The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-12-04
Brofheriy Lore Better
Than Legal Right

Lesson December II. Philemon
s;2f.
Real reforms do not begin with n
law. Laws for reform enacted IN
ADVANCE of public sentiment only
ngRravate the evil aimed AT instead
OF curing 81. Human nature rcsents
compulsion, even when The object
h commendable. Conviction must
come before real reform Even the
children that arc trained under the
must and don't syHtcms take tho
first opportunity 20 react under tho
Impulse OF "original sin" They
must be taught by preccpt and cX-
ample 60 avoid the errors Of older
generations before they yield yolun-
tary obedience TO moral laws. Evil
instinctg cannot be suppressed by
compulsion only as long us forcible
restraint is held. When that is re-
moved they react into experimenting
with the forbidden thing, so too ore
grown people. Forbid them what
they have never been convinced Is
wrong and YOU arouse In them the
desire to do that which is forbidden.
You must convince them OF tho
reason FOR tho prohibition and get
their willing obedience before you
can hope that u moral strength has
been inculcnted that Will lead them
in tho right way
IL is said that George Washington
had 124 slaves ana that he was a
conslderato master, but he was
brought 90 consider the moral as
spect OF slavery and In 1856 he
wrote; ~ favor the abolition OF
slavery by legislative enactment
In his will he directed that all OF his
slaves should be freed at the death
of his wife. so others came TO feel
about slavery about temperance and
total abstinence. and about other go
cial and industrial adjustments that
have come or are coming. when
tho truth and the Christian spirit
got sufficiently rooted I'm the minds
of individuals to produce personal
conviction combining into public
sentiment, then tho changes are
made. Christian teaching and expo
rience are the source of good laws
and OF great social reforms, because
they prepare the minds OF individ -
uals TO support the law after II Is
enacted.
Dr. Caches calls attention to tho
fact that Jesus iikencd the kingdom
of heaven not 70 dynamite, crushing
and destroying all opposition, but "a
leaven, silently permcnting, unspec-
tacular and permanent In his pub,
lie ministry he spoke not a word
against slavery or any OF the Other
evils which have excited the re
formers OF "A later day Not a word
did he utter against absolutlsm ~
government or tho organized evil;
OF the period. IL was his plan tC
overturu all evil by establishing q
kingdom of righteousness Moham
medism spread rapidly by the sword
but Christianity worked through The
Bible. the Holy Spirit. prayer. thu
power OF good lives, tho silent forco'
that destroy evil by force OF preCep
and example. Like dynamite wal
the French revolution. crushing tn
good with the evil; like leaven wal
the, Pilgrim spirit, psrmeatinE tn
life of the nation, Christianit,
creates new social ideals and "A con
science that gets hold OF natlona
policies. Elijah did more for Is
raels permanent good in establish
ing training schools for tho prophet
and In shaping the national MIND
than in his peCtacular contest witt
the prophets of Baal on Mount Car
mel. That was wonderful vision
given him OF storms, earthquakes
lightnings thunders-then came a
"still. small voice" and Jehovah was
in that voice. That is Gods lesson
for all the ages--in quiet ways one
does his best work for good.
Paul desired to see Onesimus free
from slavery. but he wanted that
freedom to come through voluntary
forgiveness and emancipation rath-
or than W force of authority lie
did not command Philemon To for
give, but appealed to his Christian
convictions. Neither did he go about
denouncing that state OF law which