The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-02-15

tile true religion Of the Bible demands
nothing more of us than Is expressed
iu this test: What about the Jew
ish Lawt What about Its sin-Ofcring,
It's burnt.uaering, Its thank-olfcrlngSf
What about the ten Commdnumeut5T
What about the digest Of those COM
mundnleuts approved by our Lord Je-
sus. Thou shalt love the Lord thy
GLd with all thy heart. with all thy
miEd. with all thy being. with all thy
strength: and thou Shalt love thy
ncghbor as thyself"f What about
Church attendance? What about our
responsibilities to our families! 10 the
Church; TO the pUori What about
study Of the Bible TO know Gods will?
What about our responsibility for the
hcathent What about baptism aud
the Lords supper?
Indirectly. dear brethren. all the
matters lucludcd IN our questions ana
many more are included incidentally In
the provisions Of our text. Sometimes
whole sermon Is preached IL II few
words. 30 one will dispute the rca
sunabeness of the Divine requirement
as stated In our text. Our Creator
could not justly or with self-respau
ask less than this of his creatures who
would ENJOY his favor The Interests
OF all demand that these principles
Should be required Of every creature
permitted the enjoyment Of Divine fa
yur to the extent Of eternal life. Who.
ever fails TO come up 10 these cOndl.
tiuus would thus evidence his I'M
wowhiuess Of life eternal: his pro.
longed existence would merely be II
prosperiug u sin and menace to the
happiness aud righteousness Of others
But now lei us see the scope of this
Divine requirement, whose Justice we
have already acknowledged We note
the natural division OF our text into
three plrts:
O. Doing Justly:
c. Loving mercy;
8l Walking humbly.
The requirement Of Justice In all our
dealings with our fellows. commends
itself 10 every rational mind. 1t In
Cludes the whole LAW OF God, a
brief statement of that Law which
had our Lords approval reads. Thou
shalt love the Lord thy GCd with all
thy heart aud ul thy mind. all thy
being and all thy strength; ana thou
shalt love thy nelghbUr AZ thyself. On
these two propositions hang all the
Law aud the Prophets. II Is but just
that we should recognize our Creator
as first; that we should glorlfy the
One who gave us our being and all
the blessings that come Herewith:
that we should be obedlent to his
righteous requirements that make for
our own happiness aud that OF others
II Is also but right that we should
recognize the rights of others, as we
would have them recognize our rights.
The Golden Rule IN the burest of JUS
tlce Not hairs breadth less would
come within the requirements of our
text, DO Justly. Come. then. let us
do justly In all Of iife's 0ffalrs-ln our
relationship to our God and to our
neighbour
Begin at home Let each one critl-
else his wol Is and his deeds toward
his parents: toward Ills children: to-
ward his brothers; toward his sisters;
toward husband: toward wife. DO
we In all Of our relationships OF life
treat these who are 50 near and 80
dear 10 us according to the standards
Of Justice. according to the Golden
Rule? DO we do toward them MS we
would have them do toward us? IL
not, after making a beginning with
the Lord. striving to render to him
our homage nnd obedience. let us close
ly scrutInlae every word. every net OF
the home life and see to what extent
these can be improved upon ana made
more nearly just. The majority Of
people. We feel sure, VIII be surprised
20 know how unjust they have been
toward those who ore OF the very
nearest and dearest OF leshly relation
ships.
Follow the matter up and consider
the Justice or injustice of your words
and deeds In daily life with your
nclghburS aud daily associates. DO you
Invariably speak 10 them In the same
words and Wl.h the same tone and
gesture that you would approve If they
were IN your place and you In theirs?
In matters ~ business DO you drive n
closer bargain with them than you
would think just for them TO make
with you? or. on the other hnnd, do
you ask of them higher prices for the
services or materials you furnish them
than you would consider just ana right
II you were the purchaser ana they
the vendors? DO you watch your
chickens that they do not commit dep.
relations upon your nelghbor's gurdon
as carefully as you would wish your
nelghbor TO watch his chickens as re-
Spects your garden, lr you had one ?
Do you blow no more tobacco smoke
IN tie face OF your neighbor than you
would Ike to have him blow In your
facef Are you as careful about wlp-
ing your feet when entering his house
as you would like him to be when en-
terlng your house2 DO you trent all