Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1913-09-11


Every commandment contained in
this second table of the law is condi-
toned upon and rooted In that which
is commanded in the first table, and
all has been reiterated in the New
Testament.
v. The Fifth Commandment, v IL.
The word honor" while confined to
this COMMUNICATIVE relation of
child to PARENTS predicated upon
mans relation to God on the one
hand and on the other It flashes it's
light upon every subsequent command.
Our duty to God is pre-eminent. II we
neglect or disregard Gods rights, the
rights OF man will soon be lost sight
of. A due and proper regard for those
to whom we owe our being is our first
obligation and is here placed before
those laws that deal with our rela-
tons to outsiders. Respect, esteem,
obedience and support are all part
of that honor which Is commanded,
see Prov. 1:8; Eph. GLIB; Matt. 1916.
Notice also that womans place is
here made equal to that of the man.
1t is Paul who emphasizes the fact
that this is the first commandment
with promise" and also that to neg
lect this duty is to invite punishment
(Eph. 6:2. 81. 1t is the business of the
child to honor the parent, no matter
what may be his character; he must
not sit in judgment. On the other
hand, the parent has an obligation to
the child, Eph. GA.
Human Life Sacred.
VI. Tho Sixth Commandment, v. 10.
This is a revelation of the sacredness
of human life. God alone has the right
TO take away or command to take
away human life. One reason for this
is because we are made in his image,
Gen. 9:6.
VII. The Seventh Commandment, W.
IA. This commandment deals with
the sanctity of the married relation
and indicates the sacredness OF parent
hood. There is no other sin that SO
speedily undermines human character
and overthrows families, tribes and
nations. 1t Is the source Of or leads
to, every crime In the calendar. 1t de.
molishes the moral sense, wrecks the
body, brings a hell of remorse, misery
and despair. and effectually bars man
from heaven, ! Cor 6:10, IL; Heb.
1894; Rev. 22:15.
VIII. The Eighth Commandment, v.
IS. Here is a statement which deals
with the sacred rights of possession.
To take that which rightfully belongs
to another is to steal 1t does not
matter If It be done within the law"
by Withholding a Just compensation
or by gambling. II is just the same,
Deut. 24:14, Is. This works both ways.
The employe. who steals his employ
er's time, the buyer or the seller who
cheats, lotteries in the church or out
OF 1t, these are forms OF stealing In
that they take something without rem
dering just equivalent of value.
TX. The Ninth Commandment, v. 1e.
This commandment recognizes the
sacred rights OF character and insists
upon absolute truth as a standard of
judgment Reputation cannot be
passed on from father to son; 1t Ss
much harder to secure than money
and is far more valuable. Backbiting,
false Islander are not compatible with
love for your neighbor To give wings
to a bit of scandal you have received
is TO violate this law.
The Most Severe.
X. The Tenth Commandment, v. IL.
This Is perhaps the most severe re-
quirement of any in this second group
of laws. The man who keeps this will
readily and easily keep the four which
Immediately precede II. All desire for
those things that belong to another is
inconsistent with true love, and In the
light of this law such desire is sin,
yea, more, it is idolatry, Col. 3:5.
Hard as it is there is, however, a way
to observe 1t, viz, to love your neigh
Dor as yourself" Such love will de-
sire that he shall have the best things
a1d consequently makes it impossible
for us to covet his possessions.
The effect ". 1S) upon the people of
| this manifestation of Gods glory and
the giving of the law was that they
were filled with fear and besought
| Moses rather than God to speak with
them. This is a commentary upon the
words of Paul just referred to, and
an illustration of the need of the law
as a revelation of sin. Moses respond
ed ". 20) to their fear with words OF
assurance, and explained to them that
this fear was to prove them that they
| should not Sin.
Life that is truly rooted in religion
expresses itself in morality of the
highest type. Without right relations
with God we cannot expect that chill.
dren will properly honor their parents,
that human life will be safe, that the
marriage relations will be held as
sacred, that the rights of property will
be recognized, that truth will be the
basis of judgment, or that coyetous.
ness and envy win not be the inspira.
ton OF fraud and wrong doing of all