The Tupelo journal., 1904-07-01

uoAi. LUZ AOi liccuOA uAu OuAAoS 0Ss
us Free"
NJ HAT r the conditions and re-
w strictions of freedom? The condi-
ton of freedom implies union with God,
for, as we have already said, true free
dom cannot be known apart from Gods
righteousness and truth. Union with
God is obtained through the sacrificial
work OF Christ. He has died for sin.
that we might become the Righteousness
of God in Him. Freedom, then: first of
all, implies cleansing from sin and
peculiar and close identification with
God. And in the second place it means
a close walk with God. The Psalmist
declares that II will walk at liberty,
for seek Thy precepts." Freedom.
then, is not only passive-that is submits
sion to Christ; but it is active-that is
service for Christ. Ruskin says on this
point: ITO be free is to have learned
how to rule our own passions; and then.
certain that our own conduct Is right,
to persist in that conduct against all re-
sistance, whether of counter-Opinion.
Counterpart or cOunter-pleasure. To
be defiant alike to mob's thought, of the
a~dversary's threat, land of the harlot's
temptation-this is the meaning Of every
great nation to be free; and the one con-
dition upon which thatfreedom can be OBJ
tanned is pronounced to you in a single
verse of the One Hundred and Nine
teenth Psalm: 1 will walk at liberty,
for l seek Thy %precepts.'" Liberty ia
never license. This fallacious and fatal
conception of the term liberty is COM
nor to-day. But liberty is not license.
AS Daniel Webster puts it: Liberty ex-
lists in proportion to wholesome re-
straint." Liberty is bounded by the
golden border of Gods righteousness
and truth. To remain within the linn
it's of that circle, to restrict and restrain.
is liberty. Wordsworth sings of the
freedom of the flowers in the lines:
How does the meadow flower its bloom
unfold?
Because the lovely little flower is free
Down to it's root, and in that freedom.
bod
But the freedom of the flower was re-
stricted. 1t would nc longer be freedom
if that blooming flower were to uproot
itself and wander with unfed and starv-
ing roots through meadow and wood. 1t
must remain within it's prescribed limits
in order to enjoy its liberty. Oh, that
-u;uL% oorn% bie- Ioccon ond raaliyp
that true liberty is that which is found
within the sphere of Gods will and
righteousness.
THERE are perils OF freedom. Their is
/ always danger that blessing may be
perverted to a curse. Every nation and
every individual face this peril. Paul
saw that these Galatian Christians were
in danger in this very respect. He re-
peats in the thirteenth verse the glorious
fact that they were free, but he goes on
to urge: only use not your freedom
for an occasion to the flesh" The fact
that Christ delivered them from the law
and it's obligations did not warrant them
in indulgences that were a violation OF
the righteousness and truth OF GOO.
They we're not to make a selfish appli-
cation of the principle of their freedom.
And herein lies the peril of freedom.
Man in the Garden of Eden was free to
choose good or evil. Forgetful OF God
and His warnings, he used his reedom
to the qualification Of his own desires.
He looked and saw that the fruit OF the
tree was good to eat. In the exercise
of his freedom, he reached out n TOOK
and ate, and his freedom became his
peril. Freedom became bondage. Obe-
dience to God was forsaken for obe-
dience to self. From sinlessness man
passed into a state of sin. And sin
brought bondage and death. Freedom
has it's perils for this nation. The very
elements of liberty upon which this ma
tional life is founded, government oil
the people, for the people and by the
people, our free institutions, our equal
rights for all, have within themselves
the germs of great danger. Selhshness'
and ambition, and love OF pleasure
threaten to pervert and destroy. Thls
nation. which is the freest nation in the
world. is for that very reason the weak
est. Unless the spirit of the Christians
freedom rules in the national lie, up
roofing s%elfshness, molding ambition.
curling the passion for pleasure and CIV
ing God first place in the thought n
conduct, there is real n dread1ul perm
in this nations freedom.
freedom also comes obliga-
w ton. Because we are free, aul
says. through love be van n
TO another" The peril of freedom IS
in serving self, but the highest ooil-
of freedom Is that that freedom
a equip for the serving OF others
It is with no small degree OF prlds
the American can point to tho
instances in which this free ma
ton has thus splendidly served otner
nations and peoples. Great oDllga-
lions have been thrust upon us OF
late wears because of the freedom and
Enlightenment which has been vouch-
safed to us by God. In the foremost
rank of the nations, the needy and OPP
pressed of the world are looking to
for succor. And. thank God.
in splendid spirit and noble self-sacrl-
Ace. we are fulfilling this obligation.
There has been great pride taken in
The fact that this people could so serve
others. But the very fulillment Ut
his ohlipation has had its wholesome