The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-07-31
MINISTER TALKS OF OBEDIENCE ID
 TIE LANDS LAWS

"Civic Righteousness was the subject of foreefu sermon delivered at the First Methodist church yesterday at Ems ley by the pastor, Rev. G. E. Boyd. Rev. Boyd took his text from Romans, thir- teenth chapter and first verse which reads Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are of good report: if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things" and from the fourth chapter and eighth verse of Philatheans which reads Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God the pow CTS that be are ordained of Cod"
 Rev Boyd said in part: Every citizen of Alabama has guaranteed to him cer- tain inalienable rights and privileges | They are his, and no one can take them from him. These rights are his, and this great state is set to defend them for him. Every citizens also has incumb- ent upon him certain duties. These re- responsibilities are upon him, and he can
 
 feiting his right of protection guaran- teed by the state. As citizens, we all have rights, and we also have duties. We quote the words of Dr. Frederick Harrison, a high-minded writer of recent times. He says:
 ' Our socialism rests in duty not in rights. Duty is always plain; right is a verbal mystification. A man can always and everywhere do his duty. He seldom can get his supposed rights without trampling on the rights of others. Men wrangle necessarily as to rights. They easily agree as to duty. The perform ance of duty is always ennobling, moral, religious act The struggle for rights calls out all the passions for self and combat
 "Thus we see that mans first consid- eration is his duty and the citizen who seeks duty first, is the worthy citizen.
 ''The problem of civic righteousness is no new problem. Men m all ages have struggled with 1t. Plato and Aristotle as wei las Hosea and Isiaah, wrote of the universal principle of life. To know the past is not sufficient One must also
  These new conditions demand new con- alterations. Steam and electricity. our city problems and vast corporations have brought with them many new so- 5cial and economic problems. These new conditions are to be met, and they are to be met bravely. We must not play the baby. Stand up and fight like brave men and women. Our social environment is changing almost daily. This Is a great theme. We cannot hope to do more than to direct your mind in the right way of thinking and give a few suggestions.
 "The first duty of every individual is love to God. The second Is love to man. It matters not whether one believes this or not, it is, nevertheless, true.
 ITO love God is to obey Him. To love man is to have an interest in all that is helpful to him. It is to be interested in his social, economic and moral welfare. The Master declared that Upon these two hang all the law and the prophets. When a man loves God and his neighbor, he has fulfilled all the laws. To love a man is to guard his interests as you would your own. Do this and you have performed all duties.
 St Paul says: The powers that be are ordained of God
 "Every citizen ought to obey the laws of his country. There are several req sons. The first one is because it is or dained of God. It may not be just what God would have, but it is the best he can get through the instruments used. Man is the instrument and he is inn perfect. We cannot ever hope to have perfect laws until we base them on the teachings of Jesus Christ. Nevertheless they are ordained of God and they ought to be obeyed.
 "A second reason is because obedience to laws guarantees public safety. The bad, the vicious will not obey the law. They never did and never will Anyone who violates the law is a bad and vicious element in the community There has all ways been this kind of people In this world, and there will always be. The good and law-abiding citizen has always suffered by them. They have caused all the trouble of this old world. The rec ords of the courts will show that this is true. The law was made to check and restrain evil. It was not made for the good. For rulers are not terrors to the good, but to the evil. No one ever thought of making the bad good by law. It Is only meant to check and restrain them. Turn the lawless loose, take off all the restraint-what would be the result?
 "All true citizens will stand by that which protects home and mother. That which guarantees life and property. and protects all alike, is of far more import ance than the avaricious greed of few who care only for the dollars that fill their coffers.
 Tt Is the duty of every citizen to see that we have the very best laws possible. When the laws are bad, we do not hesi- tate to say that they ought to be changed, and when the bad do not obey the laws make them do so. If the officers do not execute the laws turn them out and put men in who will. This Is the only safe and reasonable thing to do. This is the plan adopted in everything else on earth. If corporation employs a man to do certain work and he does not do it the man is soon discharged"