Manual of Bible morality : a text book for elementary and academic schools and for the help of parents in training their children at home

Manual of Bible Morality
A T<?5$f Book for EItnitnfary and Academic Schools and for
the h<?lp of Parents in training their Children at Home
..BY..
SflflLER G. fllLLYER, D. D.
For more than forty years a practical teacher, and for nearly twelve of those years a Professor In Mercer University
B, #. JOHNSON PUBLISHING Co. RICHMOND, VA.
GENtRAL UBKAtV.
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
ATHENS, GEORGIA

65
COPYRIGHTED 1897.
AU3 1944

INT&OD UCTION.
I have read with a great deal of pleasure and absorbing interest the manuscript of this little volume. The work has been prepared by one of the Fathers in our Israel. The time has not yet come, and I hope it never will come in this country, when we shall cease to regard the wisdom and philosophy of those who have passed through all the experiences of this short human life.
The author of this little book, Dr. S. G. Hillyer, offers it to the public as the richest and maturest fruitage of a long and well-spent life. He is standing in the shadow of eighty years, and with the far-seeing vision of the spiritual light that gathers about the prophets head, he sends this loving message to the boys and girls of the coming generations, who must travel the same journey that, sore-foot and weary, he has traveled so long and so well.
This code of Bible Morality is based upon the Ten Commandments. Dr. Hillyer properly assumes that the people of thisState, who by constitutional law, provide for thejteaching of the Bible in the public schools, desire that the
(s)
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
ATHENS, GEORGIA

6

INTRODUCTION.

foundations of all true living and the develop

ment of all righteous character for really useful

citizenship, shall be based upon the teachings

of the Bible. He just as wisely assumes also,

that obedience to rightful authority, as it is

taught in this code of Bible Morality, is a

proper part of the instruction that should be

given to all the children in the public schools.

I very cordially commend this little book not

only to all the teachers and school officials of

this State, but to the teachers and school officials

in all the States in this Union, who are concerned

in having our dhildren wisely trained to perpet

uate in themselves and their descendants, the

government and the institutions that have been

handed down to us from our God-fearing

Fathers.

G. R. GLENN,

State School Commissioner of Georgia,

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

PREFACE

PAOB.
9

PART FIRST.
DESIGNED FOR THE YOUNGER CLASSES IN . OUR SCHOOIA
CHAPTER I..--EXPLANATION OF TERMS . . . . 21 CHAPTER II.,--MORALITY EXPLAINED ..... 25 CHAPTER III..--OTHER EXAMPLES OF MORALITY . 29 CHAPTER IV..--THE TEN COMMANDMENTS ... 32 CHAPTER V..--THE FIRST FOUR COMMANDMENTS 40 CHAPTER VI,.--THE FIFTH AND SIXTH COMMAND
MENTS ........... 45 CHAPTER VII.--THE SEVENTH AND EIGHTH COM
MANDMENTS ........ 50 CHAPTER VIII.--THE NINTH COMMANDMENT . . 54 CHAPTER IX.--THE TENTH COMMANDMENT . . 58
(7)

8

TABI.E OF CONTENTS.

PART SECOND.

DESIGNED FOR THE MORE ADVANCED CLASSES

IN OUR SCHOOLS.

CHAPTER

PAGE.
I.--PRELIMINARY EXPLANATIONS . 65

CHAPTER II.--THE DECALOGUE AND THE FIRST

COMMANDMENT ...... 75

CHAPTER III.--THE SECOND COMMANDMENT . 80

CHAPTER IV.--THE THIRD COMMANDMENT . . 87

CHAPTER V,--THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT . 93

CHAPTER VI.--THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT . .102

CHAPTER VII.--THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT . .in

CHAPTER VIII.--THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT 120

CHAPTER IX.--THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT . 130

CHAPTER X.--THE NINTH COMMANDMENT . 140

CHAPTER XI.--THE TENTH COMMANDMENT . . 147

CHAPTER XII.--THE LAW OF PIETY ..... 154

CHAPTER XIII.--THE LAW OF RECIPROCITY . . 164

CHAPTER XIV.--THE DUTY OF RULERS . . . .172

CHAPTER XV.--THE DUTY OF CITIZENS . . . 180

CHAPTER XVI.--THE SELECTION OF COMPANY . 190

CHAPTER XVII.--THE LAW OF WEDLOCK ... 197

CHAPTER XVIII.--THE RELATIVE DUTIES OF EM

PLOYERS AND EMPLOYES . . 207

CHAPTER XIX.--THE LAW OF TEMPERANCE . .217

PREFACE.
In offering to public favor a manual of Bible Morality, it is proper to introduce it with some words of explanation. The design of the work is to meet a public want. It is well known that all the schools in our country that are supported by taxation are designed to give to the youth of the country a good common education without charge. This is a noble purpose, prompted, no doubt, by patriotism.
But it is also well known, that the Bible is practically excluded, as a text-book, from all schools that are supported by the State, or by the municipal authorities of our cities and larger towns. This exclusion of the Bible is due to sectarian jealousy. Not one religious sect is willing to trust its children to the religious training of teachers who belong to another sect. The right or the wrong of this jealousy is not the question before us: all we have to deal with is the effect which has resulted from it. And that effect is to exclude the Bible from our " Common Schools."
The consequence of this exclusion is to de prive our young people, almost entirely, of moral
(9)

io

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

training in such schools. What little instruction may be given, now and then, in oral precepts by the teachers, is too irregular and transient to make any permanent impression.
We may set it down, therefore, as a fact, that moral instruction in our common schools amounts to nothing.
This fact would be appalling, if it were not offset by some wholesome influences outside of the school-room. Some children are blessed with pious parents, who will do all they know how to do in order to train their children in " the way they should go." Then there are many of our young people who have access to our Sunday Schools, and to the house of God, where they may hear, if they will, the preached gospel. Besides all these, there are some schools founded upon local patronage, or by some religious body, in which we find a daily exercise of prayer and the reading of the Scriptures. We are glad to know that these moral forces do much to abate the evil effects of excluding the Bible from the schools that are supported by the State.
But giving them credit for all the good they may have done, or may yet do, the moral forces, just mentioned, can never supply the moral wants of the millions of our American youth. The reason is obvious. They do not reach onehalf of our young people. Many thousands of

PREFACE.

11

boys and girls have very little moral instruction at home; and many, none at all. Many parents really do not know how to instruct their chil dren. Others are indifferent upon the subject. And others again are so absorbed in their busi ness, or in their pleasures, that they give no attention to the moral training of their children. The number of children who are thus neglected at home is enormous. Being thus neglected at home, it becomes next to impossible for them to derive much benefit from the Sunday School and the pulpit, even when they have access to them; but many of them do not have these advantages.
Now it is this very class of neglected children that depends, for what little education they may obtain, upon those schools from which the Bible is virtually excluded. Hence they will reach their majority ignorant of its precepts, and almost destitute of any proper sense of moral obligation.
What can we expect from such a class of people ? I think an answer to this question may be found in the statistics of our jails, our houses of correction and our penitentiaries. It is hardly extravagant to say, .that a very large majority of criminals of every grade that infest society and fill our prisons, have come forth out of the class of neglected children above described.
It was just such facts as I have briefly set

is

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

forth in the foregoing paragraphs, which led me to write this little book which I have named

A Manual of Bible Morality.
Seeing that the Bible, as a whole, was virtu ally excluded from the schools referred to, the question occurred to me: Can we not at least give them a part of it ? And if we can, then what part shall we try to give them ?
Let us consider the last question first. As we look out upon human life, we discover that per haps ninety per cent of all the evils that afflict mankind arise from wrong-doing. If this be so, then to abate wrong-doing becomes at once a purpose worthy of the highest philanthropy. Our law makers have done much, by their penal statutes, to suppress wrong-doing. No doubt, the fear of punishment does restrain many. But unfortunately, the fear of punishment is offset by the hope of escape; and this hope is based upon the fact, that, owing to the weakness of all human governments, so many guilty criminals do go unwhipped of justice.
We want another remedy. We want a remedy that shall emanate from a higher source than human authority; a remedy that shall have its seat in the " moral sense " of every accountable agent; and a remedy that shall go before the crime and prevent it.

PREFACE.

13

Such a remedy is the morality of the Bible. It is stamped with Divine authority; it satisfies man's moral sense as soon as it is known and understood; and, by proper effort, it may be given to the young in time to forestall and pre vent all intentional wrong-doing; and thus, to build them up into honest, upright, and useful citizens. Then surely, Bible morality deserves to be taught in our schools. And Bible morality is a part of the Bible.
We are now prepared to consider the first question above proposed. As the whole Bible is excluded from the schools on account of sectarian jealousy, can we not, at least, introduce a part of it ? I think we can. The morality of the Bible is a part, and a very conspicuous part, of the whole. And it is that part of the Bible about which there is almost no diversity of opinion, and, therefore, but little room for jealousy among the religious sects. It may be assumed that the people of the United States with wonderful unanimity, accept the morality of the Bible as pre-eminently the most perfect standard of recti tude known among men.
Even those who reject the Bible, as a Divine Revelation, and practically disregard its require ments, admit the excellency of its morality. Hence we may conclude that our whole people

14

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

would consent that its morality should be taught in our .schools.
To this end, the following little book has been written. In preparing it, I have endeavored to make it unsectarian. If a difference of opinion is ever alluded to, it is only as a matter of in formation which seemed to be necessary, without a word of partisan comment.
Of the plan of the book, I need not speak at length, as the table of contents will sufficiently reveal it. It may be well, however, to give a reason for dividing it into two parts. I did it because moral training should begin at the earliest age that it can begin. For other branches of education, a boy or a girl may afford to wait. One may wait till he is fifteen years old before he begins his secular education ; and yet become a good scholar. But let his moral training be thus delayed and his case becomes almost hope less. Moral training, whenever possible, should begin in the nursery, even with the first openings of conscious thought.
In accordance with these views I have pre pared the first part for the younger classes in our elementary schools. As soon as boys and girls can read with some degree of fluency, they may begin " Part First." I have made the style in this part so simple that I hope our little friends can understand it, especially with the aid

PREFACE.

15

of the teacher's explanations. It extends only through the decalogue.
The second part is designed for the more ad vanced classes. It also takes up the decalogue, and deals with it in the same manner as the first does ; only the words are often different, the style is somewhat more elevated, and the comments considerably extended. In addition to the deca logue, the second part treats of various precepts of morality found in other parts of the Bible.
The arrangement of the book into two parts will, I think, be found convenient in practice. It will often happen that pupils will be found who are sufficiently advanced to study the second part. They will find in it, substantially, all that is in the first part, with the advantage that the preliminary explanations and the comments on the precepts are more elaborate.
I have thus far spoken of this Manual of Bible Morality as a text-book for our elementary schools. I have done so, because it is especially important that they should have it. But it would be no less useful in our high schools and academies, where our boys and girls are pre paring for the colleges and universities. Let me say here, I have not written a work on Moral Science ; that sublime study has its place in the advanced classes of our universities. There may it ever abide.

16

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

It is worthy of notice, that, by the time our young men and our young women are qualified to take up Moral Science at college, they have reached an age when their moral characters are, in many cases, fixed for life. If so, how can the managers of our schools defer, to so late a period, all efforts to give our youth at least some training in Moral Culture ? Why should we spend so much time and labor and money in training our children in secular learning, while we are leaving their Moral Culture to the hap hazard conditions of domestic and social life? Is it not true, that the most important preparation for the present life, as well as for that which is to come, is a character braced from head to foot by the pure principles of a perfect rectitude ? God has given to man a moral nature. But it has lain so long amidst the foul debris of carnal and perverted affections, that it has become deeply incrusted with unnumbered defilements, which completely obscure its original beauty. It is like a diamond '' in the rough;" it needs the chisel of moral culture applied by a skillful hand, to cut away its foreign coating, and thus reveal every facet glowing in its primeval lustre. Then shall man's moral nature become a jewel fit to adorn the crown of our immortal King. My little book is designed to aid in this most interesting process.

