South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-02-28
BEGINS SERIES Of
MOUNTAIN TALKS
Rev. Allison Bases Sermon on
Peaks HallOWed by
Association.

Rev. George William Allison. pas
tor OF the Hope Presbyterian church.
opened the first Of series of six
Sunday evening sermons last night
at the church on the general sub
ject "Mountain-Top Experiences"
The theme Of the sermon last night
wa Mt Sinai-Mans Sense Of
Duty" in which he spoke of the
connection between the high noun
tains and the people of today In
part he said
There are certain spots upon the
surface of the earth that are made
memorable and sacred by reason of
acts or events which took place over
them. And these events or expert
ences are always associated with
the place in thought. Ask any pa
triotic Englishman if Runnymede
means anything to him! What does
Bunker Hill or Gettysburg mean TO
the patriotic Americans? How many
Of YOU have vision Of an old house
standing somewhere in seclusion.
made dear TO you by reason Of your
birth within its walls?
Whole Land Sacred.
I'm Palestine we have a whole
land made sacred by hallowed as
ISOLATION. And in this series Of Sun
day evening talks we propose to visit
in our imagination the more noted
&c +bsc rooro1 1o,lfc ,rov,tnaot
mountains, and recount some of the
important truths which the race
learned there through experience;
and then note how these sacred
truths apply 10 the religious life OF
today. We shall first think OF Sinai.
and the theme which stands out
prominently in association with it.
the recognition OF every man that he
has a sense OF oughtness. or duty,
or that he is under obligation.
1T seems strange that in a desert.
barren. rocky peninsula there should
be a mountain from whose peak
there should come a code of per
sonal ethics which should mold and
control the whole civilized world
And yet that is what happened. For
the Hebrew nation on it's way 10
destiny was led through this barren
wilderne ss. and was stopped here to
take a pledge to duty. God had
carried them as the old eagle its
young: the eagle carries its young
not in the talons, hut upon its back
with its own breast between the
young and the hunters arrow. SO
God had brought them up out Of
Egypt They were to become a ma
ton OF priests, TO minister the re-
ligiOn Of Jehovah to the world. They
must therefore sanctify themselves
And duty must be made severely
clear lest there be excuses of ignor-
ance of Gods requirements
Moses Brings Ten Words.
For this purpose Moses retired
into the fastness Of Mt. Sinai. climb
ed 10 the peak and remained 10 re-
ceive the revelation of Jehovah re-
speeding human duty. He brings
back the ten words which are even
yet so freighted with sane mean
ing-ten words written upon two ia
bles Of stone. Ten words which
when read impersOnally sound per-
emptor!ly commanding,
while we Of the goth century are
not preaching a legalistic gospel, we
recognize the authority Of these ten
words as binding upon us. Why is
it so? Merely because they were
Numbered at a terror stricken folk
some centuries ago? No; but be-
cause they commend themselves to |
anDTOVa1 when we consult tho voice
within us. We are simply so CON |
stituted that when we read the COM |
mandments, we cannot help &C
knowledging that they are right
There are many men who recog-
nize no religious authority over
them. Does anyone dare deny the !
authoritative voice within them |
shafts and thou shalt nots'? The
experience Of the race at Sinai and !
the influences which flow from
there show Us that the Mosaic COM
mandments are but the definite
statement of what our own cOnsci- /
ences commend 70 our observance.
There is a definite call of duty in
the souls OF men, which every man
does well 10 heed. and never to deny,
We do well 10 bind these command
ments upon our fingers and write
them in the tables Of our hearts,"
The next sermon in this series will
be given next Sunday evening on the
theme. Mt. Pisgah-The Unachiev- /
ed Vision"