Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-02-14
When War INDICATED Right
Sunday School Lesson February
"T,c Ten commandments Exodus 2O:1-17.
By WILLIAM II. ELLIS

New and advanced" thought ana
isms are rampant. to-day, some Oh
them being more concerned with the
color of the efforescence OF per-
sons soul than with his conduct as
citizen and neighbor; more Zeai-
Gus that he should have aesthetic
EN- otions than that he should pay
his frocer's bill. Contrariwise, the
old fashioned Decalogue faces the
hard facts of everyday world conul-
tions and of human nature. Inc
Commandments not only lay down
mans obligation to the supreme De,
ing. but they also take for granteu
that people must live togetheri thas
the hermit life. is not normal anu
that, since men and women nave
got to live in the society OF one an
other, they must squarely cohIroh.
and deal with problems that arise
out of these relationships.
In a word, these Commandments
are not q prescription for preacI,ers,
but a program for plain people. Iney
assume that everybody shoula nNe
his own life at the best-aha stSe
his neighbor a chance 10 uo tno
same. The law postulates persona, J,
ity: it never intended that one shoulu
efface his identity in the shapeless'
colorless, goody-goodtness which 10
sometimes mistaken for virtue.
A man possessed by single Dig
idea is far greater force tnah ohe
who holds to many petty notioIls.
great conception makes a lie gcea.,
The person who has one doh,aans
purpose outstrips all others IN llte
race. "Believe something lfeneh-
donsIv', is GOOD advice for the young.
There is a deep principle underlying
the simple fact that when JehoVan
got Israel face to face with hlmsell,
for the purpose of laying down the
supreme law. he should put nrSt inc
truth of his own existence ana char-
acter. .... b,s,,
In hundred ways this ousy
world of to-day is being made a"are
of the truth that there is a Co.. any any
that he is a God of justice, as wen
as of mercy. There has been a ten
dencv among practical men 10 re-
cord God as n soft. uncaring spirit,
not greatly dissimilar from the pr
of iellv which certain scientis,s
would substitute for an ihllnt.e
creator. BY the ordeal OF paltle
we have learned that the righteous
law Of God is more important IMAM
the tranquility or prosperity oI 80
the very existence of individuals anu
nations. ,.aiust-
When a person gets oAlt of adjust, :,
ment with this big cardinal tru.n
he quickly finds himself askew WIN
respect to the common morahtles
Keep central the truth with resper.
10 Cod. and life may radiate 1ar IN
every direction. Every year tne
legislatures and parliaments OF civil
ization are adding hundreds OF new
laws to society's codes; but the reai
need is not for laws, but for clear
or perception of mans obligatlon 10
tho eternal, self-eXistent, ali-wise'
all-powerful and all-prevading Cre-
ator. who is also Father OF tne
human family and its supreme La"
"spiritual." But Not Moral
No good officer coddles ms s9,- a
diers: no able executive secures EN-
ciencv by surrendering ms own
authority. II there be a supTenle
Reing. with a right to lay down laws
for mankind. them he must De su-
nreme indeed; and the hrst Coni
mandment is seen to be inevl.ap.e' e ;
"Tho,I shalt have no other SooS pc