Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1908-11-26
SERMONETTES
Written for the News Budget

Since the termination of the recent
political campaign, there has risen a
feeling in the hearts of many, and a
desire has been expressed for a cessa-
ton of the strife incident thereto.
There are some who think that it BODIES
| i'll for our city and they are prompted
by sincere convictions; there are others,
though, who are not prompted by such
motives. It is true that peace and
prosperity go hand in hand, but this
plea may be offered in the spirit of
cowardice, or because courage and high
enterprise and daring and honor are
dead. If this plea is offered in a genu-
inc spirit to terminate all dissensions
and feuds, and thus put an end to all
the factionalism that curses our city,
then the plan ought to succeed; but if
it is urged from base motives, then the
effort will fail, and it ought to fail.
Let it be distinctly understood that
we are not to look upon the peacemak-
er as man possessing mere still,
quiet, unfghting disposition. e
peacemaker is true, strong, tender
mana man with great personality,
who is every inch man.
Peace may either be won or bought.
1t may be won by resistance to evil.
1t may be bought by compromises to
evil. Woe to us if we buy peace with
silenced conscience, broken vows,
lying words or actions, and base con-
niving! This is not peace-it is death.
The Lord save us from the delusive
calm of hollow truce, a deceitful
tranquility and thoughtless apathy
fear some are pleading for,
There is significant passage of
scripture in the book of Isaiah, chapter
thirty-two, verse the seventeenth. 1t
reads thus: "And the work of right
eousness shall be peace; and the effect
of righteousness quietness and assur-
ance forever, That passage is not
true because it is in the Bible-it is in
the Bible because it is true,
The word righteousness etymologic-
ally considered is "Reminiscences. 1t
Is the quality of being wise about
what is right. Righteousness is right
ness, and rightness is right-being and
right-doing. Righteousness exaltet,1
a nation" To try to secure a peace
without righteousness is bound to fail.
You may as well try to dry up the At
lantic ocean, or bid the Niagara to leap
up the rock, instead of down.
The price of peace is the putting
away of sin and wrong doing. The
real root of all agitation is sinfulness.
Disturbances come not so much from
without as from within. 1t is inward
alienation from that which is pure
and good that Is the root of ''All bitter
mesa. " True peace breaks confederacv
with evil, and the covenant with hell.
Sin is war against right, love, happi-
ness. To love evil is dishonorable.
wrong, unfair, and the conscience of
man tells him so. Peace and righteous
ness can never be sacrificed to Injustice
and violence. Rather than do this we
ought to follow righteousness through
thopns and briers. rather than false
peace in smothered way strewed with
roses. Righteousness must ever lead
the van. For all the social evils that
swarm round US to-day intemperance,
impurity, commercial dishonesty, follies
of fashionable and social life-we are to
cherish an undying hatred, and war
against them an unceasing warfare,
Let US have peace at any price; but
let us remember that righteousness
must hold the scepter or peace will not
attend court. God is a God of right
eousne ss; Righteousness is the habi-
tation of His throne;" His scepter is a
''Scepter of righteousness" "Right-
eousness is the girdla of His loins;;"
Righteousness His breastplate;"
Righteousness the signet of His
crown" and all for the sake of the one
highest prerogative of His power the
climax of His righteousness. eff we
confess our sins, He is faithful and
just to forgive US our sins, and to
cleanse US from all unrighteousness, "