The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-11-22
LOVE, THEME OF
ABLE SERMON
sENAE. CLEMENT ELooUENTLY
DISCUSSES ON THE GREAT.
EST or COMMANDMENTS.
GREATER THAN FAITH AND HOPE
Is The Complement Of Law And
Mans Highest Duty To
God.


Rev. A. E. Clement on Sunday morn
ing preached an able and eloquent
sermon to a large congregation on the
theme Love the Fulfillment of Law. /"
He took for the text Romans 1910
Mr.. Clement said in part:
The church of Apostolic days was
greatly disturbed over the questions
relative to the transition from the law
to grace. And among the great agita-
tors was st. Paul himself who had
settled it for himself and preached it
on his journeyingsI In the Gentle
world. The text today takes ND the
question and settles it forever.
Law is a system of rules with pun
Ishments attached made by legislators
or rulers for the purpose of regulating
society or governments. There are
three kinds of laws designated by their
respective fields of control: The po-
litical or civil, the ceremonial or &C.
clesiastical, and the moral.
"The purposes of law are to regu-
late and cleanse society by the correc-
ton of the law-breaker in order to
restoration to good citizenship, the
suppression of similar crimes by the
fear of punishment, and the creation
of a sentiment against similar sins
and in favor of positive actions to-
wards right living as protection to
society and an uplift to humanity.
This purpose in its elimination,
finds it's fulfillment in Christ who is
the end of the law for righteousness.
The political and ceremonial law end
ed by disuse in Christ who gave in
his life and teachings principles of !
action rather than rules governing |
men. That passage Of scripture where
the law is spoken of as school-mas-
ter, or pedagogue or moral guide, to
lead us to Christ, has the double mean
ing of to Christ and, as Lightfoot
puts it, until Christ comes. But
when Christ came the preigurings of
the law and prophets were fulfilled
and whatever part of it was peculiar
to the Jews and their nation and
church fell into disuse. The moral
law he stripped of all its hurtful Jew
ish interpretations and brought for
ward as our rules of action, for he
came not to destroy the law or the
but to fulfill, and the full
fillment is seen in the law of love,
which gives liberty to all those within
the kingdom of God, and so are con-
trolled by its principles.
Its wonderful powers are empha-
sized by the Apostle who says it is
greater than faith and hope. Some
lave said it is the greatest because
he most lasting; that faith is lost in
light and hope in the fruition, while 2
owe is eternal. Not so, for all three
re said to abide forever. Others
ay 1t is greatest because 1t Is the
round for the others. But the very Z
pposite is true, for how can We love
rithout confidence as basis and hope :
8 a ground for the sentiment? :
Love is the complement Of the law, !,
r the summary of all mans duty to
cd and man. The question was put, {,
What is the greatest commandment !.
all? And the correct answer was
ade, Thou shalt love the Lord Thy
cd with all thy heart and with all tiny "A
'ul and with all thy mind and with =
! thy strength And the second is r
ze unto it, Thou shalt love thy i
,ighbor as myself The answer was
rrect, for ON these two hang all the
W and the prophets. A man VINO
yes God with all his heart will not pl
w down to other gods, he VIII not Ct
ke his name in vain, because q that "
eat love in his breast which esteems BE
i'm above all else in earth or SKY. ra
Id the man who loves his neighpor te
himself van not steaf nor XIII nor an
, because he places himself In the WI