Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1907-01-25
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PHARIsEE OF MODERN TIME.

By Rev. Cyrus Townsend Brady.


Then Jesus said unto them, take
heed and beware of the leaven Of the
Pharisees and of the Sadducees.-
Matthew 26: 6.
One of the most striking features
about the words of Christ is that they
so far transcend circumstances and en-
vironment 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 a man who sub
stituted circumstances for principles,
who was governed by conditions rather
than convictions, whose watchword
was "eXpediency," whose policy was
a timeserving truckle to the powers
that be-" and the determination to fit
In with environment at whatever cost.
The Sadducee was made by the
things about him and as a determine
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 Pharisee was a 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 wrongT" but what
Is the law that governs?" When the
Savior, with sublime disregard for
petty regulation, insisted upon moral
principles and transcribed any attempt
to- crib, cabin and confine them in Oh
solete and infiniteslmal edict, he united
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 a speclous cloak of morality
and scrupulous attention to little
things, as the bank president who would
not have man in his employ who
smoked cigar, but who did not scruple
to rob the bank of millions-he was a
Pharsee in the minor sense-but the
man who makes the law the measure of
his actions and whose opinion Is that so
long as he does not render himself legal
ly liable he Is 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
tions 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 ant
another moment by asceticism TIL,
crying need for the hour Is conviction
conviction Of sin, conviction Of truth
conviction of Righteousness
There has been so much said abou
broad and beautiful llberalty, and tn
requirements for Christian manhoo,
and citizenship and church membership
have been so minlmiZed that peopl
have come to think that these are no
of much Importance, and that certain
vague, general endeavor to do good will
answer all purposes
They have forgotten that the way o
salvation Is straight and narrow way
Faith before works, belief before az
tion, right. thinking before right doin
these are the great principles, an
so the old warning comes with a ne,
force. Are you a Pharisee or a Sac
ducee? Beware of this leaven If tho
wouldst finally have fellowship wit
Jesus, the greatest figure that has eve
eXemplified manhood and divinity.