South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-09-18
DIR. DAVIS GIVES
FIRST OF SERMONS
ON COMMANDMENTS
Pastor Takes First Command.
ment as Topic of Sunday
Morning Sermon.

Rev. Z. >. Davis chose he subject
Modern Idolatry' for the topic OF.
his Sunday evening sermon deliv-
cred before his congregation at the
First Baptist church. The sermon
was the first OF series Of sermo ns
which he plans giving on the Ten
Commandments.
His sermon In part follows:
Thou shalt have no other gods
before Ne This Is he heart OF
the First Commandment Many
people seem to have the idea that
religion Is something imposed upon
human life from without because
the Commandments have i'm them
the positive declaration, thou shalt
no.
The commandment are not
merely arbitrary enactments, as
some have supposed. that can be
obeyed or disobeyed as a man, or
nation chooses
They are indeed great principles
that must be obeyed in order that
the greatest good anl longest life
may come 10 a nation or an individ-
Ual here and now. They are not
the selfish commands OF a jealous
deity. They are the voice Of the
true God laying down principles
that human life cannot do without.
There are certain laws in nat
ure which man cannO. break with
out bringing untold misery upon
himself. He must obey the laws Of
fire, gravitatiOn and electricity He
discovers, too. as he obeys these
laws they serve his highest inter-
ests. So, when he commandment.
thou shalt have no other gods be-
fore me rings out. there is not
strain Of selfshness in it; not
note of jealousy. but only the ten
der heart throb OF q grea. rather.
who seeks our highest good The
great object Of the commandments
Is TO bring man into harmony with
Gods ways and set his feet IN the
way his Heavenly Father knows he
must go in order TO insure his grea.-
est good.
Three Forms.
Has the first commandment any
message TO you and me? Is il being
IL idol worship most frequently re-
ferred 10 at the time when these
words were spoken are, Moloch, Baal
and Mammon. Each of these had
their distinctive characteristics. The
worship of Moloch led the human
soul into the lowest ranges Of cruelty.
The worship of Baal led the human
soul into the lowest ranges Of licen-
tiousness. The worship of Mammon
led the soul 20 sell Il for gain.
Are these Gods worshiuped to-
day? What fearful and unit tinkable
cruelties are being practiced in all
walks Of life and in all parts OF the
world. in hte great industrial strug-
gle we are now passing through. what
bitterness and hatred and cruelty
rankles on both sides of the conflict
The worship OF Baal is found i'm
all our cities. We call il the social
evil. Women with the scarlet letter
walk our streets. Our daily papers
are a daily record Of this most aw-
full plague. Our government clinic
makes startling revelations that this
evil Is altogether too common in
South Bend. Examinations Of young
men for army service revealed that
nearly so percent of the young men
Of the nation bow the knee to the
god of Baal. No nation can endure
that worship at the shrine of this
god.
Then the worship of the god
MammOn has put the people under
the pail OF the lust for gold The
fearful emphasis we are placing upon
things material; the great struggle
of 80 many TO make a living instead
OF a life. I say when we see all this
we cannot doubt that men are bow
ing down to Mammon, and under the
very sound OF the voice of the sinIess
Son OF God. who said that we can
not serve God and Mammon
This first commandment then
means. that we are 10 seek God and
not gain: love and not lust: kindness
and not cruelty; peace and not pos
session. II means that we are 10
seek first the Kingdom OF God and
let his righteousness dwell within
US"