A Word to Teachers.
Whoever may undertake to teach this little manual, I know, of course, must adopt the method that commends itself to his own judg ment, in view of his own surroundings. Never theless I respectfully suggest a few thoughts.
Let the children begin the study of this book as soon as they have learned to read with some degree of fluency. And let them continue to study it through all the period of their school life, or until they are prepared to enter the col leges or universities.
It should not be made a burdensome study. The recitations may be, for the most part, a reading exercise; and two such exercises in the week may be sufficient.
As the comments on the precepts are in no case, exhaustive (for the limits of the book for bade that) the teacher will find ample room for additional remarks and illustrations, that may make the exercise a pleasure to the class.
The precepts and the summaries at the end of the chapters, should be gradually committed to memory and recited verbatim. To this end it may be well to make each chapter the lesson for several successive exercises. This will give the children time to memorize the precept and the summary, while the repeated readings of the comments, -with the continued explanations of

i8

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

the teachers, will enable them to understand the precept in all its wide applications.
Let the teachers grasp the importance of their work along this line. In the course of a few years' training they will send forth their pupils better equipped for life than they would be with the knowledge of all the sciences, without such training.
S. G. HILI.YER.
$63 S. Pryor street, Atlanta, Ga.

j

A Manual of Bible Morality.
PART FIRST.
(19)

PART FIRST.
Designed for the Younger Classes in Our Schools.
CHAPTER I. *
Explanations of Terms.
I would be glad, if I could visit all the schools, and talk to my little friends by word of mouth. But as this is impossible, I must content my self to write to you the things that I wish to say. And as you read these pages, just try to think of me, as if I were present before you and actually talking to you with my living voice.
The main subject which I propose to talk about, in this little book, is

22

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

You have, no doubt, often heard these words. They have a very wide application in human speech, but I propose, just now, to do no more than to explain their meaning when used to describe human actions.
You. know, very well, that there are some actions which it is right for you to do; and that there are other actions which it is wrong for you to do. You see then, that some actions are right, and some are wrong.
Right actions are also called good, because good qualities are found in them. Good quali ties are such as these: obedience to rightful authority, truthfulness, justice, honesty, gener osity, benevolence, and many others of like kind. When an action has in it such qualities as these it is good, and it is right to do it.
Wrong actions are called bad, because bad qualities are found in them. Bad qualities are such as these: disobedience to rightful authority, untruthfulness, selfishness, injustice, dishonesty, and others of like kind. When an action has in it such bad qualities, then it is a bad action, and it is wrong to do it.
Thus you see that right and wrong actions differ widely from each other as to the qualities found in them.
These qualities of actions that make them good or bad, right or wrong, are called " the moral

EXPLANATION OF TERMS.

23

qualities" of actions. Now it is very important that our young people should be taught what actions have in them these moral qualities. Many great and good men have felt the need of such instruction. And many books have been written to explain what actions are right and what actions are wrong. But thousands of people do not have access to these books. For that, and for other reasons, these books do not meet the wants of a vast majority of those who need them.
But there is a book which almost every one, who desires to do so, can obtain. This book is the Bible. It was written a long time ago, by holy men, under the guidance of God's Holy Spirit. Hence, whatever it teaches must be true, for God cannot lie. It was designed for the benefit of all mankind. It contains an immense amount of information upon the most interesting and important subjects. And in addition to all its other precious truths, it sets forth the most perfect explanation of what is right and of what is wrong in human conduct ever known among men. Its teachings upon this interesting sub ject make up a system of instruction which may well be called
Bible Morality.
I here close this chapter by summing up, in few words, the leading thoughts contained in its pages, for you to learn by heart.

24

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

Summary of Chapter First.
1. Some human actions are right and some are wrong.
2. A right action is one which has in it such qualities as make it good.
3. The qualities that make an action good are such as these: Obedience to rightful authority, truthfulness, honesty, justice, generosity, benev olence and others of like kind.
4. A wrong action is one which has in it such qualities as make it bad, viz.: Disobedience to rightful authority, untruthfulness, dishonesty, injustice, selfishness, and many others.
5. Those qualities that make- an action good or bad are called " moral" qualities.
6. The best system of morality known to men is found in the Bible.

CHAPTER II.
Morality Explained.
I now wish to explain to you the meaning of " morality." I do not propose to explain it in all the ways in which it may be used, but I wish to give you what I think is its first or root meaning. I define it in these few words: Morality is obe dience to rightful authority. I will try to illus trate this simple definition, in a simple way, that you may understand it.
You all have homes where you live. And most of you have parents with whom you live. Now, when you are at home with your parents, you know there are some things which you are allowed to do, or not do, just as you please. You may walk in the garden, play on the lawn, visit your traps, fly your kites; or, in a word, you may engage in any innocent amusement that you may choose. Such actions as these, and there are a great many of them, do not have any moral quality at all. We may say they are neither right nor wrong, but only innocent.
But you know there are some things that you are not allowed to do, or not do, just as you please. You know there are some things that your parents require you to do, and other things
L

26

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

which they forbid you to do. And you know that in all such cases you owe them obedience. They have the right to control their children. Therefore, they have a rightful authority over you. And obedience to their requirements is obedience to their rightful authority.
There are some things which your parents tell you to do only occasionally. For instance: Your mother may tell one of you to hand her a drink of water, or to brush up the hearth, or to put some wood on the fire, or to go on an errand, or anything else that needs to be done just then. In all such cases you know you ought to obey her. And a good boy or girl will do it promptly and willingly.
Besides these occasional duties there are some things that your parents require you to do habitu ally and constantly. And other things they may require you never to do. These requirements really make up a set of rules of behavior. They are not written rules, but still they are rules, and you gradually are made to know them. Such rules of behavior are very important. They are designed to train you in good habits and in good manners. At first you may not know the reason for this or that requirement, but your parents know the reasons for all of them, and they ex pect you to obey them at all times and in all places.

MORALITY EXPLAINED.

27

Now you may claim that you obey your parents because you love them. Very well, that is right. But it is not the reason why you are bound to obey them. Suppose you did not love them, would your want of love release you from your duty to obey them ? By no means. And why ? Because your parents have a right to control you. That is, they have a rightful authority over you.
When, therefore, you obey the rules of be havior that your parents have given you to observe, you are really rendering obedience to their rightful authority.
Now, you will remember that I gave you, in the first chapter, a list of some of the moral qualities of an action that make it good. And the first one of the list was, obedience to right ful authority. I placed it first, because of its very great importance; for it is more or less closely associated with every other moral quality which can help to make an action good. It must therefore be true that the root meaning of the word " morality " is obedience to right ful authority. And you have an example of it in your own homes. It is there that you ren der obedience to the rightful authority of your parents. This may be called household or domestic morality.
My definition of morality is very short. It

28

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

may make it a little more easy to understand, to enlarge it thus :
Morality is obedience to the rules, or laws of behavior, imposed upon us by some power having a right to control our conduct.
And it has been shown that a well-regulated family affords a striking illustration of the definition.
Summary.
1. Morality is obedience to the rules, or laws of behavior, imposed upon us by some power having a right to control our "conduct.
2. The definition is illustrated in the govern ment of a well-regulated family.
3. Some actions have no moral quality, because they are neither required nor forbidden by any rightful authority.
4. In the family certain actions are required by the parents to be done, and other actions are forbidden to be done.
5. Obedience to these requirements is one example of morality, and may be called, for the sake of distinction, domestic morality.

CHAPTER III.
Other Examples of Morality.
Another place where we may find an illustra tion of morality is the school room. And I approach this topic with peculiar pleasure; because I am writing specially for the benefit of boys and girls who are attending school. You are engaged in the pursuit of knowledge, that you may be prepared for future usefulness when you grow up to be men and women. Biit what good will your learning do you, if it does not include a sound and lofty morality ? Learning without that morality which leads on to virtue, to goodness and to God, is like the apples of Sodom--very beautiful without, but within full of worthless dust. You should therefore apply yourselves with all diligence to this little manual of morality. It proposes to give you only an outline of the subject, hoping that it may lead you, as you increase in years and in knowledge, to pursue the subject in works of greater learn ing and wider range. Excuse this appeal to you, my young friends. Let us now come back to the topic before us.
You know that in your school there are rules of behavior established by the teacher, or the
(29)

3o

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

school commissioners, or the trustees, which you are required to obey. Such rules of behavior are just as necessary in a school as they are in a family. No teacher can afford to be without them. They are necessary to his success as a teacher.
The rules of school are adopted, in every case, by somebody having rightful authority to do it. Hence, obedience to them is obedience to rightful authority.
And this, you will remember, is one, and per haps the most important one, of those moral qualities mentioned in the first section, that make an action morally right or good. There fore, obedience to the rules of your school is another form of morality. We may call it the morality of the school room. Or, for the sake of brevity, we may call it school morality.
There is yet one other example of morality that deserves to be noticed. It is found in the State.
You know that the legislature of the State has adopted, that is, has enacted a system of laws-- the same as rules--for the government of its citizens. These laws are really rules of behavior established by the legislature to regulate the conduct of the people toward the State and toward one another. Now, we all know that the legislature has authority, full and complete,

OTHER EXAMPLES OP MORALITY.

31

to pass such laws. Hence every individual in the State is bound to obey them. And obedience to the laws of the State, as in the cases of the family and the school room, is an act of morality. We may call this kind, civil morality. And, like the other cases, it illustrates the meaning of the word as I have given it.
Summary.
1. Obedience to the rules of your school is a second form or kind of morality, because it is obedience to rightful authority.
2. For the same reason, obedience to the laws of the State is a third form of morality.

CHAPTER IV.
The Ten Commandments.
In the second chapter I showed you, my little friends, that domestic morality is obedience to the rules of behavior which your parents have given you to keep.
Now let us look higher. You have a Father in heaven, who is far greater than any earthly father. He is God who has created all things. He has created the sun, the moon, and all the stars. And he has created the earth on which we live. He created you and your father and mother--in a word, created all mankind to dwell upon the face of the whole earth. And he is the giver of every good gift which has ever come to any one of us. He is in fact our Heavenly Father, and the whole human race is, in an important sense, his family.
If all this be true, do you not think that it is perfectly right that he should let his children know what he wants them to do and what not to do? Such a wise and good Father, as God is, surely will never require us to do anything that would hurt us; and he will never forbid us to do anything that would be of any real benefit to us.
Our Heavenly Father has actually told us, in the Bible, what he wills us to do, and what he
(32)

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

33

wills us not to do. And his will ought to bind our consciences and make us feel that we ought to obey him. But his will is made known to us in the Bible more perfectly than anywhere else on this globe. In the twentieth chapter of JUxodus is a brief statement of God's will, written with his own hand. It includes just ten pre cepts, or commandments. Hence it is usually called, "THE TEN COMMANDMENTS." They teach us our whole duty to God and to our fellow creatures. They, therefore, are designed to regulate the moral conduct of all mankind.
Now, as God is the most exalted Being in the Universe, and is our Creator, our Father and our Redeemer, his authority over us--that is, his right to govern us--rises far above the authority of parents and teachers and States. In a word, it rises above the highest rank of earthly rulers; for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings.
If this be true, then, obedience to the com mandments of God must be the highest degree of morality which a human creature can possibly reach. And because this morality is thoroughly taught in the Bible, it deserves to be called

Bible Morality.
I hope I have said enough to enable you to understand that morality is obedience to right ful authority; and that the most exalted example
3

34

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

of it that can be found on earth is obedience to the commandments of God.
I will close this chapter by giving you a copy of the Ten Commandments. I earnestly advise you to commit them to memory, and to do it so exactly that you can at all times repeat them. As you proceed in the study of this little book, you will have occasion very often to call one or more of them to mind. It will therefore be very convenient to have them, as it were, at your tongue's end.
But this is not all; by carefully fixing them in your memory they will be to you a safe and ever present guide, through all your future life. The good they may thus bring to you will be be yond your power to estimate; for, " in keeping of them there is great reward."
The Ten Commandments In Three Versions.
I. KING JAMES' VERSION.
1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth genera tion of them that hate me; and showing mercy

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

35

unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.
3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
4. Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work ; but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord : in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates : for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day. Wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
5. Honor thy father and thy mother that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
6. Thou shalt not kill. 7. Thou shalt not commit adultery. 8. Thou shalt not steal. 9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. 10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass nor anything that is thy neighbor's.

