Year: 1871

"A Lay 5eImOu.


TEXT: "Let him that thinketh he standeth, |
take heed lest he fall"


Preachers usually give chapter,
verse and book in which the basis
of their remarks may be found. II
presume their motive is pure, but to
me it always seems as though they
fear. their hearers may believe that
the text is not in the Bible. Doubt
less a spirit of accommodation
prompts the act, but I think any re-
fecting person will see that it is re-
ally, though indirectly, charging the
audience with want Of familiarity
with the Scriptures. To elucidate
and demonstrate my proposition
If the text were "twice two are four"
or ''some fishes are very bony", the |
preacher would not need to say that
the former may be found in the null
tiplication table, or the latter in the |
old Elementary Spelling Book, un-
less he were addressing savages, and
such mention would not the better
inform even them. The same re-
malk applies to the practice of d.
viding sermons into parts with pre-
explanatory captions. Such dis
only make me think either
that their authors who by the way,
are not always their readers) cannot
other wise stick to their text, or that
they fear their hearers will not know
of what the minister has talked when
he has done. And right here, |
though slight digression, Iremark |
that editors and their correspond |,
ents sometime do the same. One
other explanation, and 1 will proceed
to develop my sermon. 1T will be
noticed that the person admonished
in the text, ''him" and che" is mas
culine in sex. hope no female hu-
man being will therefore deem her
self excluded. This usage obtained
in the dark age, when woman was
considered inferior to man: the mas
culine gender was employed to com
prehend both sexes and all ages as
well. In these days of "Woman's
rights" such usage is inappropriate;
the same rule that confers upon our
mothers and sisters and the mothers
and sisters OF others, the privilege
of working out poll-taxes on the
road and standing up in rail and
street cars, doubtless makes it nee
.essary to use nouns and pronouns of
both genders in all sentences in
which reference is had to the entire
human race. It3will, at first, doubt
less sound odd, when q clergyman
reads the amended text on this wise
-"Let him and her who think they
stand, take heed lest he and she
falp'-but familiarity will remove
the oddity. Any unusual express
sion appears strange and queer, and
any odd saying will lose its singular
| ity by repetition,


Our text has a popularity: ''that
thinketh he standeth" are the words
-thinketh! only a drunkard or an
insane person would think he stood
when he was sitting, kneeling or ly-
ing-the latter word however is not
a happy term to use here, for some
people lie just as well standing as in
any other position. The meaning
probably is, that thinketh he is in
no danger of falling. For instance
if an individual, on q winters day,
walks over an icy road as carelessly
or unsuspectingly as he would in the
summer time, he will be very apt to
experience one of the mortifying re-
suits of violating the law of gravity,
though something would depend on


his age, and l think any one behold
ing the slip and fall, would be very
likely to lose his gravity as well.


But the text has moral bearing


it means that any one who thinks he


is in no danger of doing something


criminal or vicious or even indiscreet
Isbould beware lest he do the very


thing, and lose public confidence, if
not incur popular displeasure. This


public opinion is a matter as power


full as it is mysterious. It is not al


ways just; nay, tits strictly speaking,


more often unjust, The Bible is
called the digest or guide or stand


ard ofmorality; some people honest
ly think so, and others theoretically


assent because it is popular. If the


class now seeking to overturn its au.
4


thority, shall succeed, some other


book of morals will become the


standard. I said that public opinion
lis often unjust, The Bible says