The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1906-12-21

I
ther on is a kidnaper. He stole a littl
child and demanded a ransom Of $25
900 from the parents before he woul
give the child up The criminal Law
says: Thou shalt not steal. Tho
shalt not demand the travellers none,
at the point of the pistol. Thou shall
not steal thy neighbours child" D.
you see the death instrument belni
erected within yonder walls? Do yo'
see those solemn faced men ascending
to witness an execution? Why ar
they going to kill that man? Becaus
the law says, "Thou shalt not KILL
and that murderer in cold blood sho
down a woman. He called her to tn,
door of her home and asked for money
and because she would not give it t.
him he shot her down as though sh'
had been a mad dog. By the old MO
sale law he must forfeit his life fol
that life. "Law is a rule of civil con
duct prescribed by the supreme power
in a state commanding what is rlgh
and prohibiting what is wrong" Inc
divine code is built up like every hui
man code. If you obey it, you are
free; if you disobey it, you are punish
ed. what saith the law" are the
words which Christ asked of the Pharl
see. "What saith the lawW are the
words my text utters to us today. we
shall all, according to the divine law
stand before the judgment seat OF
Christ. We shall answer for our VIC
lation of the law at the judgment seat
of Christ.
The Divine Code.
But there is another fact about THIS
divine code which l would emphasize
In what sense are spiritual laws iden-
tical with human laws? A man does
not have to break every law IN the
criminal calendar to be sent to Jail.
The violation Of one law is SUFFICIENT TO
render him a lawbreaker and amena-
BILE to Justice. whatsoever shall keep
the whole law and yet offend in one he
I is guilty of ALL" says the epistle of
James, and "WhosOever shall keep the
whole law of the state or Of the United
States and yet shall break one of those
laws shall be amenable to the law"
SAYS the government In practice the
laws, both human and divine, are one.
Let me illustrate and explain:
Do you see that crowd ahead? 1t is
growing every minute. What are the
people doing? Why, they are chasing
that man. What has he done? Why, he
picked up a stone and hurled it through
the glass window Of jeWelry store
and snatched up a tray of diamonds
and ran. Hear the frantic calls Of
"Stop thief! Stop theft! Now the po-
liceman has caught him. Here comes
the patrol wagon. There he goes to
Jail. Now, what would you think if
when that man was arraigned in court
next week or next month he should
Eyes, judge, that is true. | did take
a stone and break that window, and
ran away with that tray Of diamonds,
but you must let me go free" why"
the judge will ask. "Well, l demand it
on the ground that there are many
laws which | have never broken. l
have never been up in this court for
drunkenness. No; l have never been
drunk in all my life. And | was never
guilty of bigamy. No; have only one
wife. And as long as l have been
father | have never been charged with
cruelty to my children. And l have
never been an incendiary. | have new
er been charged with burning down
my home in order to get my insurance
on the home. And have never killed
a man. / am no murderer"
"Stop right there" speaks the judge.
you are not here being charged with
these other crimes. The court is not
claiming that you are a bigamist a
murderer or forger or that you are
cruel to your children. By the law of
the United States a man does not have
to commit every crime in the criminal
calendar to be sent to Jail. He has
only to COL NIT one crime to be amena-
BILE to the law. That one crime of
stealing diamonds can send you to Jail
for twenty years" whatsoever shall
keep the whole law and yet offend in
one, he is guilty of ALL" saith the divine
AlC AOl l1C NOuC hh0
the divine code in substance one?
All Have Transgressed.
Now, the Bible says, we all have
broken the divine statutes or trans
crossed the divine code. In Romans
we read, "As it is written, there is
none righteous; no, not one" Let us
turn to the Mosaic law and find out
If this is a fact. First commandment
before me-" Have you any other gods
which you worship besides the true
God? Do you worship at the shrine Of
Midas? Do you worship the god of
lust and Of sensuality? How about
that commandment, Remember the
Sabbath day to keep it holy?" Is your
Sabbath day holy day? How about
that commandment, "Thou shalt not
covet thy neighbours houseT How
about that commandment Thou shalt
not bear false witness against thy
Have you ever slandered
your neighbor? How about the Gold
en- Rule, do unto others as you would
have them do unto your How is 1t
with your past record? Was not Paul
right when he said: There is none that
understandeth; there is none that seek
eth after God. They are all gone out
of their way. They are together be
come improbable. There is none that
doeth good; no. not one" We have
not only sinned once, but OF many
must we plead guilty.
whatsoever shall keep the whole law
and yet offend in one, he Is guilty of
ALL" My God and my Lord, what
shall we do with our sinful records?