Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-10-15
The Times-Dispatch Sunday
Sermon
THE FUTILrrY OF FORCE.
By j. A. F,ubn nk

Hy j. A. Eubnnt.
Anu He said. That which comcth out OF the
man. that d"iileth the man For from within.
out OF the heart OF men. proceed evil thoughts
'iulterieS. fornicnti"ns, MURDERS therts. COW
c'"ushess. wick chness. deceit iasciv iuusucsy.
AN evil eye. hlaSphcmy. pride. fuolishuess. all
these evil things come from within, and de-
al" the inan.'-MarIt VII. GOA
II has been exceedingly difficult for the
world I" come to full acceptance of liz"
truth Of the statement that "thn kinE,ium of
God is within you FOR IL necessarily carries
with 1t III" inevitable conclusion that wholly
from Within must come the DEVELOPMENT Of
the real sense OF morality. and necessarily
iepudi"i"S III: false theory that force he
| effectively invoked as an aid to moral prog
rcSs.
the Pharisees had come TO Jesus and com
piained that His disciples had violated the
nad'ti"nS by eating bread with unwashed
Lands. Jesus In reply rebuked them as hypo-
critics. who in vain worship God. preaching for
doctrines the commandments Of men, and
making Oh" Word of God OF none effect
through their traditions.
rhen turning from these hypncri,ical fault
hhd.iS. whose business II seemed 10 he to
l"Ge men with burdens grievous to he
h"rne. He called all the people unto HIM
and after briefly stating, III. great principle,
of moral growth further explained il at tn"
t''u's' OF the disciples in tho language o.
IN" text.
prevalent through the teachings OF tn. phari-
sees that the mere outward Observance. of an
e'"p"'a'" code regulating human conduct,
'"rc"" upon them by either law custom.
WAS uplifting Jesus sought to Impress His
disciples with the true view that the moral
PROGRESS OF the individual must &c, IT'S i'm :
rHise from within. no. without. AS the
fsalinist prayed. Let my hear, be sound in
Try statutes. that be not ashamed Let
III" individual settle 1t in hts own hear, that
q thuf whit
growth in righteousness. and the promise is
WI" give them q heart TO know Me" Sat
IA" hrcs ot righteous intent to burning
"'thin the heart and there VIII nothing pro-
Gee" without that "ill dch!c the man. But
u your heart he not sound. oct Of Il will pro-
coed such evil thoughts AZ enuinera cd In the
'N'-'a"d these ar" the things which d-nlc
mere nav" been many periods since Jesus
taught His disciples this great law Of re.
Hei"us growth when the ministry of tn Chris
t"h church has urged IL with singular ndsl :
u! TO us true intent. and under such faith
tul teaching have com. recurring pcrtods q,
""'f! ui''Ht among the people In which civil
i2aiion has moved forward Ia higher ground
n"t' AGAIN there have been frequent pc RODS
"i i"psins int" the old erroneous view In
which the law of force has been iuvoI.J lax.
i"nau" zeal /" hasten progress
IN" bloody pages of history Toll Of the mil.
lions OF liN"s tina, hav" been sncrin.sd in
"a" ft'iii"uS wars and prosecutions which
'''''""'!' ana the decadeat civilizations that
succeeded attest only too we'll tho misor,hIe
failure az Zach attempts 10 sucrlnn, IN. J. "a,
81 'v" with that OF force ia hast.uiu,: TN.
era 81 r'Gh'"ousness for Which the world IS
Hf"hHlrp in agony.
Yet with all tn" lessons az the mast to
N"fh us asainSi the i"iy "t trying to maze
'Hs Woriq, good bv statutory enactment 30
periodically nt;emp, &,
Heaven grant that in THIS country at least.
We may h" ?ass!ng out from under III.
shadow g; such foolish "xr-rirncrts rather
man deeper into IL. and that IN. result, may
S""h he .arparrnt In revival Of "oEh-.lrr,.
I'.'s''h ana KS chief support. "o!i-t!me
dc!nOcracy.''