Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-10-21
Caln,ase
Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmase. d. ID.


the other and the almost universal
habit OF denouncing in others sins
which we conceal AMI excuse in our
selves. The better way of the divine
law Is illustrated from the text John
viii, 3. 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 unerring eye the rami-
fications of governments internal or
ganism, even as 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-
ton 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
supreme authority The councils of
the churches may formulate doctrines.
make DEGREES and construct creeds and
catechisms, but high over all there is
the will 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, il is an absolute monarchy.
We have governments on earth that
we describe as absolute monarchies.
meaning that they have no constitu-
ton. We speak about the Russian
government as an absolute monarchy.
but 1t Is not There are thousands of
things which the Russian car would
like 10 DO which he cannot do. With
bis pistol or sword Nicholas might
Stay his own children, as Ivan the
Terrible in maniacal rage killed his
hrstborn 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 car cannot do
Among those proverbs are the follow
ing: Even the car gets his shoes
despatched IL he puts his foot in a
puddle" THE cars crown cannot
b.. protect him from Il headache" "The
OK or the car can have only two
horns" Even the cars vinegar will
not sweetcn." Put the car i'm the
desert and he Is man and nothing
more" ''The cars edicts are good
for nothing unless Gods Amen is
written on them" by these quaint
aphorisIns, current in Russia, do the
people show that they realize that
powerful as the Russian autocrat is.
he Is subject TO human limitations, like
the most obscure peasant in his en-
pire. 1t is well known, too, by states
men that even as ruler he IS not
so supreme as is thought The mobiles
who surround him exercise con-
Sfr1inf MI hfS
thwart his will.
In an infinitely higher sense is Christ
the absolute ruler in his kingdom. In
his wisdom and power he governs
without check. and his word is the law
and life OF his people. lie is in truth
more than president, more than
doge Of Venice, more than king. more
than n car. He is an absolute mon
arch In the Christian world.
A significant illustration OF Christ's
originality and his freedom from cur
rent principles and prejudices is given
In the gospels, and il may help us to
understand his attitude IL we study
the story One day while Jesus was
teaching in the temple surrounded by
the people the scribes and Pharisees
tried TO entrap him. Right into the
temple where Jesus was they dragged
trembling, frightened, sobbing wom-
an who had been taken in adultery.
Right through the crowds OF listeners
they pushed her. Then they cried out
In stentorian tones so that all could
hear: Master, what shall we do with
her? Shall we stone her TO death, as
Moses commanded, or shall we let her
~ fCf
ing or acquitting the poor creature, as
they all supposed he must do, Christ
by his actions as well as by the word
or lip condemned the men who were
her accusers- What was the meaning
OF that judgment? We cannot for a
moment suppose that a being so pure
as Christ thought lightly OF so heinous
n sin. 1t must have been loathsome
and abhorrent to him, but we may
learn lesson from the way In which
he treated the sinner and her accusers.
lesson all the more weighty because
IL comes from him who is the embOd-
led law OF the kingdom of God.
The divine law, in the first place.
makes no discrimination between the
masculine and the feminine sins. 1t
80 ~oiS W inuH unu SlnlllnSly
say, Husband, you have a right to be
a libertine, while your wife must tread
the narrow path OF virtue" 1t does
not say. Brother, here in the saloon
or responsibility you can get drunk,
but IL your sister is found in that sa-
loon she will be disgraced for life" 1t
does not say that man can tell vile
stories and frequent the low race
tracks and be the companion of pu-
giiistic thugs and dissolute characters
and still be respected, while woman,
having done wrong, can never be al
lowed to enter again into the associa-
ton OF the good and the true and the
respectable. But the divine law does
say this: 20 men, If the sin that this
woman has committed is to be punish