity of divorces on pueriie grounds.
he unfaithfulness of the welded and
their failure too often to love. cherish and
1e faithful TO each other till death are
;.aring commentaries. The VOWS made az
:eathheds and in the peculiar e~xiEencies
IF Hfe-vowS of repentance and service.
lroken and d~espised-take the name of
sod in vain. and as solemn covenants
must be accounted Tor.
Another violation of the commandment
g to insincerely or hypocriticaily avow
more than another in the mission of
Christ that excited his Indignation. it was
hat of religious insincerity, the honOring
If God with the lips when the heart is
far from him.
How easy to make 4 sacrilege OF our
hottest worship and service when we rec
oSniZe the fact that God looks beneath the
veneer of our worship and Righteousness.
We may become so habituated to certain
forms of service or places of worship that
our attitude to Cod is only mechanical. or
We may be so frivolous and untlloughtful
that we grieve God by cur irreverence. 1t
were better for some that they never saw
the inside OF a church rather than invite
and merit the disfavor of God upon their
unlo!y worship.
If We are bearing the sacred name of
Christ-ir other words. are Christians
and give the lie 10 this profession. We vio-
late this commandment. A mere sham
and show of piety, without the piety. is
one of the greatest sins in the sight of
men and of heayen. An honest intdel or
wording Is more comnenda-
tie.
What God torbid5 indirectly enforces
the Of a positive life and prac-
tice. While we are not to lake his name
n vain, Ue are to hailow and reverence
II in our lives. "a Christ taught US to
pray. Eallowed be thy name Reverence,
the root Of all religion, is not a mere ne
cation, but a positive. living force in our
conversation, conduct, worship and sery-
Ice; We must reverence him ourselves
and extend the 'Eonors OF his name to the |
bounds of the earth.
The secret of this reverent, Goc-honor-
ing, God-epproved life Is alone found in ;
the heart which has chosen to do the will