The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-01-31
subject-The Ten Words.

Brooklyn. n. v.-Preaching at
the Irving Square Presbyterian
Church on the theme The Ten
Words the Rev Ira Wemmell Hen
1erson. pastor, took as his text Exo-
tus 20:1.17. He said
Whatever may be our personal and
private convictions as to the manner
Of Gods revelation of Himself to
Moses; however much we may differ
as to the exact form in which the
aw-giver of Israel received the mes
sage of Divinity; however much we
may be at variance as to the exact
ness OF the Bible story in its por-
.raiture of the scene when Moses met
Jehovah on Sinai; no matter what
may be our belief concerning the
late and the authorship of the book
of the Exodus, the simple fact is
hat the ten commandments are the
expression of fundamental truths
hat God has revealed to man. Be-
hind all human law and jurispru-
ience lies the code of Moses. These
zen stern, terse negative commands
hat Moses got from God are at the
basis of all legal theory and practice
The decalog is the codification of
ihe divine will for the guidance and
control of human action. The ten
words are the rules OF the Almighty
TOR the regulation of mans rela-
ions with humanity and his Maker.
Fake them, merely, if you will, as
he human recognition OF mans OBJ
igations toward God and society and
still the commandments are of God.
Whether we reach the conclusion by
he tiresome philosophy of the Mid
lie Ages, or by the simple reason
ing of the earliest minds of Israel,
1r by the scientific discrimiuative
processes Of modern thought, the
fact is that all truth is from God.
Thus saith the Lord" is the source
If life's verities. 1t is God who in
Ipires Us, God who gives uJ knowl-
sdge and understanding and wis
tom; God it is who sends us onward
and upward. He 1t was who put
INTO the hearts of Moses and of Is
rael the love of His laws and the
iesire to do His will. And to-day
lie strives with us as really as He
aver endeaYored with the generations
hat are dead.
The question Is not whether or no
Sod gave Moses tablets of stone; the
.ssue is not whether or no Moses
wrote the story of the scene on the
mount, as 1t is preserved to us; the
point to be decided is whether or no
Noses spoke God-given truth. 1t all
1inges not on the manner of the
delivery of the commandments but
1pon the nature and divineness of
.he matter revealed. Do Moses
words bear the marks of a heaven
porn gift, are they fraught with the
power and the wisdom of Jehovah
Himself? Are they stamped with
| celestial brand and do they ex-
press everlasting verities? Are
hey just to men and are they
worthy of the King? Do they meet
The needs of men? Are they in.
'pirational? These are the tests of
he usefulness and the worthiness OF
.he commandments. These are the
qualities that must inhere in them
ere they can command the respect
If humanity and evidence Gods orig.
nation.
BY these standards the ten COM
mandments are divinely inspired A
glance at them discovers to us the
zeal of the Eternal. Experience Of
their value in the midst of the ac-
ivities of this worlds life proves
heir worth to mankind Analysis
)f their content and their aim leads
Is to declare them worthy of Je-
hovah. With all that inquiry asks
and criticism demands the ten words
are at one.
Consider the commandments sepa-
rately and you will grant l speak the
truth. The call Of God for undivided
loyalty to Himself is but the voice
Of reason. No man can serve two
masters. And it is q certainty that
least of all can he serve two masters
whose interests are Numerically op-
posed. We cannot serve righteous
ness and sin at the same time. God
deserves the full devotion of every
human heart. To worship an idol
is to lose the consciousness of the
spirituality of Divinity; to mistake
means for the end, material mani
testations for the unseen dynast. To
play fast and loose with Gods name
Is an insult to the Father. The self
respect of God requires human self
control Profanity is indecent and
degrading TO mind and soul The
need and the preciousness of a Sab
baths rest is too apparent to war
rant comment. Common courtesy
accords respect to our earthly par
ents, especially when they are worthy
of respect Strict obedience TO the
command thou shalt not kill"
would spoil the business Of the exc
eutioners; stop war at once
The fruits of adultery are all tno
distressingly visible The jails are
full of thieves and would be over
crowded were the Mosaic code rigid
ly applied and enforced. Lying is
mean, unmanly, despicable, disre-
putable, devilish. Satisfaction with
fair share of this worlds goods
is better than coYetousness.
The decalog meets humanity at
vital points and helps mankind
ahead. Although included in the
law of love laid down by Christ II
is by no means abrogated The ter
commandment bind us as well al
Moses. The words of Christ empha,
size their demands. The laws OF
Moses are not defeasible or defunct
They will always be obligating. No
statement Of our Lord and no bill
of New Testament wisdom leglslates
them out of existence or counter,
mands them. They still bind US
The eleventh command merely sup
ports, supplements and relnforcel
the other ten.
Love God and you won't serv,
Mammon and the no-gods of the
aliens, Much less will you take Hi
name in vain. Love God and yo,
Will treat His children well. Low
the brethren and you will labor I
= make their lives Joyous. The word
OF Christ serve most to imbed tn
laws of Moses daanar In tho m In A