The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-11-29
DR. MACSPORRAN ON THE UNCONTROLLED TRUTH"

pr. J. A. MacSporran spoke at the First Presbyterian church Sunday morn- ing from text in second Timothy: wherein suffer hardship unto bonds, as a malefactor, but the word of God is not bound" He said in part
 Tn the recent eoflict, notwithstand- ing the new and terrible weapons em- ployed that surpassed anything of which the world had hitherto dreamed, the weapon which really won the victory waa not that of the ordnance department, but of the intelligence department. It was the weapon of words. ideas, ideals the propaganda, control of news, which did the business ~
 We temporarily acquiesced for the good of the cause and new science was developed-the censorship of news
 "A disturbing fact. however, is that there is being employed today by sin- ister and selfish interests what was suc- cessfully practiced during the war as a war measure. Clever men are being employed to plead cause under disguise of giving disinterested information, in order to suppress the truth.
 There is fallacy that truth can be controlled. This heresy has gotten a strong hold on us. We believe in free speech when it is voicing our own views. We believe in free press that supports our party, our class, but our belief IS shattered when these mediums are em- pIoyed by those opposed to us. We would like to silence the opposition.
 This has a direct bearing upon our religion and strikes at the root of our Christian faith. If history has any sol emn lesson for us, il facts mean any, thing at all, we will see how futile and hopeless a task it is to try and control the truth.
 ."rhe word of God cannot be bound. You
 6,.f op't stop the message. You can kill the prophet he proclaims. You can cruelty the Son of God, but you cannot destroy the gospel of His redeeming grace. You can persecute Christians, but it makes the word they proclaim spread like wild- fire.
 "In looking over history we are struck with the fact that all the wars and per. secutions that blackened the pages of history were caused by those who were blind and imagined they could bind the word of God Think of the deluge ol blood and destruction in the days or Luther when he uttered a true word Think of the covenanters of Scotland with their amazing sacrifices and hero- isms. I can see them stand defenseless but indomtable, saying proudly: '4ou can put me in bonds but the word of God is not bound What happened in Holland in England, in France. in Italy when they tried to silence those wnc proclaimed the word of God? Do you remember old Russia, when a 15oOo0,oOo were scourged bye tryaneous autocracy! The Russia of today is commentary on that policy. Think of Germany, where the pulpit and press were bound to make the world safe for autocracy.
 we see the word of God is not bound by men, A word is not necessarily spok- on ar written It finds expression in all sorts of new and beautiful ways. It IS not bound by iron-clad creeds by our ignorance or our limitations. by the un- derstanding or interpretation of any age or any church. It is inexhaustible, fresh, full and free.
 The word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us The Word is Jesus. He meets every need. He is not bound. He arose triumphant and victorious over ev- erything. He is not bound by our ig- ncrance and disloyalty and with Him all things are possible"