Mexico Missouri message., 1912-05-16

If there is any one thing -r. o,
Americans delight in, it is In ca.at,Tg
laws. We seem to have an .....,9
idea that all the ills Of hun.r r.t.
can be cured by legislation. Ur..s
seems to be a corresponding ...,t-
er carelessness in the matter ps r.-
enforcement. Jesus did not found r.i.
kingdom upon multiplied uu,..u ~,
Thou shalt not's," of merely u. ,.lyo
enactments. He took the old ry.ro
law and fulfilled" 1. G., filled IL mi
with life. He put purpose, life and VI
tally into that law. He transformed
It from an outward formal Observance
to an inward heart motive. A, Tho
outset Of this lesson Jesus not op,v
says that he will obey the law Of
Moses and the admonitions of the
prophets. but that those same pripcl
pies shall apply in the hearts of fhs
citizens OF his new kingdom That
moral order which is in accordance
with the Divine standard IS still TO bs
observed. Christianity, gives no II.
cense to It's followers. The righteous
ness which is OF Christ does not les
sen our moral obligations. Jesus saws
that not the least "jot or title" the
smallest part of a Hebrew letter. the
"dotting OF an l or the crossing OF A
T" shall be set aside. They must all
be realized in the lives OF his follow.
ers.
Responsible for Teachings.
In order to emphasize this still fur
Their, he tells those whom he calls and
appoints to his service that they shah
be held responsible for what they
teach, as well as what they practice
with regards these commands. To
teach men to break one Of the yery
least is to become least in his new
kingdom. To obey and to teach 9th
ers to obey is to become great In this
new kingdom. Such is the importance
he places upon the Old Testament
teachings and his statement as 10 lis
authors. Let us beware reading into
his words any meaning that shall sci
aside this portion of Holy Writ, OF
that shall suggest any question as TO
their accepted authorship or author
ity. But Jesus was also aware OF The
danger of outward obedcuce og men
perfunctory fulfilment of that law 10
gether with the myriads Of traditions
that had grown up with II. Hence Il
Is that he so specifically warns bis
followers that their lighthouses. l.
e., right relations, must exceed that
of the Pharisees whose loyalty 70 the
law and to tradition is so famous Ills
followers must keep not only the form
but the spirit also, and SO he goes on
to illustrate. Beginning with an old
commandment. Thou shalt not KILL
he shows us that the outward ina.
act of murder is but an outgrowtA o.
the spirit of mans heart, hence DO
who hates his brother man IS IL dan
ger of, 1. e., already In the power o.
those forces that in their culmnatlon
will bring him before the tribunal
IN danger OF hell" Jesus clearly
indicates in all Of his teaching a 10
ture state of punishment as well a'
one Of bliss, and granting that these
words are only symbolical, OF when
we are not convinced, we must pray
to be delivered from the reality These
words are of tie merest nonsense
they be not true, and certainly We
cannot accuse Jesus OF jesiirE u"
suggest him to be a fool llacA'nE u
knowledge) as he speaks upon 80 SEN
GUS q subject.
Jesus Philosophy Simple
"Rememberest thy brother nam
aught against thee" The phi.osyfV
of Jesus is perfectly simple u aE
ger is criminal then he who Is gum
must of necessity become recoh'.e-
to that one whom he has oHenCeu'
Not merely that we are TO torgNel
those who have wronged us, for ny
is not such hard matter. bAI w
must get right with our brother VIZ.
has aught against us before our s''
will be acceptable unto God. Suu.
one has said, 1T is far easier 10 CIV
up a coin than to give up G'"''s.
It Is easier to lay down a geN.''ISS
offering than to lay down si1's'
This requires haste. We must "s's
with our adversary quickly or else w
will turn upon us and presenNhE nI
righteous cause before the '''.1D-
bring upon US a Judgment for o'' gu
ger, our consciousness, or OFT,
iemnation. Once thus brought .'.y,
he judge, be 1t an earthly H..'"
public opinion, or a loving ".' ns
opportunity is past and we sA'" IAN
obliged to pay to the uttermos. 5''+
SO small a part as a farthins
two-fifths of a cent. g.
True reformation is not "ho.' ~
structive. So our Lord began DIS ID,
kingdom by grating It as '
upon the strong root Of the pas. ,1
which was good, but this ne" ...,
uon bore a vastly dificrent .... -
any thus far grown. Hota ... ,n
root in the love of God for .a.. -.
mainly, and the finest flower
is to be the application Of the ... II
love as shown in mans re.".
man. IN
c,,oh .han gs Tacuu' attitude