Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-12-22

meanOrs. and by the state laws they
are sent TO work on the public roads.
II II maj, steals anything of value less
than 500. That crime Is classed as u
misdcmeanor. That young fellow you
see sitting there with big iron ball
rivetcd to his ankle stole bicycle,
nnd that other man was arrested for
assault The law of mlsdcmcanor
says, Thou shalt not steal. and thou
shalt not strike thy neighbor." DO
you see that long row of coils with
iron gra,inSs for doors? This is not
an insane asylum, yet here we find
men Gagged like wild beasts. Why Is
this so? | will tell you. That man
there Is n burglar. That man yonder
Is highwaynan. That man still far
Their on Is n lddnapcr. He stole little
child and demanded n ransom of 3d.
600 from the parents before he would
give the child up. The criminal law
says: Thou shalt not steal Thou
shalt not demand the travellers money
ut the point of the pistol Thou shalt
not steal thy neighbours child" DO
you see the death instrument being
erected within yondcr walls? DO you
see those solemn faced men ascending
TO witness an execution Why are
they going TO kill that MANI Because
the law says. Thou shalt not kill"
and that murderer In cold blood shot
down woman He called her to the
door of her home and asked for money,
and because she would not give II to
him he shot her down as though she
had been mad dog. BY the old Mo
sale law he must forfeit his life for
that life. Law Is a rule Of civil con
duct prescribed by the supreme power
I'm state commanding what Is right
and prohibiting what is wrong" The
divine code is built up like every hu-
man code. If you obey Il, you are
free: If you disobcy ii. you are punish
ell. What saith the law" are the
words which Christ asked of the Phari-
see. What saith the law" 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 | would emphasize.
In what sense are spiritual laws iden-
teal with human laws A man does
not have t. break every law In the
criminal calendar 10 be sent TO Jail.
The violation of one law Is sufficient TO
render him lawbreakcr and amena-
bic to justice. whatsoever shall keep
the whole law and yet offend in one he
Is guilty of all" says the epistlc 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 amcnable 10 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. lie
picked up u stone aud hurled it through
the glass window of jcwelry store
and snatchcd up tray OF diamonds
ana ran Hear the frantic calls OF
stop thief. Stop thief" Now the po-
liceman has caught him. Here comes
the patrol wagon There lie goes to
Jail Now, what would you think IL
when that man was arraigned IN court
next week or next month he should
stand up before the judge and say:
Yes. judge. that Is true. did take
stone and break that window. and
ran away with that tray of diamonds,
but you must let me go free. ''WhyT
the judge will ask. We'll. demand 1t
on the ground that there are many
laws which | have never broken. !
have never been up IN this court for
drunk in all my life. Aud | was never
guilty of bigamy. No; have only one
wife. And as long as | have been n
father have never been charged with
cruelty 10 my children. And | have
never been an incendiary. have new
er been charged with burning down
my home in order 10 get my insurance
on tIle nome. Anu nave never hIlleu
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 Il bigamist. a
murderer or forgcr or that you are
cruel TO your children. BY the law Of
the United States man does not have
TO commit every crime in the criminal
calendar 10 he sent 10 jail. lie has
only 10 commit one crime 10 be amena-
bic To the Inv. That one crime OF
stealing diamonds can send you To Jail
for twenty years" whatsoever shall
keep the whole law ana yet offend In
one. he is guilty OF all, saith the divine
Judge. Are not the human code and
the divine code IN substance onei
All Have Transgrensed.
Now. the Bible says. we all have
broken the divine statutes or trans
crossed the divine code. In Romans
we read. AS II is written, there Is
none righteous: no not one" Let us