Norwich bulletin., 1917-02-17
Sunday Morning Talk
NO INSPECTOR OF PERSONS

A curious, ancient rite was observed at the burial of Emperor Francis Jo- seph of Austria in the Crypt of Capt. chin. At the entrance to the vault the challenge from within:
 :" Who is there2' The reply was: His most serene majesty the Emperor Francis Joseph The challenger then replied: I know him not Responding to a second challenge the announce ment was made: The Emperor of Austria and Apostolic King of Hun gary is outside. Again the challeng- CT answered: I know him not Again for the third time the voice ask ed who it was that demanded admis- sion, the master of ceremonies replied: A sinful man.. our brother Francis Joseph The portals were then open ed and the procession entered.
 If this be but the funeral etiquette of royal house, it nevertheless con-
 tains mighty teaching. It reminds
 us of the equality of all men in the
 presence of the fundamental human experiences. We realize anew that old
 discovery of the Apostle Peter when he declared: of a truth, perceive that God is no respector of persons" The inequalities among men are so
 many and so marked that it is not strange that we should incline to mag nifty and perpetuate them. Various lines divide society into a countless A correspondent in Indian writes from that land of fixed social classes: By the caste system the inhabitants of India are differentiated into over 2,000 species of mankind, which in the physical relations of life have as little in common as the inmates of a zoo logical garden"
 It has been about so all through the course of human history. We have be- lieved that men are of different orders being Some fn rIIIn nd others to be ruled. Some are made for silk and some for rags. Some men come into the world booted, spurred, and ready to ride; and some saddle
 theory of the divine right of kings arose from mems observation of spe- cial privileges that seemed to indicate
 divine favoritism. Strength and weakness, wealth and poverty, noble birth and plebeian blood, all these have ranged people in to classes and separated them by
 abysses that none might pass over Not even the Christian church has been quite able to ignore material distinc- tionS. It was not able to do so even in the first Christian century. Wit
 ness the story the Apostle James told. Into the congregation there came one day man in gorgeous apparel splen- did in color and ornamentation. He had also golden rings on his fingers aft CT the manner of the rich dandies of
 
 of means and importance. There came
 in another man in rather dirty, sQuallid appeared as though from work or wear. In the Christian assembly the two found a reception corresponding to
 their evident stations in life. The one
 arrayed in the gay clothing was treated with instant respect. The salesman or elder in charge found told that, he could stand, or, if he
 chose, could sit on the floor. Have the
 standards of the apostles day been wholly revised in our own? There is
 a good deal of baptized snobbery vis- ible still.
 As a matter of fact, we have been a
 long time in learning that none of the
 adventitious conditions of life such as
 separate men into parties and castes and classes go an inch beneath the
 surface. External circumstances do not signify. The environment either splendid or sordid, of life must not be confused with the life itself. All men
 are human beings made in the divine | image. All men are children of the Heavenly Father and, therefore, broth : CTS.
 What tho on namely fare we dine. Wear hoddin gray, and a that; Gie fools their silks, and knayes their wine,
 A mans a man for a that.
 Into what impressive democracy come all sorts and conditions of men as they face the ultimate facts of life. We are all candidates for certain uni- versal human experiences-birthd death. | joy, sorrow. We depend for our ex- istence on few simple elements. We | breathe the same air, eat the same food, walk in the same sun, die at the | last of the same disorders. Looking at | life in the largest way we begin to perceive that under all the apparent | inequalities there is substantial equali- 1 ity. The great Creator treats us all about alike, for with God is no re- speet of persons.