GEORO. THENS. GEORGIA

36

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

II. CATHOLIC VERSION,
According to the Catholic Prayer Book.
1. I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt and out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt not have strange gods before me. Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, nor of those things that are in the waters under the earth. Thou shalt not adore them, nor serve them : I am the Lord thy God, mighty, jealous, visiting the iniquity of fathers upon their children unto the third and fourth genera tion of those that hate me; and showing mercy unto thousands of those that love me and keep my commandments.
2. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that shall take the name of the Lord his God in vain.
3. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day. Six days shalt thou labor, and shalt do all thy works; but on the seventh day is the Sab bath of the Lord thy God; thou shalt do no work on it, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy beast, nor the stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven

THE TBN COMMANDMENTS.

37

and earth, and the sea, and all things that are in them, and rested on the seventh day, there fore the Lord blessed the seventh day and sanc tified it.
4. Honor thy father and thy mother, that thou mayest be long-lived upon the land which the Lord thy God will give thee.
5. Thou shalt not kill. 6. Thou shalt not commit adulter}'. 7. Thou shalt not steal. 8. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. 9. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife. 10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, nor his servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is his.

III. HEBREW VERSION,
According to translation, by Isaac Leeser.
1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 2. Thou shalt not make unto thyself any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth be neath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow thyself down to them, nor serve them; for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation

38

MANUAL OP BIBLE MORALITY.

of them that hate me; and showing kindness

unto the thousandth generation of them that love

me, and keep my commandments.

3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord

thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him

guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

4. Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy.

Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work.

But the seventh day is the sabbath in honor of

the Lord thy God: on it thou shalt not do any

\vork, neither thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter,

thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor

thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy

gates; for in six days the Lord made the heav

ens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in

them, and rested on the seventh day; there

fore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hal

lowed it.

5. Honor thy father and thy mother; in order

that thy days may be prolonged upon the land

which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

6. Thou shalt not kill.

7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

*

8. Thou shalt not steal.

9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against

thy neighbor.

10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor

his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

39

ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neigh bor's.
These three versions are given in order that Protestant, Catholic and Hebrew children may have access to the one which they prefer. More over, taken together, they show that Protestants, Catholics and Hebrews concur in accepting the Ten Commandments as the basis of Bible Morality.

CHAPTER V.
The First Four Commandments.
I now propose, in this and several following chapters, to explain briefly the " Ten Command ments."
i. " Thou shalt have no other gods before me." The reason for this commandment, or precept, is very plain; for there is but one God, and of course it is very foolish to have more than one. But foolish as it is, men have always been prone to do it. Many people have thought that the sun,-the moon, and the stars are gods. They have thought too, that there is a god in the clouds who rules the lightning, and another in the air who rules the winds, and another in the sea who rules the waves. And so it came to pass, that, in the time of Moses, men were worshiping a multitude of gods. And the heathen nations, who know nothing about the Bible, are doing it now. The Lord knew men were wasting their love, their service, and their worship upon the outward and visible things that have no life, and are utterly unable to hear, or to answer our prayers. There fore, when the Lord, who is the only living and true God, adopted a set of rules, or laws, to show us how we ought to behave ourselves in this
(40)

THE FIRST FOUR COMMANDMENTS.

4r

world, his very first precept was: " Thou shalt have no other gods before me," because there is no other. He alone is our Creator, our preserver and our benefactor--the giver of every good gift that we enjoy. He deserves our highest love, our devoted service and our earnest worship.
The heathen are not the only ones that violate this precept. You boys and girls may think that you do not need this commandment. You think you have too much sense to make a god for yourselves out of the sun or the moon, or of anything else that you can see or handle. But you are mistaken. You may not worship exactly the things that the heathen do ; and yet you may love a great many things more than you love God. And such things take the place in your hearts, which rightfully belong to God, and thus really become your gods. So you can commit the very same sin that the heathen do.
2. Let us in the next place notice the Second Commandment.
" Thou shalt not make unto thyself any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth : thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them."
This commandment is much longer than the first, but it may be explained in fewer words. It forbids us to worship any sort of picture or statue.

42

MANUAL OP BIBLE MORALITY.

It is a fact that the heathen, who worshiped the visible objects of nature as gods, often made images or pictures to represent them. These they placed in their temples and in their homes as objects of worship. This kind of worship is called idolatry. The word is also used in current speech to denote the sin of violating the first commandment. Do not forget the word "idol atry." It is the name of one of the greatest sins which you can commit.
3. Let us now notice the Third Commandment. " Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who taketh his name in vain." This precept is intended to warn you against the use of profane language, such as " cursing and swear ing." Now, my young friends, as little as you think of it, this profane use of language is a very great evil. The Lord did not bestow upon you the gift of speech, that you might blaspheme his name. His name " is holy and reverend." God himself often places a peculiar emphasis upon his own name. He sometimes uses it to denote his personal presence. It is a name too highly exalted to be trifled with. To do so is to give evidence of a hard and ungrateful heart. Dear boys, shun this habit as you would a deadly poison. Such a habit will be a blot Vtpon your character, a defilement upon your

THE FIRST FOUR COMMANDMENTS.

43

manners, and an offence to God, and to all good people.
4. We next come to the Fourth Commandment.
" Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy: Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord
thy God: in it thou shalt do no work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man servant nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day. Wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it."
I do not propose to say a great deal upon this commandment, at this time; for we will have occasion to consider it more fully here after. I would, however, call your attention to a few facts.
In the first place let me say, the word "sab bath" means rest. Then the "sabbath day" means a rest day. Now, we learn from the commandment, that God has graciously set apart, for us, one day in seven, for a rest day. And the first clause of the precept requires us to remember it, and " to keep it holy." This means that we should set it apart from all our other days, as devoted to the honor and service of God.

44

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

Is it not reasonable that we should obey this requirement? Take notice: God, first, in his great goodness set it apart as a rest day for us --for our benefit. And it is indeed a great benefit. Now it surely is reasonable and fair, that we should, in obedience to his word, keep it as a day devoted to his honor and service.
I have thus far explained to you briefly the first four commandments. Now I wish to notice one fact that is true of all of them.
They are all designed to teach us the duties that we owe to God. The meaning of all four of them taken together is this:
" Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind and with all thy strength."
This is the first and great commandment: for if we thus love God we will be sure to ren der willing obedience to all his requirements. One who loves God supremely will be sure " not to have any other God before him;" neither will he worship images, nor will he profane God's holy name, nor will he fail to render honor and service to God on the sabbath, or rest day.
For this chapter is needed only a very brief

Summary.
" Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and mind and soul and strength."

CHAPTER VI.
The Fifth and Sixth Commandments.
In the foregoing chapters I have explained to you, though briefly, the requirements of the first four commandments. They constitute what is called the first table, or tablet, of the law. And their design is to teach us the duties that we owe to God, our Maker and our Father.
There yet remain six other commandments to be considered. These are said to constitute the second tablet of the law. They are designed to teach us our duties toward our fellow creatures.
The first one of the six is the Fifth Command ment. , 5. "Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee."
These words are designed to teach children how they should behave toward their parents. The word " children " means, of course, all per sons, no matter how old they may be, who have living parents. But the precept applies with special force to children who are under age, even down to little boys and girls. Yes, in this pre cept, the Lord speaks to you, my little friends, and commands you to honor yo*ur father and your mother.
(45)

46

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

But how can you honor them? You have nothing to give them; you have no crown to put upon their heads. How can you honor your parents ? You can love them. And to love them is one way to honor them. And this indeed is one form of honor that will give them great pleasure.
Then you can wait on them. There are many opportunities to do this, even if your parents have some property. In such cases duti ful and thoughtful children, will gladly render what help they can to their parents. The need for such help, of course, is much greater in fami lies that are poor. By such little services as you may be able to render, you may give great assist ance to your father and mother. This is certainly another way in which, whether rich or poor, you may honor your parents; for you thus show that you love them.
But the most important way in which you can honor your parents is to obey them. You re member, in the second chapter, I told you that your parents have a rightful authority over you, and, therefore, have a right to control your con duct; and that obedience to them is one form of morality--called domestic morality. But I did not tell you where, or how, your parents got the right, or authority, to control your conduct. I did not then tell where they got it, because I

THE FIFTH AND SIXTH COMMANDMENTS. 47
knew you would soon come to the Fifth Com mandment, and then you would be able to under stand the case much better. I will now explain it.
You see, the fifth precept commands you to honor your parents and we have already found out that the very best way you can honor them is to obey them. Then it is the Lord's command that you should obey them. So it is God him self who has given your parents a right, that is, authority to rule or control you. Hence obedi ence to your parents is, at the same time, obedi ence to God; which has been shown to be the highest degree of morality.
I have much more to say on this command ment; but we will come to it again farther on in this book, and then I will speak more fully. I will only add, at present, this one statement. If you want to make your homes pleasant, and your parents happy, you must love, honor, and obey them.
6. The next commandment is the Sixth: " Thou shalt not kill."
These words forbid the shedding of human blood to gratify one's anger or hatred toward another. Men have been killing one another from the time of Adam down to the present day. Now the design of the precept is to prevent and put a stop to this great evil. Strange to say, even school-boys sometimes have killed their

48

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

school-mates. Yes, I know of two such cases.

Then husbands sometimes kill their wives, and

wives have been known to kill their husbands,

and even mothers have killed their babies. And

all these things are done because men and women

can become so wicked that they can violate the

most sacred and holy obligations that rest upon

them. Is it not horrible to think of? You can

scarcely read a daily paper that does not give you

some dreadful case of murder. Is it not right

that our Father in Heaven should put forth his

supreme authority to prevent this great crime ?

In my imagination, I seem to look at the little

hands of you boys and girls, and I ask myself

the question: Is it possible that these dear, now

innocent hands, shall ever be red with the blood

of a fellow creature ? Alas, my young friends, it

is possible. But it is comforting to know that

there is one way of safety for you against this

great calamity. It is to treasure in your memory

and in your heart, all the precepts of Bible

morality as God has given them to you in his

holy word.

Summary.

1. The first four commandments--called the first tablet of the law--explain the duties which we owe to God.
2. The remaining six, called the second tablet, explain the duties that we owe to one another.

THE FIFTH AND SIXTH COMMANDMENTS. 49
3. The Fifth Commandment requires children to honor their parents: (i) by loving them; (2) by rendering them such services as they may have opportunity to render; and (3) by willing and cheerful obedience to all their requirements.
4. The Sixth Commandment is: " Thou shalt not kill."
5. The great crime of murder has abounded through all time.
6. It has its origin in the depths of human wickedness.
7. -The safeguard against it is obedience to the moral laws of the Bible.

