The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-10-01
WAY OF STRENGTH
 IS THE NARROW WAY Rev. J. W. Cantey Johnson
 Breaches at St. Mary'S UNRIGHTEOUS LIBERALlTY "Wlde Is the Gate and Broad Is the
"WIde Is the Gate and Broad Is the Way That Leadeth to De- structlon and Many Go
 In Thereat."

structlon and Many Go
 in Thereat."
 The Rev. J. ". Cantey Johnson preach ed . the Il o'clock services at St Mary & on-the-Highlands yesterday morning on "rhe Unrighteous Liberality," taking his text in part from the fourteenth verse of the seventh chapter of St. Matthew: Marrow Is the lay which leadedth unto life"
 MT. Johnson spoke in part as follows: It is a familiar axiom of human life that very few of us mortals do any thinking; small percentage of mankind thinks for the multitude. Tie multitude uses or abuses the thoughts of those who think. We will do well to note current abuse of current thought that Is suggested to us by the words of our text Some men have most ably and nobly thought out the thoughts the world calls liberal, and thereby ave greatly bes sed the human race, aud have advanced the cause of God in the world. Thus 1t is that God Uses the human mind for His highest ends However trle such thinking can be and is, 1t is also true that those who are really and intelligently liberal are indeed very few On the other hand this atmosphere of lberality has begotten a multitude of disciples for liberal living. All thought that is worth while breeds action, and genuine liberality Is certain of securing liberal action, or living, for
 
 large part of humanity.
 It is from such sources that we have the blessings of cleanliness, the common ly accepted advantages of sanitauon' Ina educational system of tte country rests upon the foundation of liberal thought Tn the realm of religious federation. We would que stion the sanity of the man who denied the blessings of liberal think ing. But we have come to know type of liberal living that Is anything but blessing. In fact so much has It made a screen of liberal thinking, striving to justify It's evil living by an appeal to liberality, that it has often put stigma upon the very word Liberal"
 Liberal Living.
 Liberal living" has become phrase among men to describe loose living, to state the kind of life lived by the man who is 'broad' in his morals. business that is shady, 1t Is claimed in Justification that 1t is all right when we take 'llb- erar' view of modern methods. It Is not unusual to hear of gambling and mild intemperance justified on the score of a liberal way of doing things. And this view is taken and stated by men and women.
 One curious fact of this condition is that the Justification of wrong living, by the nlea of liberality, is used increasing lv in an ascending scale by those who gre privileged to live in the surroundings of culture, education, refinement and wealth.
 Are they justified? Let us ask ourselves that question seriously, and give an non est answer Culture and wealth bring with them power and privilege. As fact' all admit that, and only the socialist quar- rels with it. Such power and privilege hr,re new conditions in the demand for social interests and amusements; they re- ouire different plane of business actiVl- ties; and even in the passions Of drink and game and the sensual there IS pres sure for greater intensity. But does this make right such actions as break the law of the lard, harm the welfare or man. and despise the law of God? can any class of people claim that they recognize the value of law and order and morals for the general run of men, but that they themselves have gotten to a stage beyond of a1ph Ia the language and thought of many of the people I rave In mind this morning. It is claimed as 0 right, that having power and privilege. one can do as he pleases' This has been well put in the local police court this past week number of clti- zens appeared in court on the charge or gambling. The question was put to them bv the judge seeking to know if they were willing to surrender for the future, their righs of gambling. They consented. and had half the fines against them re- mitted There are some rights that in we'll ordered society have no right to ex- ist. So in any decent culture, no amouns of temptation that is real has any Justi- fable demand upon us to surrender 10 IT, Who knows but what in Gods sight our welding to a temptation to ''liberaF' iV- ing. in view of our example and Influence. ls just as heinous crime against human- itv as that of the nihilist in a peace lov- ing. democratic country like this? The sins that are done In the name Of lber- ality! The plain man sins and knows he sins the cultured, wealthy man sins, and says that 1t Is liberal modern, and the habit of his set. "Wde Is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destrue- tion, and many there be which go ir thereat.'
 Marrow Is the Way"
 Ii. Marrow is the way which leadeth unto life" Strange that from the lips that uttered tk,se words came also the words: T am como that they might have life, and that they might have 1t more abundant ly." Evidently the abundant life was to be in the narrow way. Read the Sermon on the Mount; these words come as the Master begins to sum up and close the sermon. Marrow is the way We ask ourselves what are the influences that narrow the way of righteousness? An analysis of the sermon gives the answer Follow 1t through anS you will note the