Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-05-10

In the so-called Sermon on the Mount,
or the constitution of the Kingdom,
Jesus laid down the principles which
should govern the subjects of the king.
In doing so, he had necessarily to in
terpret the law which had been given
by God to Moses. although in what He
said there was no conflict with it, ap-
parent though it might seem at times.
Matthew, in recording His words takes
IN one after. another of the laws and
gives us the deep Interpretation which
Jesus put upon them. Jesus said: Thou
has heard that It has been said in old
times that thou shalt love thy neighbor
and hate thy enemy but say unto you
q wish 1 might be able to emphasize
these last five words for following them
Jesus gave us emphasis which we are
unable to appreciate without the au-
thority which His statement of them
would give. He proclaimed to lay down
the principles of life which He summed
up in the Golden Rule)-"As you would
that men should do to you do We even
also unto them" This principle which
should govern the subject of the king
dom is so deep and the plane upon which
it makes the subject live is so high,
that men have tried to explain away
His simple words, because if they take
them literally they will be extremely
uncomfortable.
THE PRINCIPLE AND THE PLAN.
It seems to me that the only fair
way to interpret the Scriptures or any
literature, as far as that is concerned,
civ To a
meaning which is ordinarily applied to
it. where poetry is used, to allow for
poetic silence and where plain state
ments are made, to accept them as plain
statements These statements which
Jesus made here were as plain as the
simplest of the Anglo-Saxon words can
make them. Most of the words are
monosyllables, and can have but one
meaning. Men have said that if these
words were accepted literally it would
cause a revolution in business, and re-
ligion. and social life grant this very
frankly. 1t is necessary to turn the
world up-side-down, for since sin en-
tered it has been wrong-side-up.
Read these words over again and see
what Jesus said about loving enemies,
blessing them that curse you; giving
to them that ask of you; not declining
those who want to borrow from you,
not resisting evil but turning the other
cheek; giving the cloak when the coat
is taken; going the second mile when
one only is compelled. These are very
startling statements; no wonder that
they shock up, and yet Jesus knew what
He was saying, and He meant what He
said 1t requires all of the Christian
courage that we have to obey them; but
if we do, we will be lifted to a place
of living that will not be far from the
foot of the throne of God himself.
Look again and see what He requires,
that instead of hating our enemies we
should love them; instead of resisting
evil we should remember that every blow
causes a rebound: that instead of hating
those that hate us we should do good
to them; instead of cursing those who
curse us. we should bless them. Instead
of retaliating when one has used US in
dispicable manner, we should with the
utmost pity pray for them; if a poor
wretch would take away our overcoat,
we should give the under-coat, too.
PRACTICE AND POWER.
How in the world can we practice any
such measures as these? From worldly
standpoint 1t would>be Fuination. There
is but one way: All of these precepts deal
to a large extent with the second table
of the law; or with the way we should
deal with our fellowmen. Once a scribe
came to Jesus and asked Him which
was the greatest of the commandments?
He summed them up in the words of
Moses. The first is: 'fThou shalt love the
Lord thy God With all thy heart. with
all thy soul, with all thy strength, and
with all thy mind" The second is like
unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbor
as thy self" Here is the way we can
practice these principles Jesus has
given us by keeping the law as expressed
in the words of our golden text. 1t might
be pretty hard to love one who has ours
ed us. but If that one who has cursed
you is yourself it isn't so difficult after