CHAPTER VII.
The Seventh and Eighth Commandments.
7. The Seventh Commandment is: " Thou shalt not commit adultery."
The sin which this commandment forbids is exceedingly hurtful, offensive, and disgraceful. It is like a serpent. It keeps out of sight, it steals up to one when not aware of it; and its bite is often deadly.
I do not propose at this place, to say much on this topic; yet I will offer you one bit of advice now, because you can't hear it too soon. It is this: Be always, and everywhere, modest in your behavior. Never allow yourselves to think immodest thoughts, or to use or to listen to immodest conversations, or to look upon immodest pictures, or to read immodest books, or to visit immodest shows. Now, you may meet some persons who are fond of pleasure, as they call it, and they may tell you that the advice which I have given you is too strict. But I feel sure that all truly good people who know what the world is would give you the advice that I have given you. They know that immod esty, in whatever way it may be exhibited, is always hurtful, corrupting, and debasing; and its tendency is to lead to vice. On the other
(5)

THE SEVENTH AND EIGHTH COMMANDMENTS. 5 1
hand, a true and careful modesty is always lovely, purifying and elevating; and its tendency is to purity and to virtue.
8. We come now to the Eighth Commandment: " Thou shalt not steal."
To steal means to take anything whatever from another person without his consent. It does not matter how small the thing may be, if it belongs to your neighbor, and you take it without his consent, it is stealing.
Nor does it matter in what way it is taken. Sometimes it may be done slyly, so that the owner may not know when it was done. Again, one can get his neighbor's property by cheating in a trade. And sometimes it is done by open violence, as when a highwayman meets a man and, with a pistol at his head, demands his money. In all these cases the act is stealing.
The design of this precept is to protect every body in the possession of his own property. And is not this right ? You boys and girls have some things that you claim as your own. It may be a plaything, a book, a pencil, a knife-- no matter what--it is yours and you have some use for it. Now suppose some naughty boy or girl in the school room should steal one or more of these things which you claim as your own, would you not think it very mean ? To be sure you would. Would you not be glad that there

52

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

should be a law somewhere to protect you against such treatment?
The good Lord understood all this, away back yonder when he was talking to Moses. He knew that people ought to be protected in the posses sion and use of their own property. He therefore adopted the law and wrote it in his book, saying, " Thou shalt not steal."
Whoever steals is not only injuring his neigh bor but he is committing a great sin against God. It often happens that a man can steal and not be found out by his fellow men, and he may escape the penalty which he deserves at the hands of the courts; but God knows him. He can't hide his sin from the Almighty. The Lord said to the people of Israel: " Be sure your sin will find you out." Sooner or later the thief will surely be brought to justice. And this is true of every sin which you commit. You can't hide it from God. The day is coming when the secret things of earth shall be brought to light, and every one shall receive according to the things that he hath done, whether they be good or bad.
But after all, the thief, no matter how sly or cunning he may be, does not always escape even human justice. There are judges appointed by law, whose duty it is to punish criminals of all kinds. And they do succeed in finding out a great many of them. At this very moment there

THE SEVENTH AND EIGHTH COMMANDMENTS. 53

are probably one hundred thousand criminals, in chain-gangs and prisons and penitentiaries, who are suffering the penalties due to their crimes;

and, perhaps, seventy-five per cent of these are thieves. So, you see, stealing is not only a mean

act, but it is also full of danger.

Now against this danger learn to be honest and upright while you are young. When you are

grown you will find your honesty to be your very best qualification for business, and a crown of honor among your fellow men. Obedience to the Eighth Commandment is obedience to the laws of God, and also to the laws of the country in

which you live.

Summary.

1. The Seventh Commandment forbids a most

grievous and offensive sin. 2. One way to avoid the sin is to be, always

and everywhere, truly modest in your behavior. 3. Carefully avoid all exhibitions of immodesty
in whatever way it may be presented to you. 4. The Eighth Commandment forbids all man

ner of stealing.

5. It is a crime against God and man. 6. The guilty will, sooner or later, be sure to suffer the penalty due to his crime, unless he may be pardoned on the ground of his sincere

repentance.

CHAPTER VIII.
The Ninth Commandment.
9. " Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor."
This precept forbids all sorts of lying. You know what a lie is. It hardly needs any expla nation. But, while everybody knows what a lie is, there are a great many people who do not hesitate to tell a lie. Sometimes they will do it to hide some other fault. A mother, for instance, found a piece of crockery broken. She inquired of all the children, one by one, who broke it. But not one would confess it. One of them, how ever, whom I will call Bob, a boy about ten years old, was the one who broke the piece of crockery. Now the other children were innocent. They told the truth, and, of course, they were contented and had no cause for self-reproach.
But poor Bob! He told a lie. What did he do it for ? Just that he might conceal his fault. The lie he told was much worse than breaking the crockery. That might have been, and per haps was, accidental. And, in any case, his mother would have preferred to lose many pieces of crocker}7 rather than to have her son tell her a lie. The crockery could be replaced with a little money. But no amount of money could pay for
(54)

THE NINTH COMMANDMENT.

55

the sin which the boy committed when he told his mother a lie. And I think it very likely, that Bob felt, after he thought the matter over, ten times worse for telling the lie than he did for breaking the crockery.
But the evil of a lie does not often stop with the one who tells it. In the case just supposed, Bob's lie may have led his mother to charge the damage to the housemaid, who was innocent, and therefore very unjustly blamed. Thus you see the mischief of a lie goes, very often, far beyond the person who tells it. Hence a lie is always mean and base.
On the other hand, it is noble and honorable to tell the truth. Let me tell you what I saw once. In a certain school, a class of some twenty girls were examined in spelling. The house was filled with an intelligent audience. The class stood in a line, making a fine appearance. The teacher announced his rule. Each girl who missed a word should sit down, and the exercise should continue until all had sat down but one. The last on the floor should be pronounced the best speller. You may well suppose the excite ment was high. Every girl was anxious to be the last.
The teacher gave out the words from the dic tionary. He had gone round and round the class. The excitement increased as the exercise

56

MANTTAI, OF BIBLE MORALITY.

advanced. Several had missed their words, and had taken their seats. Presently a little girl about ten or twelve years old missed her word, and somehow, the teacher failed to detect her mistake. He verily understood her to spell it right, so he passed on, giving out the words. But one of the girls had noticed the mistake, and when it came to her turn, she said to the teacher, " Lizzie-- missed her word," giving at the same time Lizzie's mode of spelling it. The teacher was sure that she had spelled it right, so he turned to her with great confidence and said, " Lizzie, how did you spell it?" She answered promptly: " That is the way I spelled it." And the teacher had to admit that he had not under stood her at first, so she quietly took her seat.
Now, notice: She could easily have deceived the teacher; for he was already persuaded that she had spelled the word correctly. If she had denied the spelling ascribed to her and then had spelled it correctly, she could have retained her place on the floor.
But then she would have told a lie, and Lizzie was too honest and too pure in heart to do that. She preferred to lose her place rather than to tell a lie in order to keep it. And she acted wisely. That whole audience honored her in their hearts for her unselfish nobleness of char acter. One of the visiting ladies, as soon as the

L

THE NINTH COMMANDMENT.

57

morning exercise was over, came to the teacher

and said: " I want to shake hands with that

little girl who so nobly told the truth." Thus

she really won more honor by her truthfulness,

than she would have won by being counted the

best speller in the class. If she had told a lie,

and had won the honor of the day by doing so,

she would have reproached herself for her mean

ness through all her life. But if she is still

alive, she can recall that day's experience with

perfect self-respect and peace of mind.

I hope my friends at school will stndy the

foregoing simple story, and learn from it that to

tell the truth is noble, but to tell a. lie is base.

And this is the reason why the Lord has for

bidden all kinds of lying, in the Ninth Command

ment.

Summary.

1. The Ninth Commandment forbids all sorts of lying.
2. To lie is base--shdwn by the story of Bob, and the broken vase.
3. The evil of lying often reaches far beyond the person who tells the lie.
4. In contrast with lying, truth is noble-- shown by the story of the little girl in the spell ing class.
5. Obedience to God's laws is the very highest degree of morality known among men.

CHAPTER IX.
The Tenth Commandment.
10. "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neigh bor's."
To covet means to desire too strong!}7 anything that belongs to another. If you should see a schoolmate with a fine knife, it might make you wish that you had one; and you might wish for it very innocently. But suppose you were not able to buy such a knife, and yet, the more you thought about it, the more you wanted it. And suppose that, at last, you should want it so strongly, you were willing to steal it, or to get possession of it by any unjust or unfair means. Then you would desire it too strongly; i. e., you would covet the knife, and violate the precept.
Now, the feeling in the heart which makes you covet, is called " covetousness." And it means that feeling or affection of the heart, that makes one desire, too strongly, what be longs to another.
Again, the word " covetous," when applied to (58)

THE TENTH COMMANDMENT.

59

a man, means a man who covets; i. e., who desires too strongly something that belongs to his neighbor.
Hence you see there are three words that may be used in talking about the Tenth Com mandment. I have taken pains to explain them. When you study English grammar, you will find out that, to covet, is a verb, because it is used to denote the act of violating the precept; that covetousness is a noun, because it is the name of the inward feeling or desire, that leads to the act of violating it; and that covetous is an adjective, because it is used to describe, either the act of violating it, or the character of the person who violates it.
If then, one of you boys or girls should desire something that belongs to one of your school mates so strongly as to make you steal it, you would covet it, and your desire would be covet ousness, and you yourself would be a covetous
boy or girl. I told you, at the beginning of this chapter,
that to covet means to desire too strongly some thing that belongs to another. Instead of these
two words, I might have used, as the diction aries do, the word, inordinately, or excessively, or unlawfully; but I preferred to say " too strongly," because it is a more simple phrase; and .at the same time, really includes in its

60

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

meaning any one of the other words, or, if you please, all of them at once.
Let us notice some of the evils of covetousness. I have already alluded to the fact that it may lead to stealing. This it often does, and thus it violates the Eighth Commandment, which says, " Thou shalt not steal." Every act of theft is committed because the thief covets something that belongs to his neighbor. So 3'ou see, covetousness leads to stealing.
Another evil of covetousness is that it often leads to murder. Notice how many times it happens that robbers kill people in order to get their money. Indeed every man that breaks into another's house, with intent to steal, has murder in his heart. Hence covetousness leads to the violation of the Sixth Commandment. In like manner it would be easy to show that it leads to the breaking of the Seventh and Ninth Commandments. Not only so, it would be easy to show that the feeling of covetousness makes a man love some earthly thing more than he loves God; and this is idolatry. So it leads to the vio lation of the First and Second Commandments.
And, finally, covetousness is the very worst form of selfishness which leads to all manner of sin against God, as well as against our fellow man.
In view of these evils, was it not wise and good

THE TENTH COMMANDMENT.

61

for your Heavenly Father to forbid you to covet ? It is true of this precept, as well as of all others, that God gave it to you, not to hurt you, or to oppress you, but that you might not be led by unlawful desires into grievous and hurtful sins, that would make you degraded and miserable.
Moreover, he who obeys this precept will not be a loser by doing so. On the contrary, he will be a great gainer. He will learn to be content with such things as he may have. And content ment, when associated with obedience to the divine will--that is, with godliness--is great gain. It is an important element of personal happiness.
Another good result of obeying this precept is, that it leads to a just regard for the rights of others, whereby one may win the respect and love 6f all who know him.
If I have succeeded in making you understand this precept, you surely must feel that you ought to obey it. To do this requires constant watch fulness. Remember, covetousness is one of the worst affections of our sinful nature. It has its place in the heart. And it is there like a snake in the grass, whose presence we suspect not, till we are stung with its poisonous fangs. So covet ousness lurks in the secret chambers of the soul and we scarcely dream of danger till we are sud denly impelled into some infamous crime against

62

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

the rights of another. Therefore, follow the advice of the wise man who said: "Keep thy heart with all diligence." Watch your thoughts that you may think no evil, and your desires that you may wish for nothing beyond what you may justly obtain.
Summary.
1. The Tenth Commandment: "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's."
2. To covet means to desire too strongly what belongs to another.
3. To covet denotes an action of the mind or heart.
4. Covetousness is the desire which leads one to covet.
5. The word " covetous " describes the act of coveting or the person who covets.
6. The evils of covetousness are very great, (i) It leads to the violation of nearly every other commandment. (2) It leads to a life of degrada tion and shame.
7. Obedience to the precept leads to content ment and happiness, and to respectability and honor.
8. To keep the precept we must avoid evil thoughts, and all unlawful desires.

A Manual of Bible Morality.
PART SECOND.
(63)

PART SECOND.
For the More Advanced Classes in Oar Elementary Schools.

CHAPTER I.

Preliminary Explanations.

It pleased our Heavenly Father to give to his creature, man, a " living soul," endowed with wonderful powers, or faculties, as they are often called. One of these faculties is

Consciousness.

This faculty enables you to know yourself as distinct from other persons a'round you. It enables you also to know your own actions, your own feelings, 3'our own thoughts. In a word, it enables you to know all that you do, or think, or feel. The possession of this faculty qualifies you to be a conscious agent or doer.
Another faculty of the soul is

Reason.

