The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-02-25
PEOPLES
Sermon by
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL,
Pastor Brooklyn
Tabernacle.

| Norfolk, Va, Feb. 1S.-Are the words
of our text true? Is it possible that
the true religion Of the Bible demands
nothing more Of us than is expressed
in this text? What about the jew
ish Law? What about its sin-offering.
| its burnt-offering, its thank-offerings?
What about the ten commandments?
| What about the digest of those COM
mandments approved by our Lord Je-
sus, Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart, with all thy
mind. with all thy being. with all thy
strength; and thou shalt love thy
neighbor as thyself"? What about
Church attendance? What about our
responsibilities to our families? TO the
| Church? To the poorl What about
study of the Bible to know Gods will2
What about our responsibility for the
heather? What about baptism and
the Lords supper?
Indirectly, dear brethren, all the
matters included in our questions and
many more are included incidentally in
the provisions of our text. Sometimes
whole sermon is preached in q few
| words. No one will dispute the rea-
| sOnableness Of the Divine requirement
as stated in our text. Our Creator
| could not justly or with self-respect
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 ia
yor to the extent of eternal life. Who
ever fails to come up TO these cOndi-
tionS would thus evidence his I'M
worthiness Of life eternal; his pro-
/ longed existence would merely be
prospecting Of sin and menace to the
happiness and Righteousness Of others.
But now let us see the scope of this
Divine requirement, whose justice we
have already acknowledged. We note
the natural division Of our text into
three parts:
O. Doing justly;
(2l Loving mercy;
60 Walking humbly.
The requirement Of justice In all our
dealings with our fellows, commends
itself to 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 God with all
thy heart and all thy mind. all thy
being and all thy strength: and thou
shalt love thy neighbOr as myself. On
these two propositions hang all the
Law and the Prophets. 1t is but just
that we should recognize our Creator
as first; that we should glorify the
One who gave US our being and all
the blessings that come Herewith;
that we should be Obedient to his
righteous requirements that make for
our own happiness and that of others.
1t is also but right that we should
recognize the rights Of others, as we
would have them recognize our rights.
The Golden Rule is the barest Of JUS
tice. Not q hairs breadth less would
come within the requirements of our
text, Do Justly Come. then. let us
reason together. How many Of us
do justly in all Of lifes affairs-in our
relationship to our God and to our
neighbor?
Begin at home Let each one criti-
else his words and his deeds toward
his parents; toward his 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 so near and so
dear to us according to the standards
of justice. according to the Golden
Rule? Do we do toward them as we
would have them do toward us? IL
not. after making beginning with
the Lord, striving to render to him
our homage and obedience. let us close
ly scrutinize every word. every act of
the home life and see to what extent
these can be improved upon and made
more nearly just. The majority of
people. we feel sure, will be surprised
to know how unjust they have been
toward those who are of the very |
nearest and dearest Of 6eshly relation
ships.
Follow the matter up aud consider !
the justice or injustice of your words |,
and deeds in daily life with your i
neighbors and daily associates. Do you
invariably speak to them in the same |
words and with the same tone and
gesture that You would approve if they !
were in your place and you in theirs?
In matters Of business do you drive a |
closer bargain with them than you
would think just for them TO make
with you? Or, on the other band, do
you ask Of them higher prices for the
services or materials you furnish them
than you would consider just aud right
if you were the purchaser and they
the vendors? Do you watch your
chickens that they do not commit dep
relations upon your neighbours garden
as carefully as You would wish your
neighbor to watch his chickens as re-
spects your garden. if you had one?
Do you blow no more tobacco smoke
in the face of your neigllbor than you
would like TO have him blow in your
face? Are you as careful about WHIP
ing your feet when entering his house
as you would like him to be when en-
tering your house? Do you treat all
men. women. children and animals as
kindly. as gently. as properly every
way as you think would be just and
right If Won were i'm their Mace and