Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1920-11-19

nave II remaining llllt pOIII OF
law to fall back upon, IN the event
he should make an unsuccessful
speculation of either, he would be
most daring in his specuIutionS
and from the world Is view point,
most justiilably so, But when there
is but one point to go on he is
more apt TO regard carefully the
merit Of that point, No man has
but one peg Of the law to hang his
hope upon. Should he break that
| peg, that hope must fall to an I'M.
fashionable abyss, from which it
can never be eXtricated save by
grace thru faith.
Another reason is; the ten com
mandmcnts covers the entire range
Of human transgressions. There is
no moral violation but what comes
under some one of the ten heads.
So that the decalogue applies in
fits individual form respectively to
the total individual wrongs of so
cicty. Now, since every individual
wrong involves a guilt against the
whole of society, as ono man liv,-
|th unto himself" by breaking the
whole moral order Of society thru
Ithc one violation, the dccalogue
principle dealing with that order
is broken subsequently. If my act
of wrong applies only to myself
| could be morally responsible
only to the commandment apply
ling particularly to that wrong. |
should then still have nine points
of the law in my favor. But since
my individual act of wrong, like
a ripple on wide spread lake,
touches the uttermost shore Of
society, that act comes under the
penalty of the decalogue, cover
ing the whole realm of human
wrongs. Here's a point at which
we all need to pause for prayerful
reflection upon the conduct Of our
own lives. The effect Of all moral
violations is first against God. God
comes in first for recognition thru
obedience to the entire decalogue
Society, as a whole, comes next.
And an attitude to either deter
mines the relation to both. There
| is a unity Of society corresponding
with the unity of the law. And
there is an mbreakable union
formed between these principles.
We see what universal spread Of
effect ones single act Of wrong
has. We make the mistake by
imagining, or acting as tho we be-
licved, that one act of wrong has
but an individual application. We
|are too apt to con6Ee a persons
conduct to his own life. Even such
would be matter provocative Of
great care. But every act of moral
responsibility touches in some re-
spect the whole of society, hence
comes under the judgment of the
entire law. But this principle of
oneness and universally should,
perhaps be severally applied
principally to the occupational
realm, since it is in this realm that
we exert the greatest influence
and are most effective.
This calls for the greatest de-
gree of efficiency possible in all
lines Of calling and profession. 1t
is, Of course, impossible to attain
a limit Of knowledge Of any secu-
lar as well as professional calling
today. But to play fair to society
every effort should be exercised
and every energy extended to
achieve the greatest possible de-
gree Of competence in the selected
calling as to meet the favor of the
law, thru a rendered service to
society. A false assumption in any
llne OF necessary occupation Is not
onl y an injustice to the direct sub
ject, but an act Of injustice against
society, hence involving the guilt
of a violated law. And the society
might not apply a serious result
to criminal inefliciency, or to an
unwarranted assumption, still an
assumption that is not sustained
by result, but rather by such is
condemned, cannot but provoke
the displeasure Of a righteous law,
whose penalties are ever admin
istered in due time. The several
occupations of life are agencies
thru which society is to be sus-
tanned in a divinely chosen rela-
ton to the divine law. So, the
greatest care should be taken that
all such agencies should be prop
erly represented. To attempt to
represent either of these agencies
thru selfish preference against a
lack Of natural gifts for it, or lack
of fitting requirement. is a