Reason enables a man to discover truth, to

acquire knowledge, and to form opinions or

judgments; and thus, it enables him to manage

his business skillfully and to pursue his happi

ness successfully. Under the guidance of reason,

5

(65)

66

MANUAL CP BIBLE MORALITY.

a man acts intelligently. His reason, therefore, qualifies him to be an intelligent agent.
A third faculty of the soul is its Will Power.
The will power of a man enables him to choose, or to refuse to do this, or to do that. Or, in other words, it enables a man, to the extent of his natural strength and opportunity, to do what he pleases. When he thus acts according to his will, he acts voluntarily. So his will power qualifies a man to be a voluntary agent--often called a free agent.
A fourth power of the soul is its
Emotional Nature.
And it is indeed a great power. You boys and girls know that, down in your hearts, you have many different feelings. These feelings are sometimes called emotions, and altogether they make up what is called above, the soul's emotional nature. These emotions include such feelings as love, desire, gladness, friendship, benevolence, anger, envy, hatred, selfishness, covetousness and many others. I will mention only one more; I separate it from those just named, because of its great importance. It deserves to stand by itself. It is the feeling of moral obligation. I will notice it again farther on.

PRELIMINARY EXPLANATION.

67

These feelings are called emotions, because they are the moving forces of the soul--they impel to action. Hence this emotional nature of man qualifies him to be an emotional agent.
The fifth, and last power of the soul, which I need to notice just now, is its
Moral Faculty.

It is sometimes called the " moral sense." It enables a man to see that there is a right and a wrong in many human actions. Or, in other words, to see that human actions may be either right or wrong. It is the moral sense that dis covers this distinction; but it does more, it impresses a man with the conviction that right actions deserve to be approved, and often to be rewarded ; and that wrong actions deserve to be censured, and often to be punished.
Now, there is in the emotional nature a feel ing that exactly corresponds with the judgment of the moral faculty. It is the feeling of moral obligation, above mentioned. Its name is con science. It has its place among the feelings, or (as they are often called) the affections of the soul, which are the same as the emotions. Hence the conscience is like all the affections, a motive power.
As soon as the moral faculty discovers that certain actions are right and that other actions

68

MANUAI, OF BIBLE MORALITY.

are wrong, the conscience of the man at once impels him, more or less strongly, to do the things that are right and to avoid doing those that are wrong. Being endowed by nature with these moral perceptions and feelings of moral obligations, man is qualified to be a moral agent.
Besides the five leading faculties of the soul which I have briefly described, there are some others that might be mentioned; but they are not needed for my present purpose. I therefore pass them by.
You may remember, in part first and chapter first, I explained the words "right" and " wrong " when used to describe human actions.' I told you that a right action is called good, while wrong actions are called bad. I also ex plained to you that actions are right or wrong, good or bad, according to the qualities that are found in them. The qualities that make an action good are such as these: Willing obedi ence to rightful authority, justice, truthfulness, honesty, faithfulness, unselfishness, benevolence, love or charity, and many others.
The qualities that make an action bad are the very opposites of those j ust mentioned. They are disobedience to rightful authority, injustice, untruthfulness, dishonesty, unfaithfulness, self ishness, malevolence, hatred, and many others.

PRELIMINARY EXPLANATION.

69

These qualities, that make an action morally right or morally wrong, morally good or morally bad, are called the moral qualities of an action.
Here let me remind you that there are many actions that have in them no moral quality at all. And yet such actions are often called right or wrong. But they are not, morally, right or wrong. Neither are they, morally, good or bad. With such actions as these, I have nothing to do. I am dealing with only such as have in them some moral quality. And when I speak of actions as right or wrong, good or bad, I mean that they are so in a moral sense. Or, in other words, I mean that they have in them some moral quality.

Morality.
I will now try to explain to you the meaning of the word morality. Dr. Webster says: "Morality is the quality of an action that renders it good." This definition he proceeds to explain fully; but the explanation is too long to give here. In the light of Dr. Webster's explanation, I think it will be found that morality, when reduced to its last analysis, is willing obedience to rightful authority. This is the quality, w.hich, being in an action, makes it good. This, then, is the quality to which Dr. Webster refers. Willing obedience to rightful

70

MANTJAI, OF BIBLB MORALITY.

authority is the one generic quality that includes within itself all other qualities that make an action good; for they are all only different modes of obedience to rightful authority. In like manner, willful disobedience to rightful author ity is the generic quality which includes, within itself, all other qualities of an action that make it morally wrong; for they are only different modes of disobedience to rightful

Authority.

Having used this word so frequently, I will now explain it. " Authority," like many other words, has a wide application and is used with many shades of meaning. But Dr. Webster gives us, as its primary meaning, this short definition:
" Authority means a right to command." This is all I need at present. When one person has a right to command another person to do or not to do a thing, then he has author ity over that other person. This meaning is illustrated by the authority of parents over their children, of teachers over their pupils, and of the State over its citizens. All these--the home, the school-room, and the State--furnish ex amples of morality; but in each of them the authority is limited, and the morality is local. Now let us look for an authority that is

PRELIMINARY EXPLANATION.

71

supreme, and then we shall find a morality that extends its control over all mankind.
We cannot find such an authority on earth. Every human Ruler, from the nursery to the throne, knows that his " right to command," t.e.j his authority, is limited both in its degree and in its range. We must, therefore, look higher than to any human Ruler for that su preme authority which has a right to say to all mankind, " thou shalt" do this, or, " thou shalt not" do that. Such authority is found only in the living God. It is he, and he alone, who has fixed the distinction between actions that are right and those that are wrong.
Accordingly, when it pleased God to endow his creature, man, with those wonderful powers of consciousness, of reason, of will, and of his emotional nature, he gave him also a moral faculty whereby he might be able to know the distinction which God himself had established between right and wrong. By this moral faculty man was qualified to be a moral agent; which means that he was able to do right or wrong, just as he pleased. This fact made it neces sary that he should be placed under the re straints of a moral government. For without such restraints man could rise no higher in virtue and goodness than the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air.

72

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

I need not stop to prove that all human beings are under moral government; for I do not know that any one, who is in his right mind, will deny it.
But if there is a moral government over men, it follows that there must be a moral Ruler to administer that government; and that Ruler is God. If so, he must have given to men, some where, and at some time, a code or system of moral laws which all men are bound to obey. Such laws would, of course, be designed to reg ulate the conduct of men in their relations both to God and to one another. And coming from so high a source, we may feel assured that they would be, as Dr. Dagg teaches, in perfect har mony with the eternal principles of right, that have their basis in the nature of God, and their expression in the revelation of His Will, and their authority in His Absolute Sovereignty.
Is there such a system of moral laws ? To answer this question it is sufficient, for the present, to say that the millions of people who live in Europe and the two Americas, besides other millions scattered far and wide over all the earth, believe that there is such a system. It is the system found in the Bible. And the millions of people just referred to, in spite of the differences in their creeds, their nationali ties, and their institutions, agree, with wonder-

PRELIMINARY EXPLANATION.

73


ful unanimity, that the system of morality taught in the Bible is, by far, the most perfect standard of right ever known or heard of on this earth. And many of the millions who thus agree as to its surpassing excellence, actually believe, upon the testimony of Moses and the prophets, and of Jesus and his Apostles, that it is a direct revelation from God Himself. If so, its morality is clothed with the infinite au thority that belongs to the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe.
I close this chapter with a brief summary of what it contains. A similar one will be found at the end of each chapter in the book. These summaries should be committed to memory.
Summary. 1. Man is endowed with consciousness, which enables him to know himself, his thoughts, his feelings, and his actions; and thus is qualified to be a conscious agent or doer. 2. He is endowed with reason, which qualifies him to discover truth, to acquire knowledge, and thus to be an intelligent agent or doer. 3. He is endowed with will-power, and this qualifies him to be a voluntary agent, and also a free agent. 4. Man is also endowed with certain affec tions or emotions which qualify him to be an emotional agent.

74

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

5. He is endowed with a " moral sense " that enables him to know that some actions are right and others are wrong, and with a conscience that impels him to do the right and avoid the wrong. All which qualifies him to be a moral agent.
6. Because he is a moral agent he has been made a subject of moral government, under a system of moral laws which he is bound to obey.
7. The most perfect collection of these laws is found in the Bible, and make up the system of Bible Morality.

CHAPTER II.
The Decalogue, and the First Commandment.
. The word " Decalogue " is used to denote the Ten Commandments considered as one document.
We learn that God commanded Moses to pre pare two tablets of stone, and that God wrote upon them, with his own finger, ten command ments, which make what we call the Decalogue.
The Lord, no doubt, could have written all the commandments on one tablet. Why then did he choose to write them on two ? I think it was because there are, in fact, two distinct parts of the law. One gives a statement of what we owe to God himself. The other sets forth wnat we owe to our fellow men. So important was tins distinction that the Lord judged it wise to impress it upon the minds of his people by making it visible to the eye. To this end he wrote each part on a separate tablet.
The Decalogue begins with a preamble. "I am the Lord thy God, wbich have brought thee out of the land of Egypt; out of the house of bondage." Exodus xx. 2. Mark the words:
" I am Jehovah thy God."
As God, he is the absolute sovereign of tne universe, and therefore possesses infinite author-
(75)

76

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

ity to give laws to the creatures of his hand. " Who brought thee out of the .land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." These words were designed to enforce his authority, especially over the Jews in view of his redemptive work in their behalf. But his redemptive work in behalf of Israel was typical of the great redemp tion he has since achieved for all mankind. Hence this preamble sets before us God as our Sovereign and our Redeemer whose will should bind our consciences and regulate our actions. It is like the enacting clause of a statute passed by the legislature of a State. In Georgia, for instance, we find the enacting clause in these words: " Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Georgia, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same." Its design is to set forth the authority by which the statute is enacted. And equivalent to this is the pre amble of the Decalogue. It affirms the authority of the Divine Law Giver.
The First Commandment is this: " Thou shalt have no other gods before me." Exodus xx. 3. At the time the law was given, the nations were accustomed to believe that many of the great objects in nature possessed life and power, and therefore worshiped them as gods. Thus they worshiped the heavenly bodies, the wind,

DECALOGOE AND THE FIRST COMMANDMENT. 77
the lightning, and many other objects. Some times they ascribed divine powers to certain animals, such as the elephant, the cow, the crocodile, and even the cat. We of this enlight ened age and country naturally wonder at such foolishness. But our own ancestors in England and in Europe were, a few centuries ago, just as bad as the nations of antiquity. . One design of the First Commandment was to prevent such senseless worship and to save mankind from the abominable superstitions to which it led.

The propriety and righteousness of the com mandment depend upon the fact that there is but one God. It is now admitted by all learned men that if there is a God, there is only one. All the teachings of science and philosophy lead to this conclusion. And therefore it was right for God to forbid his people to worship any of the objects around them as if they were gods.
But the First Commandment forbids much more than the worship of the sun and moon, or any of the creatures above mentioned. Note its peculiar language: " Thou shalt have no other gods BEFORE ME." This means that "Thou shalt have no other gods in preference to me." This form of the commandment makes it apply not only to the poor benighted and superstitious

78

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

heathen, but also to enlightened and civilized people.
We of this age and country are not in danger of supposing even the resplendent sun, much less a cat or a crocodile, to be God. But we--even the most gifted and cultured among us--are in constant danger of holding earthly and worldly things in higher esteem and love than we do the great God himself. Then we are making gods of these things and actually placing them before God, that is, holding them in preference to Him.
Is this any better than what the heathen do ? You scorn the poor Egyptian that worshiped a cat; but how much better are you, if forgetful of him who created and redeemed you, you should turn away and give the first place in your affec tions to the gratifications of the "lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eye, and the pride of life " ? Do not these lead to a degradation far deeper and more infamous than the superstition of the heathen ?
We should therefore hold nothing, no, not even our dearest relatives, or our most cherished plea sures, in higher esteem than we hold God. To do so is to violate the First Commandment.
Summary. Let us now sum up what we have learned in the foregoing explanations. i. The Decalogue was written by the finger of

DECALOGUE AND THE FIRST COMMANDMENT. 79
God. This serves to impress us with a sense of its great importance.
2. The first part teaches us our duties to God. 3. The second part teaches us our duties to one another. 4. The First Commandment is: " Thou shalt have no other gods before me." Here we find the first great duty we owe to God. We must not allow anything on earth to come before God in our affections. 5. To do so is to reject the true God and to worship something else as a god. 6. Such worship is based on ignorance and leads to disgrace and shame.

