The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-05-25

something of the value and virtue Of . | good horse.
 Holiness fe the Lord.
 What does the prophet mean, then, l when he says that in . golden time | which is coming for his people, Holi- | ness to the Lord shall be inscribed not I only on the crown of the High oriest. but also on the bells of the horses He means that the whole life of man--fts work side, it's social side-the who;c round of human existence and activity shall be governed by the same high and noble ideals. the same laws of purity and righteousness that are uni- versally acknowledged to be valid in tn sphere of religion. He means that men shall not split their lives into the parts, the secular and the sacred, and do good in the one and evil in the oth- CT. He means that there shall be one rule and standard for the leaders who ride and for the followers who walk. He means that wealth and war and pleasure shall be judges by the moral law. He means that men shall aim in all things to serve God with clean and upright and noble spirit. conse- crating their possessions and their powers to Him, and manifesting the holiness of life in It's wholeness.
 Holiness is impossible without wholeness. The words are near akin. perhaps the same in origin. Integrity means entireness? A holy life Is one which has all that belongs to 1t, and nothing that does not belong to 1t. The evils and sins of nlan's existence came from the attempt to break 1t up, divide It into fragments subject it to differ ent laws and make 1t serve different masters. Our social inaquities grow out of the Idea that one man may have an interest in life separate from the interests of his fellownnan and inde- pendent of tiledr welfare that one class in the community has a right to live and prosper at the expense of other classes. All the making of bad laws and the breaking of good laws may be traced back to this false idea The bells of the horses behind which cor rupt Lawmakers and successful law. breakers have ridden, have not been in- scrdbed holiness to the Lord but the best part for us and the rest of our friends
 The Prophets Prediction.
 T think that 1t was this unjust and essentially unholy Arrangement of so- cial and political life that the propel ct had chiefly in mind when he made his prediction of a better time. The mo- hles and princess of Israel had been a most inicuitous and Luxurious crew, robbers. ndthrifts and towards. The prophet had d Vision of a fairer state
 
 of industry and of war the equestrian class whose symbol fig the horse should be obedient to righteousness, devote ed to duty, upright in character stainless in honor. and entitled to bear upon their equfppage that noble motto: sTzo- ltness to the Lord The idea of auch state has been the hope and inspara- tton o6 all true social progress.
 Far in the distance lies the dream or q day when all men shah be equal in wisdom, power and virtue; but the only way to reach that golden day lies through a social state in which all men shall have 6 fair chance, and the best men, the wtsest. tneL uohlest and the most righteous shah Da chosen to rule | aud to lead: That such a state was that aim of the founders of eur repub- l5c. firmly believe. That 1t is stiii the desire of the great body of our people. armly believe and that in epite of dis appointment delay and reactions, we shall move steadily towards its reali- ration. earnestly hope and pray.
 Think what 1t would mean if the fact of which our test is a figure, were really embodied in our national fife IT we were sure that the great power of our country would be used in a war of conquest or aggrandisement; that the great wealth of our country would | minister to pride and obtentation and ! that the arts and aFsiuhandents of our country would, be sane ful ana invigorating; IF we were sure that our leaders in every sphere were men of clean hands and a pure heart and that they. while the Commonwealth was bound together and co-operant for the production of a noble life, a true liberty. higher happiness. in all of its members; then indeed, we might rejoice in the success of our great ex- pertinent in self-government. and write upon the bells of Americas houses "Ho- Illness unto the. Lord"
 The Ideal Before Us.
 It is well to have such a political and social ideal before uss It is well to think of 1t, and speak of it, one to another. and take counsel together con- cerntng its fuldlments Mere talk about an ideal state is a feebla., thing: bur dumb content with an imperfect or corrupt state is a fatal thing. Gilt tertng generalities are not worth much but decadent maxine are worth less We shall then have a noble and more political and social life. unless we turn from the famous so0th-sayers who tell us that all is i'll, to the wholesome plain speakers who tell us that things may be. and must be. better.
 But the mistake that men are rnak- Ing. just now. lies in supposing that the betterment can come in any other way than through the uplifting and purifying of personal character. You can not make a golden age out of leaden men. You may change the own ership of all property in the world, but the use of it will still depend upon the intelligence. probity and fairness of the human beings who collectively or individually own 1t. The best of laws will be maladministered by a knave and mtsinterpreted by 6 fool. The character of Nation, a State, q town, a church, a college or any association of and principles which control the in- dtviduals who compose it. You can get nothing out of 1t except what they put in and the measure of each mans con- tribution is just the wholeness of his life in service to God and man.
 T turn from the general to the par ticular. I ask what 1t means for you to have Holiness unto God written upon the bells of tbe horses7
 Must Play Your Part.
 Well one thing that 1t surely means Is this. You must play your part in this civilization as persons who have received special advantage and oppor- tunities. and who owe a corresponding duty both to man and to God And what Is the part, just now? It is the part of those who are chosen out of millions to receive training for future efficiency and leadership the part of those who are learning to ride It is not your present duty to get Into bus iness to make money or into politics to get practice 1t is your business to