Los Angeles herald., 1909-05-17
SAYS SAVIOR
CANNOT BE FOLLOWED

"When we read the sermon on the
mount we are puzzled by such portions
as the following: Resist not HIM that
is evil: but whosoever smiteth thee on
the right cheek turn to him the other-
And whosoever shall compel thee to go
with him a mile go with him twain
And if any man will sue thee at the
law and take away thy coat let him
have thy cloak also. Give to him that
asketh thee and from him that would
borrow turn thou not away. Love your
enemies, bless them that curse you, do
good to them that hate you and pray
for them that despitefully use you and
persecute you. Be ye perfect, even as
your Father in heaven is perfect" said
Rev. f. Stanton Hodgin at the First
Unitarian church yesterday.
1--WE are sure to be told that these
teachings of Jesus are impractical, that
no one can follow them and live. That
depends on the way we interpret them;
if we regard these teachings as hard
and fast rules of life we shall encoun-
ter serious difficulty at once.
Either extreme is the attitude of
small mind.
Not Forced to Extremes
But if we read these utterances not
as hard and fast rules of conduct but
for the sentiment they express, then
we are forced to neither extreme. They
appeal to all that is noblest, purest
and truest in our natures, and IN pro-
portion as we incorporate this sentl-
ment into our own lives do we become
superior men and women.
1.-The great spiritual Teacher consld-
ers only the motive in the hearts OF
men. He aims only at the disposition,
only to influence the will or desire.
"Of course we can't do whatever any
irresponsible creature chances to ask
of us But that is an entirely different
matter. We can have the disposition
or the desire in our hearts 20 do what
ever he may ask of us if it should be
found wise to do so. or to do anything
else in our power whether we be asked
to do it or not That is all Jesus or
any other teacher ever demanded or
ever could demand Of any one-to rem
der unsefish service with love ana
gladness whenever ana wherever there
was demand for it.
Not Creature of Sentiment
Il hear a ring at my door-bell. | go
to the door and there stands poor
dissipated, broken down creature who
asks me for money. If l am what l
ought to pc my whole being WIN go out
to that poor fellow in a desire to serve
him. MY disposition should be to empty
my pockets at his feet. l am not what
| ought to be unless l do feel just that
way. But | am a fool and ought TO
be taken in charge by the authorizes
if | obey that impulse. | am not MT TO
be running at large unless, in addltlon
to my noble, generous and unselhsh
impulses, | nave the power to control
them. | am not simply creature OF
sentiment. | have an intelligence as
well. which is quite as divine and which
,,o,,et ha satisfied also NV intelligence
at once sits in judgment on my I'M
pulses. as il should do, and says:
What will be the effect of your giving
upon the character of this man? What
will be it's effect upon society? what
will be it's effect upon the members of
your own family for whom you are
primarily responsible? must not
only have noble sentiments, but they
must pass the censorship OF my hlgh-
est intelligence before they issue III
action,
Cannot Follow Jesus
"Can we follow Jesus? If by this it
is meant. Can we deduce from his
teachings a set of rules by which we
can regulate our conduct and be sure
we are right in every instance NO,
we can neither follow Jesus nor any
one else, and to seek for such leader
ie 70 helittle ourselves and to belittle
him. If by following Jesus we mean,
can we find in his teachings certain
principles of life which Will reinforce,
nurifv and ennoble our dispositions II
we approach them in the rlght spirit,
tbat will make us brave ami courag-
cons in facing difficulties yes, we can
follow Jesus and we do follow him
every time we aspire to anything
higher than that which we have at
tanned "