Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-06

with the laws of Egypt, and probably
also with the civil code of Hammurabi,
which has recently been discovered at
Susa. for it was the law of the land of
his forefathers While its discovery has
destroyed the contention of the critics
that Moses could not have written the
PentaAeuch. because of 1.-THE absurdity of
supposing that such books could have
been written in such a barbarous age,
Yet neither it nor any. other code could
have laid the foundation for "a just and
ordered government for Israel, because
they did not define the true relations be-
tween man and God, which is the root
of national prosperity, progress and
power.
Law enacted by man is the result of
sin. The commandments of God We're
promulgated to prevent sin. The funda-
mental consideration in all legisla ton
should be the welfare of society. yet an
eminent juriSt has pointed out that with
the development of civilization. that ha 5
made society more and more complexed.
and caused Il laShing in the interests of
individuals and classes lin practically all
stages of society, whenever the popula-
ton becomes numerous and business is
SO developed that we may recognize diff
has been primarily in the interests Of the
ruling classes.
Defects in human Legislation have been
due to departure from the principles
set forth in the Decalogue, or Ten Words.
that God gave to Israel at Sinai. The
cumbersome and complicated codes of
modern times are the result of mans
failure to apply the permanent and per-
feet principles Of the Ten Command
ments>to the changing order Of civiliza-
yO~16
Decalogue, for its fundamental lesal prin-
cipies are capable Of being applied and
adjusted TO any condition that may arise
amid the changing complications of civil
lization They are the germs Of all the
advancement man has made in morals,
relision and social betterment In brief,
the Ten Commandments are axioms of
morals. the summary of ethics. the itin-
erary of'mankind, the framework of So
ciety. the vertebral column Of humanity
and the last word in sociology
The division of the law into two parts
defining the duties that man owes to
God and to humanity. is apparent upon
the face Of the legislation and has the
authority Of Christ. While there has
been some difference concerning the
grouping of the Ten Words. the arrange
ment in the form Of ten was not de-
manded either by the nature of the
Sinatc laws or suggested by logical or
philosophical considerations 1t grew out
OF the popular ccrccrtion of the value
of Ter.
Roman Catholics and .Lutherans divide
TIE sirst grcl:n ,i.i.o three and the second
gEouf INTO sevs-, while other bodies of
chrssasrs. as well as jews. divide the
first group into four comma nGments and
the second group into six commandments.
While there has grown up this minor
difference in the division, yet all stand
for tie truth that ''all these words"
We're spoken by Gcd. who revealed HIM
self as Jehcv1h. a title belonging ex-
ci'isivelS to the God CT Israel in dis
tinc5ion from the gods IL other nations"
by the very name Jehovah ttte-th2t-shall-
caHsc-st-to-ooGlc-to- the Re5eemef
and Helper OF Israel declared unto the
tribes the spiritual supremacy and SOW
ereignty as God