The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-04-24
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for evil; but God meant il for good"
Let not the words the first Christian
martyr be forgotten, who. when he
was being stoned to death. said.
Lord, lay not this sin to their
charge" Remember the Just One on
the cross between two thieves See
gathered about him those who had
all his life long been his bitter enc
mics. Hear the hammer strokes as
they beat the cruel nails through the
hands that had been guilty of no
crime but that of ministering to the
needs of the people; hear the crush
ing of the bones as the iron searches
its way through those feet that had
stood on the mountains of Judea and
Galilee heralding glad tidings of
great joy Yet what is it we hear
falling from his lips? Is it curses
and threats of revenge upon his enc
mics? That would have been human.
Is it threats of certain punishment in
the days to come? Not one word of
the kind, But. like the soothing
waters that spring lifegiving in their
gladness from some oasis in the des-
ert we hear these more than human
words, Father. forgive them they
know not what they do" Such a
spirit of meekness and mercy must
be cultivated in the world at such
a time as this Such spirit must be
proclaimed from the pulpit and
practiced by those who sit in the
pew. The time is coming when the
world will learn the golden rule by
practicing it, Why not begin today?
Why not be numbered with those who
shall make real the dream of cen
free expression in the dealings of
man with man
2. These peoples of olden times be
lieved that might makes right; that
If man were able TO get to himself
the authority to use physical force for
his own selfish purposes, he would be
fully justified in acting whether his
cause were right or wrong. Society
was built upon the theory that the
battle is to the mighty, and to the
victor belongs the spoil Thus in this
Persian Empire. when the king made
decree that matter must be
done, then it were right and with
out question must be accomplished
For the law of the Modes and Per
SLAMS changeth not" Thus Hamar
succeeded in persuading the king tha
the Jews were enemies of the En-
pre- and should be put to death
forthwith. The stamp of approval o.
the king who had the power to carry
out his decree would carry with Il
the implication that the matter IL
hand was right. The stamp of might
made the enterprise right. Such @
conception of material as well as oil
personal right has not yet felt its
seat OF power. The world still be
lieves that might makes right, and
that the best and final settler of dis
putes. and the best adjuster Of all
difficulties is to be found in the ex
ercise of physical force. And every.
thing when settled right will find its
last defender in the arbitrament of
the cleaning, striking. bloody-thirsty
sword. Such is the doctrine of the
world apart from the influence of
Gods Spirit of power. But there are
influences and forces that are strong
er than the things that are physical,
tangible and that perish with the
handling. They are the forces that
are not seen with the naked eye, but
that are taken account of by the spir-
it, They are the powers of God that
are able to tear down strongholds of
sin, and build the things that are
eternal. And the world will finally