Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1906-12-14
sS,iIaIAlA 49,.
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PHARIsEE OF MODERN TIME.
By Rev. Cyrus Townsen


Then Jesus said unto them, take
heed and beware of the leaven of the
Pharisees and of the Sadducees.-
Matthew &c: g.
One of the most striking features
about the words of Christ is that they
SO far transcend circumstances and en-
vlronment that the application of them
reacheth to the end of the world and
the end Of time. Not less pertinent
to-day is that warning which was ut
tered 1000 years ago. America is not
Jerusalem, but the Sadducees and the
Pharisees, little changed in all that
long period are still with us and the
caution is as necessary now as then.
The Sadducee was man who sub
stituted circumstances for principles,
who was governed by conditions rather
than convictions, whose watchword
was 'expediency," whose policy was
time-serving truckle to the powers
that be-" and the determination to fit
In with environment at whatever cost.
The Sadducee was made by the
tive force he amounted to little, 1t
was not until the Savior interfered
with vested right and attacked mate
rial privilege that the Sadducee con-
spired with the Pharisee, whom he
hated, to cruelty Him.
The PharlSee was q man who put
law in the place Of morals, who disre-
garded the inward and spiritual to ac
claim the outward and material, who
cared nothing for cause but everything
for effect, whose watchword was ''le-
gality" and not righteousness" who
substituted for the living voice of con-
science minute description for all
sorts and conditions of men and cir
cumstances, whose whole idea was not
sis thing right or wrong?" but what
Is the law that governs?" When the
Savior, with a sublime disregard for
petty regulation, insisted upon moral
principles and transcribed any attempt
to crib, cabin and confine them in OBJ
with his hereditary foe, the Sadducee,
to cruelty Him.
Who is the Pharisee to-day? Not so
much the man who covers his wicked
ness with specious cloak Of morality
and scrupulous attention to little
things, as the bank president who would
not have q man in his employ who
smoked cigar, but who did not scruple
to rob the bank of millions-he was
Pharisee in the minor sense-but the
man who makes the law the measure Of
his actions anlwhose opinion is that so
long as he does not render himself legal
ly liable he is a moral, upright man,
has deceived himself into thinking that
law and morals are synonymous terms.
He is the real Pharisee to-day.
And who are the Sadducees? Those
who have no settled or abiding convic-
lions as to right or wrong, but are made
by the prevalent opinion of the hour,
blown about by every wind of doctrine,
attracted one moment by liberalism and
another moment by asceticism. The
crying need for the hour is conviction
conviction of sin, conviction of truth,
conviction of righteousness.
There has been so much said about
broad and beautiful liberality, and the
requirements for Christian manhood
and citizenship and church membership
have beer so minimiZed that people
have come to think that these are not
of much Importance, and that certain
vague, general endeavor to do good will
answer all purposes.
They have forgotten that the way of
salvation is a straight and narrow way.
Faith before works, belief before ac-
ton, right thinking before right doing
these are the great principles, and
so the old warning comes with new
force. Are you Pharisee or Sad
ducee? Beware of this leaven if thou
wouldst finally have fellowship with
Jesus. the greatest figure that has ever
exemplif1ed manhood and divinity.