Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1907-01-31
Subject-The Ten Words.

and shut up shop implies that days
rest is necessary and that God re-
ceive specific recognition from His
children once a week at least. These
and the rest of the commands In
dictate to the man with the open
mind that the ten words are some
thing more than a series of "don'ts."
Talk about avoiding prohibitions
is not we'll balanced. 1t Is impos-
sible for the thinking man to escape
them. The positive commands OF
Jesus suggests innumerable prohi-
billions. The mere thou shalt in
Inmates that there is something we
must not do. Men tell us that pro-
hibitions cause men to desire to 40
wrong, that commands not to 40
evil impel men to sin just because
of humanity's sheer perverseness.
But sin comes from the wilfulness
of the sinner and not because or
any law, negative or positive. jesus
promulgated the most extensive as
we'll as the most statesmanlike posi-
tive law that the world has ever
known; but we know that even many
of His followers fail to obey 1t, as
we'll as the multitude Of those who
defiantly deny Him. Despite Christ's
positive example and His positive
declarations and demands men still
continue to run after sin. The shrine
of Mammon is damned with vo-
taries. The streets resound with
curses. The harlots and the men
of unclean life still strike unholy
bargains. Homes are shattered and
lives are blighted by the lying tongue.
The cells in "murderers' row" are
ever full. The nations maintain
armed camps. Legislators spend
their time trying to devise ways and
means to de-Christianize our Sab
bath. I had almost said, legislators
waste their time; for their plans
will never be crowned with success
except America as Ephraim lis a
cake not turned" Everywhere and
every moment men are SHINING, and
that in the face of the positive COM
mand of Christ that they should de-
sire and strive for the best. But no
one is foolish enough to say that
the affirmative demand of Jesus that
humanity do and be good impels
mankind to disobedience. Likewise
it ought to be patent that men sin
dSdlHSI uc6dlINC NV pS>eoeD -
the laws but in spite of them. The
ten commandments are no more re-
sponsible for sin than is the eleventh.
And the man who says that law eX-
cited him to sin invents a lame and
a thin excuse to say the most for 1t.
A due and proper regard for the
ten commandments not only Will
lead men to cease from doing the
interdicted sins but also will inspire
them to do good. The implicit thou
shalt" is just as mandatory as the
explicit chou shalt not Thou
shalt not covet," for you will have
enough to do and will secure suffi-
cient of this worlds stores II you
will attend strictly to your own al
fairs. "Thou shalt not bear false
Witness for your own reputation
for veracity is lost with the lie. And
no matter how well you may lie or
how smooth and slick you may be
the odds are against you, for the
truth must win and it will win.
Thou shalt not commit adultery,
because the perpetuity of the race
is dependent on its purity. 'Ihou
shalt not kill" because God has given
the other man the inalienable right
to life. "Honor thy father and thy
mother" and let them precipitate
any troubles if any there are to be,
not YOU. Remember the Cabbath
day" and make it true rest-day:
Thou shalt not take the name or
the Lord thy God in vain,' and yet
| have heard many man take more
liberties with the name of God than
you would allow any man TO take
with yours. Thou shalt not DOW
down to images or serve other gods,
for the Lord is a spirit and a unity;
an idol is a delusion and a snare.
Let us put aside all quibbling and
shifting of hairs and admit the
right of the ten words to rule as
the laws of our lives. Let us ac-
knowledge their divine inspiration
and their worthiness. Let us not
seek to escape either their commands
or their duplicates. II we CANNOT
live under the laws of God with peace
and quietude OF mind then let us
change not the laws but our mode
of living. The fault is not with Gods
regulations but with our society ana
it's forms. God giveth and possessetn
wisdom. Humanity has a monopoly
of the wiseacres.
The statement that the ten COM
mandments are of no use to-day and
that we have outgrown them Is
bit of fiction. No man is old enough
to outgrow essential truth, nor is
any people wise enough and strong
enough to get along without the ten
commandments. So long as men
have minds they must recognize the
force of thou shalt not as the
decalog presents it. The new COM
mandment may sum up all the wis
dom of the old ones, but the truth
that swayed our fathers fathers
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