Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-05-21
The Times-Dispatch Sunday
Sermon
MAN AND HIS BROTHER.
IIy j. a. I:uhRuk.


And the Lord said unto Cain. Whore is Abel
thy brother? And he said. know not: Am
my brothers kcepcr?"-Gcncsis iv. >.
For 5000 years according 10 the computa-
ton of time upon tho basis OF the scriptural
account OF the creation, mankind has
been trying to side with Cain i'm the
interrogative answer he gave to the inquiry
OF the Lord. Where is Abel thy brother"
For 6,ooO years the ideal condition Of
society which God designed and Will
never faltcr In His purpose until IL is real
lied. the era reEnant OF the brotherhood of
man universal has been held back. by the
refusal OF mankind to answer In tho truth
or its inner consciousness the all important
question Am my brothers Keeper"
Why this evasion of pointed question?
why the paltering with II through all the
long ages?
The Lord in tho answer lie gave to Cain,
places the guilt of all the generations that
have succeeded Cain: And He said What
has thou done? the voice of thy brothers.
blood cricth unto Me from the ground"
For 5000 years man has been muir
dertns his brother man literally and in every
other implied sense of his obligation to look
after his welfare
And in his refusal to recognize his obliga-
ton to his brother his keeper. man con-
t'ncs to lie concerning his knowledge OF
the formers state OF being. as Cain lied
when he said. II know not"
Man does know where his brother is lie
not only knows where he is. but he knows
tina, in his senshncss and greed he put him
where h" is.
He knows tina, in the ages % shc not very
remote past the blood OF his brother man.
driven 10 death in the shamblcs, or slaught-
tered at the point OF the sword. that he might
have larger liberty in prcying upon those
who remained and in plundcring Gods store
house of wealth creth out unto high heaven
from the ground.
lie knows that in selfish evasion OF duty
to his brother. he is lending his influence
in these later ages TO murder him by the
slower processes OF economic slavery.
But tho eternal purpose cannot he de-
lcatcd ThroUGhout the ages OF tho past
that one unccasing purpose" has run. and
throughout the ages - come it VIII continue
to run until the bond OF common brother
hood shall h" completed in it's triumph
Are the signs Of the times encouraging?
Aye, they
they have gratihcd their lust for tho blood
OF their followmcn, and the call OF eternity
TO answer at it's bar in the near future is
heard by their slumbcrins souls. arr more
numcrOusly than ever before in the worlds
history. awakening to the Lords question.
Where is Abel thy brother" In their haste
10 put themselves in right relation to right
"ousncss the zeal OF some OF them reminds
OF that of Zacchacus. chief among the
rublicanS. and who was rich. to get To SCI.
Jesus he passed through Jericho his
way to Jerusalem. Xacchaeus being small Of
stature, climbed up into sycamore tree TO
sec Jesus no passed. Being Invited to
come down from the tree by tho Nazarcne
Teacher with the added words. FOR today 7
must abide thy house Zacchacus cdme
down in great haste. and stood and said
unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half OF
my goods | give to the poor; and IL have
taken anything from any man by false ac-
cusation. restore him fourtold."
In the light OF reaching eternity many
of these multimillionaircs are beginning to
get very much interested in making right
answer to the question. ".\m | my brothers
keeper" In the strictcst meaning Of the
term they may not hav" dctraudcd any man.
but they have lent their influence toward
creating conditions which have dcfrauded
many men, ana they ar" blundcringly
seeking ~Hys OF making restitution.
The making OF just restitution is all right
and proper. but the best kind Of restitution
that every OF can max" for wrongs
that have been inflicted upon fcllowmen
by our combined neglect OF duty is 70 rem
cdy the conditions which cntai!cd these
wrongs so effectively that at all times we
can answer in truth from our inncrmost
souls: I know where my brother Abel is;
FOR / have been his kccpcr-his helper in
need. his consider in misfortune. his de-
fender against evil, the slayer Of his hands
when they were weak in the struggle.