CHAPTER III.
The Second Commandment.
The Second Commandment is in these words : "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters under the earth : thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments."-- Ex. xx. 4, 5, 6.
We have already seen that the First Command ment forbade our having other gods before, or in preference to, the only living and true God. The second is of the same general import, but more specific in its statements. It forbids us to make for ourselves any graven image, or likeness, of anything whatever, as an object of worship. This seems to be the essence of the command. What is said in connection with it was designed, in very solemn and awful terms, to enforce obedience to it.
We have already seen how prone the Gentile nations were to worship certain objects in nature
(80)

THB SECOND COMMANDMENT.

81

as gods. But they were not satisfied with this. They have, always, even to the present time, been accustomed to worship images and likenesses of various sorts cut out with their own hands. Such images are called idols, and the worship of them is called idolatry.
The images thus worshiped have often been horrible monsters in shape and appearance. Some, it is true, were fine specimens of art; but eveu in their beauty they often excited the worst passions of the human heart, and thus led to* the most abandoned wickedness. On the other hand, there were images whose worship was distin guished for its cruelty. The image of Moloch was made of iron.
It stood with its arms extended. Sometimes a fire was built around it. And when it was red hot, even parents would offer to it their own little children. Think of a father, who, picking up his little boy, and, coming as near as he dared to the raging fire, would cast him through the flames into the outstretched arms of the red-hot idol god! Such was the worship of Moloch. How would our boys and girls like to see their baby brothers and sisters treated in that manner? And this is only one form of heathen cruelty in their worship of idols.
Human sacrifices have been common among the heathen nations. They were practiced among

82

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

the Druids of England, among the Mexicans, the Hindus, and the Africans. It is only a few years ago, that the Hindu mothers were throwing their babies into the Ganges as sacrifices; and Hindu women were burned on the funeral piles of their husbands.
Is it "any wonder that the Almighty should abominate Idolatry ? Ought not our boys and girls to thank God for the first two command ments ? But for those God-given words our young people would never have had their pleasant homes. It is just the morality of the Bible, though but little understood, and by thousands not known, that has redeemed our beloved country from the horrors of Idolatry.
But are we in this Christian land in no danger of violating the Second Commandment ? Yes, we are in constant danger. Let me im press this danger upon the min'ds of our young people.
You may not indeed worship a block of wood, or an image of stone or of brass. You may have too much sense to do that. And thus you may keep the law in its literal meaning. . But, my young friends, there is a spiritual meaning in it. You may not worship an image or picture made by the artist; but you may form an image or a picture in your own minds and worship it instead of the true God. You may picture to yourself a

THE SECOND COMMANDMENT.

' 83

scene of pleasure, or a source of gain, or an achievement of ambition. Though such mental pictures may be " vain imaginings," yet they are often as real to the contemplation of the soul, as a marble statue is to the vision of the eye. The mind is often fascinated with them, and before one is aware of it, he finds himself worshiping a mental image of his own creation. And this is spiritual idolatry. Remember, we must not let anything take the place of God in our affec tions.
There is yet another way in which the Second Commandment is violated. There are some peo ple who think that they are wise enough to judge what sort of being God ought to be. They don't like the account which God is said to give of himself. He says: "I am a jealous God, visit ing the iniquities of the fathers upon the chil dren to the third and fourth generation of them that hate me." Now, the people who are wise in their own self-esteem don't like the sentence just quoted. They say that if God visits the iniquities of fathers upon their children, who had no hand in their fathers' sins, he is an unjust God. Then, they say again, if God did com mand the Israelites to kill all the Canaanites-- men, women and children--he must be a cruel God, altogether unworthy of our love or respect. Hence such people reject the God of the Bible,

84

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

and go to work to make a God for themselves. They set up, in their own minds, the image of what they think God ought to be. And this they profess to worship.
In justification of their course, these people proudly appeal to their reason. They say, God has given to us our reason that we may be able to discover truth and form judgments. Therefore, if our reason convinces us that the God whom Moses offers to us was unjust and cruel, we are bound to believe it; and are, therefore, justified in rejecting Him and in looking out for another God.
The argument seems to be fair; but it has one defect which is fatal to it. It overlooks com pletely the fixed and indispensable condition of reason. That condition is, it must know the facts in any given case before it can rightly exercise its powers upon that case. When one undertakes to sit in judgment upon the Almighty, he is far more daring than the soaring eagle, who, above the mountain's highest peak, is gazing at the sun. Yet that stupid bird will comprehend the mystery of the sun sooner than any human being shall fathom the depths of the absolute Being. " Who "by searching can find out God ? " Who shall dare to say to Jehovah:" Why, or what doest thou? " Suppose, then, that God did command the Canaanites to be destroyed. It is only one

THE SECOND COMMANDMENT.

85

instance, out of thousands, of his judicial provi dences. In order that we may be qualified to sit in judgment upon such cases we must know all the facts. These we do not always know; and when we do not know the facts, then our reason is powerless.
Therefore, those people who boast that they are guided by reason are sadly mistaken. They are guided by their feelings. They want a God like themselves, and hence they construct a mental image, and in worshiping it they willfully violate the Second Commandment.
From the foregoing thoughts we may draw the following conclusions, which I hope the boys and girls will commit to memory, in addition to the words of the commandment.

Summary.
1. The Second Commandment forbids us to make for ourselves, any graven image, or likeness of anything whatever, as an object of worship.
2. It may be violated, first, literally, as the heathen do, when they worship the images of their gods. Such worship of literal images is literal idolatry.
3. It may be violated, in the second place, when the image is only in the mind.
4. It may be a scene of pleasure, or a source of gain, or an achievement of ambition, or any

86

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

other fancy or mental picture that you love better than you love God.
5. It may be a mental image of God himself that you have preferred, as more worthy of your love than the God of the Bible. All such worship is spiritual idolatry.

CHAPTER IV.
The Third Commandment.
This commandment reads thus : " Thou shalt not take the NAME of the Lord thy God in vain." Exodus xx. 7.
There is much in a name. It is often an in dication of character. Sometimes it may be used to degrade, and sometimes to honor the one to whom it may be applied. Benedict Arnold made himself infamous, among all true Americans, because he betrayed his country. And now, when some public speaker is exposing the treachery of some false politician, he caps the climax of his invective by calling him a " Bene dict Arnold"
On the other hand, when some great orator is pronouncing" a eulogy upon some great bene factor of his country, he carries his praise to the highest point by calling him the " Washington " of his own generation.
Yes, there .is much in a name. Your father may be poor; but, if he can hand down to you a good name, it is a legacy far richer than dol lars and dimes. Try, my dear young friends, to keep untarnished the good name that your father may leave you. And you can do it, if you will only fill your hearts and minds with
(87)

88

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

Bible morality and regulate your conduct by its teachings.
A man might about as well be dead as have a bad name. And this is just what most men feel. There may be a few exceptions, but they are found only among those lost men and women whose degradation has extinguished their shame.
Most men are very jealous for their good names. All legal proceedings in cases of slan der before our courts, show with what sensi tiveness men feel a reproach upon their names.
If such are the feelings of men, is there any wonder that God should require his creatures to respect and honor his name? It is the most exalted name in all languages. It holds, wrapt up in its deep significance, our conceptions of the Supreme Being. Indeed it is the only point at which our thoughts can touch that great Being. His person we have never seen, his voice we have never heard, his form we have never handled. But he has given to us his name, a name inseparably associated with all our conceptions of the perfections of his nature.
Surely, therefore, we should hallow that name. Yes, we should rejoice that the Almighty has thrown around it the protection of His authority in the terms of the Third Commandment. It was that name that sanctified the Tabernacle and

THE THIRD COMMANDMENT.

89

the Altar; that was inscribed above the mercy seat, in the most holy place of the temple; and it was that name that was the theme of all the doxologies of the Bible, and, it is to-day the object of every pious invocation. No wonder that God should say:
" Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain."
It only remains to tell how this commandment may be violated.
It is often violated in thoughtless levity by the young and. the old/ Some people seem to think that it gives a spicy flavor to their conversation to sprinkle their sentences with the name of God. They do it when the name has no sort of necessary connection with what they are saying. Jt is a mere heedless ejaculation to express some transient emotion of the mind. To express surprise, for instance, one will exclaim,--"great God !" " Good Lord !" etc. To give emphasis to his words, he will utter that awful expletive, " by God !" This is certainly one way of taking the name of God in vain. It indicates an utter want of respect for the Supreme Being. Do, my dear young friends, purify your lips from such useless and disgraceful profanity.
Another way of violating this precept may be explained thus: A man becomes angry with his neighbor, and in order to give intensity to his

go

MANUAL OP BIBLE MORALITY.

expressions of wrath, he utters words of fearful

imprecation against him. His language is a

malicious prayer. I forbear to write his words,

they would pollute my book. You all know

them. He invokes the extreme wrath of the

Almighty upon the head of his enemy to slake

his dire revenge. What must be the state of

one's heart in the utterance of such words ? It

must be hardened against all respect for God and

all compassion or good will for a fellow creature.

It violates the precept in terms hideously pro

fane.

"

<

There is yet one other way in which men may

violate the Third Commandment. And it is far

more serious in its nature and in its consequences

than ejther of those just mentioned.

Some people are guilty of speaking evil of God

himself. They arraign his justice, his mercy,

and his providences. Some boldly say that the

God of the Bible is unworthy of the love or

respect of mankind, and some have gone so far

as to attribute the signs which he wrought to an

unclean spirit. Such profanity as this is distin

guished in the Bible as blasphemy. And it is

worthy of notice that somewhere along this line

is to be found the unpardonable sin. Yes, all

irreverence is a violation of the Third Command

ment. But that irreverence may become so

jntense as to reach its maximum in blasphemy

THE THIRD COMMANDMENT.

gt

against the Holy Ghost, for which there is no forgiveness. In view of these facts we can well understand why the Lord has so faithfully warned us that he " will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain."
Summary.
1. Thou shalt not take the name of the lyOrd thy God in vain.
2. There is much in a name. Sometimes it becomes a title of infamy, as in the case of Bene dict Arnold. But it may be made a title of honor and nobility, as in the case of George Wash ington.
3. A good name is the best legacy a father can leave his children; they, therefore, should not tarnish the good name which their father has left - them.
4. Hence, most men rightly feel great anxiety to protect their names from all reproach.
5. If this be true of men, much more is it true of the Almight}-. Hence, the Third Command ment is just and right. Therefore, God will not hold that man guiltless who takes his name in vain.
6. The command may be violated in several ways:
(i) By heedlessly introducing that Holy Name into light and frivolous conversation. This is one form of profanity.

92

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

(2) By invoking the curse of God upon the soul of another. This is malicious profanity.
(3) By speaking evil of God himself. This is blasphemy, and whoever indulges in such awful words is in danger of committing the unpardonable sin.

CHAPTER V.
The Fourth Commandment.
" Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt do no work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore, the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it." Exodus xx. 9, 10, n.
This commandment, like the three that pre cede it, belongs to the first tablet of the Decaxlogue; for, like them, it demands a service which is due to God only. It gives to us the law of the Sabbath.
The word " Sabbath " is a Hebrew word. It means " rest"--that kind of rest which a man needs after protracted labor. Hence the true idea of a Sabbath day is a rest day. Keep this fact distinctly in your minds. The com mandment is :
" Remember the Sabbath day (the rest "day) to keep it holy." This is the essential require ment of the precept. What follows in the ninth,
(93)

94

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

tenth and eleventh verses, is intended to explain how, and why we should keep it holy. But before we proceed to consider them, it is need ful to explain the word " holy," and show its meaning in this precept.
The word "holy," when applied to God, is used to denote his perfect exemption from any form or degree of evil. It describes him as perfect in purity, in truth, in justice, in right eousness, in mercy and in love. Because he combines in his own nature these lofty virtues, he is often called " The Holy One."
When we call a man holy we mean that " his heart is, in some degree, conformed to the image of God;" and that " his life is regulated by the divine precepts." In this use of the word it evidently denotes a good degree of excel lence in one's moral character.
But the word " holy" is often applied to objects without life or consciousness. We read of holy ground, of holy mountains, of holy vessels, of holy days, and of many other holy things. In all such cases the word " holy" . means that the thing to which it is applied " is set apart, or consecrated to a sacred use, or to the service or worship of God." This is exactly the sense in which the word " holy " is used in the precept before us. It says, " Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy." This means

THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT.

