Evening journal., 1916-01-07
THE LAW OF GOD
sermon preached Tabernacle last night by Dr. Lyon

Galatians Ill: "a. ~The law was
our schoOlmaster to bring us unto
Christi
In continuing this evening the con-
sideration of the ten commandments,
let MS begin with the third law, "Thou
shalt not take the name of the Lord.
thy God in vain"
OF all the foolish and inexcusable
sins, methinks this the most foolish
and inexcusable is profanity. There
are some vices, indulgences in which
gives one at least a temporary satis-
faction But this is not so with swear
ing: IL never gave anyone enjoyment,
even for the moment. A person that
swears discloses both poverty OF
speech and poverty of intellect. He
reveals the fact that there is some
thing radically wrong in his head ana
something radically rotten in his
heart.
A man that swears. shows. in the
first place. that he has no respect for
himself when he thinks that people
will not believe what he says without
emphasizing his language with Oaths.
If man has no self-respeCt. Il is like
sand. He shows. in the next place.
that he has no respect for his fellow
man when he believes that people
viii regard his words of greater
weight. if he punctuates his sentences
with profanity He shows, in the
third place, that he has no respect for
God. Supposing man would be
constantly using the name OF his Wife
or mother, or daughter, as subjects OF
Jest and ridicule among men, there is
no man, no matter how low or vile he
might be. but would say, "That fell
low is too low down for me- But yet
there are names vastly higher and
holicr than any name on earth, the
name Of God the Father and Jesus
Christ HIS Son. which men are de-
filing with the filth OF profanity
Swearing Is one of the most foolish
% vices. have heard a story some
where Of three men, in the early his
tory of our country. who We're riding
along in a stage coach one night. One
man was physician, another a sol
lior and the others profession was
not known One OF the travellers sug-
gcsicd 10 the other two 10 while
away the time that each should tell
an anccdoto The others agreed and
tho physician began. lie related
some story In connection with his
practice which received the commen-
dation OF his fellow travellers. Then
the soldier began. lie would say a
few words and then he would rip out
an oath He would speak few more
sentences and then swear again, and
so on to the end. Finally the turn
OF the third man came. When he
started in with his recital, he would
stop suddenly every few moments and
cXclaim. pipes. trumpet and strings,
and so on through his story. After he
had finished the others complimented
him upon his anecdote. But said the
soldier, II enjoyed your story too, but
there Is one thing ! would like to ask
you about the story. What did that
expression OF pipes. trumpet and
strings have to do with your storyg'
1T had lust as much to do with my
story" replied the stranger kindly
cas- did those oaths and curses with
yours" but ! did no harm with my
ejaculation while you sinned against
God and your fellow man every time
you opened your mouth
i1Ml MNAA NNiii hAlN AAAiA HVN'f |
never swear only when / get mad
That is no valid excuse. There is
no man on earth that needs the grace
of God more than the one that lets
his temper get the better OF him. He
may be working In the shop or mill
and lets piece OF iron fall on his
foot. or he pinches his finger in the
roller. then he has to stop and swear
about IL. If, he is doing carpenter
work and happens to hit the wrong
nail, he thinks he must reel out a
few oaths. II he Is driving a team
and they get a little OFF the road. then
he has got TO pull and jerk on the
lines and curse about ii. Say man
aren't you ashamed of yourself?
will warrant there are children i'm
this audience who have never heard
their father utter the name Of God