Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-06-12
MOB V|OLENCE.|S
THEME OF SERMON
DR.. Maclachlan Takes as Sub.
jcc,, The Slayers of
Christ"
is FOURTH OF A SERIES
Not All Mobs Are Stree, Mobs.
Hoodlums and H.
lltcratcs.
IS FOURTH OF A SERIES

Hov. H. u. G. Maclachlan. D. D.,
yesterday morning. in seventh
street Christian church. preached
the fourth of series of sermons
ON The slaycrs of Christi lie
said, in part
no consideration of tho death OF
Jesus would he complete without
taking into consideration the Jcru-
salem mob. which while the Phari-
secs were directing against Him tho
shafts Of their theology and the
Sadducces. the arguments Of their
sc!f-intercst. was crying out. Away
with Him, away with Him 1t was
the mob on which the enemies OF
Jesus relied to impress the Roman
court: il was mob violence PLATE
feared. but it was the people that
gave the casting vote: Not this man,
but Barabbas.'
And in this they were true 10
type. Mchs always have been ana
always vii be the mos; dangerous
enemies Of truth and progress In
tn" FIRST place, they are Hckle Ono
day they arc spreading branches in
tn" way Of Jesus and shouting: .fIo-
sanna to the highest the next they
ar" Whispering ISLANDERS against
~ 'l'ts fitp ~ lllS fEEi's INN, Crfl-
city Him y few months previous.
IL they were going 10 take Him by
fore" and make Him king. now they
are falsely cchoinr the accusation
OF tho high priests that He made
II ms"lf king once they were fiock-
Ing around Him because He healed
their diseases and fed them on loaves
and fishes; now they are bowling at
Him because they have nothing moro
10 expect from Him.
True of Mobs Everywhere.
That is true OF mobs everywhere.
They have no mind OF their own.
but are swaycd this way and tina;
by tho arts Of tho dcmaroguc or the
arguments OF self-intcrcst. They are
harp on which prejudice and pas
sion play at times the most fearful
music. They are -suEEestlble' to
an almost incredible degree. They
arc At the mercy OF whatever idea
gets Judgment in their emotions.
The same community that -
swept off It's feet in an emotional
revival may next week he assem-
bling for lynchlng party The
same Florent!an populace that Iaudcd
Savonaroila as prophet when he
was burning the treasures OF the
rich and fashionable. is bowling for
his enemies when tho flames OF his
own pyrc 20 up in the sclf-samc
square. Tho same Londoners that
welcomed the Puritan Cromwell, az.
sending across tho sea for the rova-
tcrer Charles II. The martyr Of to-
day may he the popular hero OF to-
morrow: but that signifies no real
change OF heart in the mob: for tho
hero OF today Will probably be the
martyr OF tomorrow
because Mob Ia Emotional.
And there Is reason for this
IS because the mob is an emo
iiona!. not rational entity. The
higher ccnters OF the brain. those
that differentiate man from tho
lower orders Of creation. ar. In
ahcyance. Reason has abdicated and
passion gcsticulatcs on its throne.
mob does not think: II only feels.
II is huge animal moved one mo.
nent by an irrational anger. ana
Inc next by an equally Irrational
JOY.
Which OF us has not shouted him
ser hoarse In crowd and then
wondered what Il was all abnu, >
Mhich Of us has not felt secret
sense OF humiliation when he 20
/ hected on what a fool he had made
OF himself about nothing? \ mob
VIII believe any lie. however absurd.
whisper runs through il. and I, is
prociaimne the arrival OF tho mil
!ohnium: another whisper crecps, and
they are numbering tho Son OF God.
Hoodlurns and IIIiterntcs.
NOT all mobs. remember. are
street mobs. They arc not only
hoodiums and iiliterates. They may
he composed OF gentlemen in broad =
cloth and women in brocade. II was
| "A oh nf q
VINO used to jeer at Mr.. Gladstone
! from the opposition benches in par
hament. 1t was n mob of Presbv-
lcriah fanatics that destroyed. in
Wanton rage. the priceless relics ~
antiquity in the Scottish churches
Judicial murders-as in the case NJ
JeShs-havc been committed by thu
mob spirit. as when Mrs. Surrat,
was executed for the murder OF Lin.
COIN. or that unfortunate Jew In At
i"hta was railroaded 10 his doom.
MODS nave even been known in
church conventions to use the ar
",osPhere OF prayer 10 add fuel -
th"ir passions and prcjudic.s +,
was under mob pressure Tin, mo,v
"i the theological definitions ,ha,
| nave been so fruitful OF unchris.ian
u''ision controvcrsy were forced on
one church. it is a mob today ihat
Is c.amorinS for the heads OF those
professors in our church schools
VINO dare TO teach science as God
mas written it down in the everlast
ing book Of nature.
says MObs Are TyrnnnicnI
once more: mobs are tyrannical /.
| win numbers comes consciousness
OF power. and where reason is in
annoyance, power is certain to he
abused Power may be abused
otherwisc-by an individual. -. @
-put nj least IL Is. then. powcr
controlled and directed by some sort
OF consistency. Though arbitrary. I,
is systematic. There ia at least con
,inuity of tyranny. Rut tho mob IS
poth arbitrary and inconsistent. You
can never adjust yourself to il. You
can never tell one moment what (,
is going to do next. 1t is a thing
! or Kaleidoscope changes. through
which only one thread of unity runs
namely. That II means to have It's
way-so long as that particular
way lasts"
Begin Work on Parish House.