95

that we must set apart the Sabbath, or restday, from all the other days of the week, and consecrate it to the service and. worship of God. This is one way to keep the Sabbath.
This mode of keeping it is in the heart. It is therefore invisible and can be known only to God and to the worshiper himself. However beneficial such a mode of keeping it might have been to the individual, it was manifestly desira ble that it should be celebrated publicly and visibly. The Lord, therefore1 , ordained that the precept should be kept not only in the heart, but also in the outward life. For this purpose he appointed the seventh day after six days of labor a Sabbath, or rest-day, and commanded his people to abstain from all manner of labor on that day--except, as afterwards explained, works of necessity and mercy.
This requirement gave to all the people not only a rest-day from toil, but a convenient oppor tunity for social or public worship. Accord ingly they were required to meet on that day for that purpose. And thus the celebration of the Sabbath became visible and public. In both these ways the Sabbath should be kept--first in the heart, by exercising right affections toward God; and then, in the outward life by resting from labor and by engaging in public worship.

96

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

Why Should We Keep It?
If we believe in God, and if we believe that He has given to us this commandment in the exercise of his rightful authority over us, then we should feel a moral obligation to render to it a willing and cheerful obedience. With every right-minded man this ought to be a sufficient reason why he should keep it holy.
Another reason why we should make the seventh day after six days of labor a rest-day, devoted to the service and worship of God, is given to us by the Lord himself. It is that we may hold the Sabbath, or rest-day, as a perpetual memorial of God and of his creative work. " For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day. Wherefore, the Lord blessed the sabbatli day and hallowed it." This is surely a good reason why it should be kept holy and consecrated to the worship of God. All men feel a natural desire to celebrate, in some way, important events. In accordance with this feeling, nations have often established public holidays in honor of their great men, and in memory of their great achievements. If it be right thus to honor our fellow men, because they have done some great work for the public good, how much more should we honor God, who is the giver of every good and perfect

THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT.

97

gift, the author of our being and the Father of our spirits? And this we can do if we will truly remember the great rest-day which he has ordained, and keep it according to his direction.
There is yet another reason why we should keep this commandment. It is because of its great beneficence. Its benefits are numerous. Think how many millions of people are closely employed at work from ten to fourteen, and sometimes sixteen hours a day! It was to al leviate this fearful strain upon brain and muscles that the command was given. The Lord was not selfish when He blessed the seventh day and set it apart as a memorial of His own great work and for the glory of His own great Name; but He intended that the day which he had blessed should be a blessing to the toiling millions of earth, from the king on his throne down to the scavenger and the shoe black. It was to this end that the Lord ordained a suspension of all labor as the mode of cele brating the day as a memorial of himself.
And as a mere rest-day what a blessing would it be to all classes of laborers if it were only faithfully and universally observed. Just think for a moment. Suppose that in this great country of ours all manner of productive -or remunerative work, except works of necessity and mercy, were universally suspended on any
7

98

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

appointed day of the week. The effect would be to give all employes, except such as might be needed in works of necessity and mercy, a day of complete rest after six days of labor. The benefits of such a rest are manifold-
First, it would greatly promote the health of our people. This is admitted by our most learned physicians. They tell us that con tinued labor, with no seasons of rest, except a few hours at night, will wear out almost any constitution in comparatively a very short time. The effect upon the body is to bring on premature old age and an early death, while the effect upon the mind- is often hurtful and may produce insanity in some of its forms. The abatement of these evils is greatly to be desired, and the right observance of the rest-day is one important safeguard against them.
In the next place its moral advantages are of surpassing value. This precept has two sides to it. Its first requirement is to keep it holy. I have already told you that this means to set it apart from all other days and to con secrate it to the service and worship of God.
This is the moral and invisible side of the precept, and it has its place in the heart. But to keep it this way requires leisure and rest from daily toil. This is the outward and visible side of the precept, and has its place in ones

THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT.

99

outward life. Now, if the Sabbath were rightly kept, what a blessing it would be? There are thousands of good people in this land of ours who do feel that the Sabbath is to them the sweetest day of all the seven. They find in it not only rest from the stern engagements of business, but also spiritual communion with the God whom they delight to worship. And thus it affords to the pious man an opportunity to cultivate right affections toward God, and to find in the indulgence of those affections the highest happiness that he can possibly know this side of heaven.
But the moral advantages of keeping this precept are not limited Jx> pious people. Wher ever it is faithfully kept it exerts a wholesome influence over all classes of men and women.
Even those who make no profession of piety, if they are in the habit of suspending all their usual business on the Sabbath, and of attending the house of God, are almost sure to feel them selves restrained from gross vices and crimes. Such people are not likely to become thieves or cut-throats. No indeed ! they may be safely counted among our upright and law-abiding citizens. Such are the moral advantages of keeping the Sabbath day.
Influenced by the foregoing reasons, our State legislatures have enacted laws designed to pro-

TOO

MANUAL OP BIBLE MORAUTY.

tect from violation the day which a great majority of religious people had already set apart as a day of public worship, by making it a day of universal rest from labor. This fact affords another reason why it should be kept. For obedience to the laws of our country is a part of Bible morality.
It may be proper to let you know that there are some points in this precept upon which our people are not entirely agreed among them selves. These I have omitted to notice, my aim being to present only those points upon which all parties are agreed.
Summary.

r. The precept belongs to the first table of the law, and demands a service due to God only.
2. Sabbath means rest; the Sabbath day, there fore, is a rest-day.
3. To keep it holy means that we must set it apart, from all other days of the week and consecrate it to the honor and to the service of God.
4. This mode of keeping it is in the heart, and implies the exercise of right affections toward God, and therefore may be known only to God and to the worshiper himself. . ...5. To make the keeping of it manifest to all observers, .the Lord appointed the seventh day

THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT.

101

after six days of work to be the rest day; on which day he required the people to suspend all manner of labor, except, as afterwards explained, works of necessity and mercy.
6. Why the precept should be kept: (1) Because it is God's will. (2) Because it is a memorial of God's crea
tive work. (3) Because of its benefits to our health and
life. (4) Because of its moral advantages. (5) Because it is the law of the State.

CHAPTER VI.
The Fifth Commandment.
" Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." Exodus xx. 12.
At this commandment we reach the second table of the law. At this point the Divine Lawgiver begins to unfold our duties toward our fellow men. And it is worthy of notice that the first precept under this head is addressed to children, teaching them how they should treat their parents. The range of the precept is, therefore, limited to the family circle.
It was evidentl}'. God's original design that mankind should be separated into family groups --each made up of its united head of husband and wife, and of their offspring. To this end he established the institution of marriage. And it was ordained that a man should " leave his father and mother and cleave unto his wife," tfcat he might gather around him a family of his own. Hence it is manifest that the family group is the natural and basal unit of human society, and the very birthplace of social moral ity. All these facts show that it was wise and suitable that the first law of social morality should have been given to the household.
(ioa)

THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT.

103

In explaining the precept I would first say a word about parents. It is very important for children to know the grave responsibilities which so tender a relation imposes.
While the precept is addressed to children, it confers rank and authority upon parents. It places the parent virtually upon a throne, with a sceptre in the right hand and a crown upon the head. True, the domain is small; neverthe less, the throne and sceptre and crown are not without glory, because they are God-given.
Parents are sovereigns, of whom it can be truly said,' that they reign as kings and queens " by the grace of God;" for their rank and authority rest upon the constitution of the family, of which God is the original and efficient founder.
I have not overstated the dignity of parental . government, or, as it is often called, of domestic government; for its authority is God-given, and therefore legitimate. Moreover, the fundamental element of its constitution is an instinctive and unselfish love that seeks only the highest wellbeing of its subjects. And this domestic govern ment is, in fact, the germ, and ought to be the model, of all earthly governments.
That this government should be wisely and lovingly, but firmly, administered, is the respon sibility that God imposed upon parents. But he has not left them to grapple with this great

ro4

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

duty without help. In the Fifth Commandment God speaks, in their behalf, to their children. He commands children to " honor " their parents; whereby he ratifies, by his own sovereignty, the right and authority of the parent. And he woos the child to obedience by a. sweet and precious promise of a long life in the land of his fathers. With this precept, faithfully pressed upon the hearts of their children, parents may hope, by the aid of Divine grace, to meet successfully their great responsibilities in domestic govern ment.
It is now time to turn to our young people. If you, my dear friends, have carefully read the foregoing paragraphs, I think you have already found some good reasons why you should honor your father and your mother. But it is needful to explain the precept for you more fully.
You are commanded to Jionor your father and your mother. What does this mean ? The word " honor," when used as a verb, means " to respect, or to revere, to treat with deference and submis sion, and to manifest these feelings in words and actions."
This is nearly Webster's definition. In the sense here explained we may honor any one whom we deem worthy to be honored, without re gard to any kindred relation to him. The defini tion, therefore, does not express exactly all that is

THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT.

105

required of children toward their parents by the Fifth Commandment. The definition omits to mention love as one of the affections that is often due to those whom we propose to honor. In the case of children, especially, love must be a part of the honor which they would render to their parents. To honor your father and your mother, you must first of all love them.
Let us consider some of the reasons why you should love your parents. Well, you should love them first of all because God commands you to honor them, and to love them is one way to honor them.
In the second place you should love them, because they first loved you. When you were a wee little baby, they loved you. I don't know which loved you best, your father or your mother. She was, of necessity, more constantly with you during your early childhood; but while your father was away attending to his business, he never forgot you. And when he came in the evening from his work, how gladly would he take you from your mother's arms and enjoy the luxury of caressing his little darling! During the day, your mother, with watchful care, attended to your wants; and at night she rocked your cradle, and humming some simple tune lulled you to sleep. And thus your parents through all your lives have

io6

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

continued to love you as no other human being will ever do. For all this love, surely you ought to honor them with your love, because they first loved you.
Another mode of honoring your parents is by rendering to them a ready, a cheerful, a willing, submission to their authority. This means that you should obey them. And this is the very essence of the commandment. The Bible often assumes and teaches the obligation of children to obey their parents. It is a part of Bible morality, and a very important part.
I have already explained why children should love their parents. Let me now explain why they should obey their parents.
Children should obey their parents, first, be cause God has, in the very structure of the family, given to their parents authority over them. This fact alone ought to be a sufficient reason, and ought to control every human con science. It was shown in a former chapter that God has established over men a moral govern ment. I now propose to show that we find in the nursery the very earliest manifestation of that government.
Little children are not competent to compre hend the obligation imposed upon them by the first table of the law. Its theology is too deep for their young minds. Hence they fail to

THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT.

