The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-01-25
THE HIGHER LAW.
The international Sunday Schooi LIZ
CON for Jan. 30, s. ''Some Laws Vi
the Kingdom Matt
Hv WILLIAM Z. ELLIS.

nv considerable elements IN ple90H'
dow society which would abolish law
Tho first is. that certain people count
themselves above law; the other IS a
frank avowal that they are opposeu :"
law. One group looks upon ia" 80"
eaict and the other is III open ios'ii!
20 il. The latter .no ~
rroda of Ia w-breakers, who think tnal
e. irtarferes with their prosperity or
comfort They count themselves enc
n;as of the pofice, and all for Whlcn
4he notice are supposed to stand. 1hey
want anarchy cal anarchy Wouiu
.arrit them TO prey upon other ele-
yoents in society.
As William Allen Whites recent
novel portrayed, the first group talks
airi1v about the larger good, ana
snea ks condescendingly Of LAY" as ior
merely the little ok Unable TO re-
neal the Statutes. it evades them. rms
1vpe represents what we find IN the IN
telectuaI realm, combating ali the
francis and Isuages Of society, con-
tending for free love and q general
irresponsibility
President Taft was right IN pointing
out the peril of laWlessness III Amer
scan life. Kipling pointed the same
moral earlier. The influence OF tne
wilderness and the pioneer spirit ~
stn upon his young Western life. We
have not that deep esteem for the
sancity OF Law which characterlzes
older civilization. There is nothing
more deeply needed in our national
life than an obedience to the law, ana
a spirit Of reverence for the law on
the part of judges, lawyers. corpor-
l. -J-3- ~~-fN - Sn1 1yy
and intellectually the need and the
remedy are somewhat similar-a re-
turn to respect for the usuages which
the centuries have proved good n
true, less laWless thinking n lawless
action. less anarchistic i~ndividualism
and more respect for the common well
fare which is embodied in the suage
Of civilized society.
The Great Law-Interpreter.
All this is suggested by the fact
t1&t an innumerable company Of PEG
pie are about to study the laws Of
life as interpreted by Jesus Christ. He
came with the frank avowed that His
doctrine meant the fulfillment OF law.
not the abrogation of it. He was no
leader of q new esoteric cult, which
2louted all the proved ways of life His
teachings gave no salve to the con
science of the men and women who
had run unte to truth and pro
priety. Instead, He came teaching
more law. rather than less, but larger
law rather than little. Just as Amer
sea is afflicted with too much laWless'
ness, it is also afflicted with too much
legislation. We are mad for putting
things on the statute books Of tn
State. Evils that should be remediee
H. - - 49, 81,
to cure by q new enactment OF Con
gress. Jesus pointed the way out o
this wilderness of liberalism into
large deep spirit of law, which wen
clear down to the roots of though
and conduct. Nor Vas He averse t
pointedly designating the laWl SSnes
of the great legalists OF His time, tn
Pharasees, They kept the letter O
the laW, but they broke it in the spirit
ever as powerful interests today EN-
ploy the most learned counsel to kee
within the exact letter of the Law
while violating It's essential purpor'
This stern-spoken, though gentl
Rabbi, did not hes tate to point on
that the man who led others astra,
with respect to the law; Who despise
the commandments of God, and VIII
ignored, or antagOnized the law, wa
an enemy of heaven and of earth.
IS a pe11lous responsibility which me
take upon their heads when they sta1
to lead the world astray by IDEAS tina
are counter to the truth.
The Laws Present Peril.
In the time of Jesus. the law ha
been interpreted to such fine poin-
that it's main meaning was obscure,
II was rendered for special purpos
The teacher was striking at an ahue
which is still m Law is lax
equally applicable to all.
The Spiri: OF The Law.
Law Is more than enactment. RICH
is more than a commanf
Inent obeyed. Law is a spirit of in.
uce ana beneVolence, underlying a
human relationship. Jesus hr,,sbe
ASIDE the technicalties OF his 1aeoliet
lines and penetrated to the spirit I,
.he olVlne ordinances. He looked ~
tpoh outward conformity, but into j,
Nor otfft, TT. ~ III i