The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1946-01-18
THE LAWS OF A PEOPLE

LESSON TEXT-Exodus 20:1-17
GOLDEN TEXT will delight myself In
thy commandments. which have loved
Psalm 1884,
Law is necessary to order. Basic
laws have been laid down by God
for the orderly administration Of His
universe.
Physical laws are of great impor-
lance, but of even deeper signifi-
canoe are the moral and spiritual
laws which control the human life.
There is in the world a moral law
"a distinction between right and
wrong-which man may ignore only
to his own sorrow, and which he cam
not abrogate or destroy. All laws
of men which are true and right
are founded on this underlying NOR
al law, and they are in reality SIM
ply development and interpreta-
ton of Goods Code Of Morals"-the
Ten Commandments.
These fundamental laws were CIV
en- to Israel at Mount Sinai, but they
speak to us with remarkable fresh
ness and directness. They merit
more extensive study than we can
give them in this limited space, but
we can note their broad outlines and
certain practical applications. There
are two divisions-one concerns
man in his relation to God, and the
other in his relation to men. We
have:
/. A Right View of God wv. Lily.
The first and most important ques-
ton to be asked regarding any law
is, by whom was it Established"
Legislation by an unauthorized per-
son or organization has no power
over others. Who gave the Ten
Commandments? Verse tells us
God spake all these words.'
Men may sheer at theology as be-
ing outmoded, but the fact is that
Christian doctrine is the only safe
foundation for Christian character.
l. Whom to Worship wv. 2-5).
There can be but one true God, and
He alone is to be worshiped. He is
a personal being, ready to enter into
communion with each one of us. No
image or likeness can take His
place. Bowling down before idols,
no matter what they may be called,
is expressly forbidden by God.
2. How to Worship wv. 6, y. We
are to love Him and to keep His COM
mandments. There is to be no sham
about this, for no matter how sweet
and pious may be the praise and
prayer Of man, he has taken the
Lords name in vain unless he keeps
the Lords commandments by holy
living.
8. When to Worship wv. 8-11). God
has ordained that man should not
necessarily bear the burden of toll.
He is to have day of rest and a
time for worship, undisturbed by the
duties and responsibilities of daily
labor.
America needs a mighty stirring
up about the dissertation of the
Lords day. The stalwarts Of the
last generation fought valiant bat
tie against a rising tide of secular
ism and worldly pleasure. Now no
one seems to care. Do you? "Six
days shalt thou labor" Give God
one day out Of seven.
III. A Right View of Man (vv. L.
~.
To be right with God means that
we will also be right with our fellow
man. Conversely, the man who is
manifestly wrong in his rela-
ton to his fellowman is either not
right with God at all, or he is not
living out his Christian life in prac-
tice. This should show in:
/. Family Life ". 12). The fifth
commandment has to do with the
relation between child and parent.
There is plain and direct COM
mand that father and mother should
be honored. Only in respect and
obedience to parents can the child
possibly find true and proper devel-
opment.
Parents who have permitted chill
dren to 90 astray during the war
years will need to stress anew the
God-required obedience to their au-
thority.
2. Physical Life wv. 10, 14). God
/ Is LltSIGSlGu III our DOuleS. AlTedOy
we have noted His provision for
day of rest each week. Now we
are reminded of the sanctity of hui
man life. "Thou shalt not KILL" and
remember there are many other
ways to kill man other than shoot
ing him.
Let us be sure that we are not
| q party to the destruction of any,
ones life either by reason of care
lessness or greed.
Note the emphasis on adultery.
Moral uncleanness, which is so aw-
fully common in our day, is one Of
the most effective methods Of de-
stroying the body even while de-
grading and defling the soul with
sin.
8. Social Life wv. 15-17). "Thou
shalt not stear'-and remember any
dishonest appropriation of what
does not belong to you is stealing,
call it what you will. And false wit