167

understand its prohibitions and its requirements. They need a practical--an experimental--illus tration of what is meant by authority, by law, and by obedience.
Now, it is in the family where such an illus tration is found, and where the ideas of author ity, of law, and of obedience are first developed. It is in the family that children, perhaps, con trary to their first impressions, learn that they are not entirely free to do as they please. They find out, in a well regulated household, that they are subject to an authority which they can not safely resist, and in the presence of a will paramount to their own, whose mandates they are bound to obey. And, though they may not be able to describe their condition in words, they really discover that they are under a gov- ernment whose design is to regulate their con duct toward their parents and toward all others with whom they are associated.
In submission to this domestic government, children receive their very first impressions of right and wrong in human conduct. It is here that the moral faculty first comes into action. It is here that the "moral sense" first learns to approve the right and to condemn the wrong, and it is here that the conscience feels its first throb of conviction for sin.
It was therefore abundantly proper that God

io8

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

should select the family circle as the place where he would lay down the first precept of social morality. Hence, it is in the family, as already stated, that we find the earliest manifestation of God's moral government.
It is now time to notice the advantages of obedience to this precept.
In the first place, children who honor their parents by willing submission to their authority insure their own safety. Little children are ignorant of the many dangers that threaten their health, their comfort, and their lives. And it is well-known that parents often exercise their authority to protect their children from these, to them, unknown dangers.
But the dangers just alluded to are such as affect only the body. There are other and greater dangers than these,--dangers that threaten not the body only, but the good name, the character, the social standing, and the future success of young people. To guard their chil dren against these moral dangers, parents feel the most intense desire. And to this end they would fain exert all the authority that God has given them. But of what avail is that authority if it be not honored by a cheerful and willing obedience? How many thousands of young people have come to ruin and disgrace, simply because they set at naught the loving counsels

THE FIIJTH COMMANDMENT.

109

of their parents ? And how easily they might have escaped their degradation and their shame, by simply obeying the Fifth Cominandment ? By doing so they would have insured their safety.
But obedience secures not only your safety, but your well-being in life. An inspired writer has said: "Children, obey your parents, in the Lord. Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth." Eph. vi. i, 2, 3. These few words tell the whole story. And I verily believe that, as a general rule, those who have truly honored their father and mother are among the happiest people on this earth.
Summary. 1. " Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." 2. This precept is limited to the family circle, and teaches children how they should treat their parents. 3. God has made the family the basal unit of human society and the birthplace of social morality. 4. While the precept is addressed to children, it confers rank and authority upon parents, by constituting them to be the legitimate rulers of the household.

no

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

5. Great is the dignity of this parental, or domestic government; for its authority is Godgiven, and therefore must be, in the highest sense, legitimate.
6. But it imposes upon parents a grave respon sibility. They are bound to administer it wisely, lovingly, and firmly.
7. To aid them in meeting this responsibility, God has addressed the Fifth Commandment .to their children, requiring them to " honor their father and their mother," and thus ratifies, by his own sovereignty, the authority of parents to rule their own children.
8. Children are, therefore, bound to honor their parents. This requires:
(1) That children should never grieve or offend their parents either by " words or by actions."
(2) That they should love their parents with an earnest, sincere, and grateful love.
(3) That thej7 should render to their parents a cheerful, willing, and prompt obedience. 9. This commandment gives a most gracious promise of a prosperous and long life upon the earth to all who faithfully obey it.

CHAPTER VII.
The Sixth Commandment.
"Thou shalt not kill." Exodus xx. 13. In explaining this precept, the first thing to do is to ascertain its limitations. According to its terms, it could be understood to prohibit all man ner of killing whatsoever. But this cannot be its.intention; for the Bible, which is its own in terpreter, clearly teaches that it is, under some circumstances, lawful and right to take a man's life. This is true in cases of justifiable wars. The Bible does recognize that wars are sometimes justifiable; and, if so, the precept was not in tended to prohibit killing in such cases. Again, the Bible everywhere recognizes the right of magistrates and legal officials to put to death those found guilty of capital crimes. Hence the precept was not intended to prohibit capital punishment by legal authority. In the third place it may happen that one may justly take the life of an assailant in a case of genuine self-defence. Having discovered these three possible cases of justifiable homicide, which the precept was not intended to prohibit, it remains to consider what it does prohibit. Notice first the design of the commandment,
(in)

"2

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

It was clearly designed to protect the life of every individual, against the vengeance and the violence of his fellow men. The wisdom and mercy of this design cannot be questioned. Human nature, being what it is, were all men allowed to avenge their own grievances, real or imaginary, there would be no peace or safety in human society; violence would threaten every household, and the earth would be baptized in blood.
To prevent such awful horrors, and to make peace and goodwill possible in human society, the Divine Lawgiver has wisely taken from every man the right to avenge the wrongs which he may suffer at the hands of his fellow men. And he has done this in the terms of the Sixth Commandment, "Thou shalt not kill."
To understand its extent and scope, let us re call the fact stated in our- preliminary chapter, that the affections of the soul are the motive powers that lead to all human activities, whether good or bad.
Of these affections there are two classes, viz.: The benevolent and the malevolent affections.
At the head of the first class is love. Love has its cognate affections. When God is its ob ject, it has associated with it such feelings as trust, gratitude, reverence, veneration, adoration, and submission to his will, all tending to excite

THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT.

113

a desire to glorify his name and to obey his com mandments.
When love has man for its object we find it associated with such feelings as friendship, gen erosity, compassion, and mercy--all tending to excite a desire to promote the well-being of our fellow creatures. And right here we find the plate for the "golden rule," "Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so unto them."
At the head of the second class, that is, of the malevolent affections, is hatred and malice. When God is its object--but, hold! is God ever the object of human hatred?
I know that many thousands of people do not believe it. Amidst all their immoralities and vices they have the hardihood to claim that 1 they actually love God. Yes, they will grow eloquent in praise of the "fatherhood of God." But when we come to understand them, we dis cover that they are loving a God of their own making: a God, like themselves, too weak and too vacillating to inflict upon his creatures the just penalties due to their transgressions. But the Bible is against them. Its Jehovah says of himself: "I am a jealous God, visiting the in iquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate me." Then, there are those who -hate the only

ii4

MAKUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

living and true God--the God of the Bible. The

enemies of God are conspicuous on the pages of

that sacred book; and its final judgment on the

case is, that "the carnal mind is enmity against

God." Therefore it is possible for human hatred

to have God for its object.

I return now to the topic just reached before

this digression.

*

If God is the object of hatred, it is sure to

be associated with various degrees and modes of

unbelief, leading to every form of profanity and

of blasphemy, and to all kinds of practical in

difference to His authority.

If man is the object of hatred, then it is as

sociated with feelings of envy, of anger, and of

resentment,--all tending to excite him who is

exercised thereby, to deeds of cruelty and re

venge, and finally of murder. Such is the power

and effect of these malignant affections. The

murder, is only the visible expression of their

diabolical nature. They are, in fact, the actual

criminals in the case.

We are now better prepared, in the light of

the foregoing facts, to understand the scope of

the Sixth Commandment. It must be under

stood to forbid, not only the outward act of

killing, but to forbid, also, all those bad, or malig

nant, affections which would lead to it. Our

young people ought to be made to understand,

THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT.

"5

that they can be guilty of murder in their hearts, even when they inflict no personal injury upon another. This is clearly the teaching of the Sermon on the Mount; and it is corroborated by the Apostle John, who says: " Whosoever hateth his brother (that is, his fellow man) is a murderer."
Moreover, we are commanded to love our en emies, and in no case to avenge ourselves; " but rather give place unto wrath; . . . there fore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink. ... Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."
Such are the teachings of Bible morality on the subject of murder. But these are not its only teachings. There are other affections that properly belong to the class of malevolent affec tions which sometimes lead to homicide; but because they lead directly to other malignant crimes, and only incidentally to homicide, they can be more appropriately considered in suc ceeding chapters. I allude to selfishness, lust, and covetousness. For the present it is enough to say that they are also forbidden by the Sixth Commandment, as well as by those that follow.
But we have not yet reached the end of this commandment. We have seen that it forbids, not only the outward act of killing, but also

n6

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

those vile affections whose natural tendency is to lead to it. Upon the same principle the pre cept must be understood to forbid whatever, in our sports or in our business, would endanger human life. Many examples might be given to illustrate the necessity of such a prohibition.
Take one case that has often occurred. A schoolboy is playing with a pistol. Believing it to be empty, he snaps it, in mere sport, at his comrade, or it may be at his sweetheart, and finds too late, that the pistol was loaded, and there lies his victim weltering in blood.
Now, we all would sincerely pity the unfor tunate homicide in the case above supposed; but could we excuse him ? He knew the law, "Thou shalt not kill." And he knew, also, that if the pistol should happen to be loaded he would in all probability take the life of his friend. With this knowledge it was surely his moral duty to examine his pistol carefully be fore he began his sport. Now, we can't excuse him.
Take another case from the realm of busi ness. A contractor engages, for a stipulated price, to build a house. He proceeds with his job, completes the house and receives his pay. But after a year or two the walls collapse, the house falls and some of the inmates are killed. There was no earthquake, no cyclone, all nature

THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT.

n?

was quiet and still. The house fell because it was badly built. For such a catastrophe surely the contractor should be held responsible. His fault may have been nothing worse than mere carelessness. The schoolboy carelessly neglected to examine his pistol and killed his comrade as the result of his negligence. So the con tractor, with equal carelessness, accepted unfit material for his job, or employed unskilled work men, and the result was the death of one or more persons.
Our daily papers are filled with such casual ties as those above mentioned. And in nearly every case somebody is to blame for the sad results which follow. It may be that there are a few cases of killing that are truly accidental, for which nobody is to blame; but I verily "believe they are very few. It may be a very easy matter for skillful lawyers to persuade a petit jury, in a certain case, that the killing was accidental, and the culprit may be set at liberty ; but every one should bear in mind that there is above all earthly courts another tri bunal which cannot be deceived. He who sits upon that throne of judgment will hold the manslayer accountable exactly according to his deserts. Human life is too precious to be trifled with. When God said " Thou shalt not kill," he intended to protect it against, not only

n8

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

human malice atid violence, but also against human levity and carelessness.
Finally, it is worthy of notice that it is just at the Sixth Commandment that the criminal laws of our country begin to harmonize with the morality of the Bible. They virtually pro claim the righteousness of the divine precept, and lend their aid to enforce obedience to its requirements, and with identically the same end in view; viz., to protect humau life against human violence and carelessness.
Summary. 1. "Thou shaltnot kill." 2. (i) This precept was not intended to forbid killing in justifiable wars.
(2) It does not forbid the execution of a criminal when condemned by a court having legal jurisdiction in the case.
(3) It does not forbid killing in cases of genuine defence of one's own life or the life of those who depend on him for protection. 3. The design of the precept is to protect the life of the individual against the violence of his neighbor.
(1) The violence may be the result of hatred, or a thirst for vengeance; then the kill ing is murder.
(2) The violence may be the result of mere thoughtless sport, or of a practical joke, de-

THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT.

119

signed only to tease somebody, as in the case of the boy who snaps a pistol at his friend, sup posing it to be empty. If it proves to be loaded and he kills his friend, he is justly account able both to God and to man for his culpable carelessness.
(3) The violence may be the result of un faithfulness of contractors or of operatives in the various avocations of business. If death is . the result, they are also accountable to God and to man for the killing.

CHAPTER VIII.

The Seventh Commandment.

" Thou shalt not commit adultery." Exodus xx. 14.
I confess to some embarrassment in approach

ing this precept. I know there is a very strong

and almost universal sentiment opposed to its

public discussion. The subject of which it treats

is hidden out of sight in the secret chamber of the heart, while the established conventionalities

of social life have put an interdict upon any

allusions to it whatever.

So it has come to pass that this subject is almost excluded from the- pulpit. It is perhaps

never mentioned in the Sunday* school and

scarcely ever torched in the family circle.

One apology for this silence seems to be the

impression that it will promote the growth and development of a sensitive modesty in young

people, which will more effectually protect their

innocence than a faithful discussion of the sub

ject would be likely to do. It is urged, in

support of this opinion, that ignorance is some

times a better safeguard against a moral evil

than knowledge would be.

But there is in all such reasoning one fatal

mistake. Those who reason thus overlook the

(120)

*

THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT.

121

fact that while our moral instructors are silent, our young people are not left in ignorance. At a very early age they learn from outside sources all they desire to know. True, they do not learn from these outside sources anything about the seventh precept of the Decalogue,--oh no, they have no use for that,--but they do learn, with fatal effect, all the attractions and fascina tions of sensual pleasure. And while they are reveling in their vile imaginations, their hope ful parents, wrapt in their silent modesty, vainly think that their boys are as innocent as turtle doves.
In view of the foregoing facts it seems evident that a manual of Bible morality should not ignore the precept now before us. Let us then consider, in the first place,

The Design of the Precept.
Its primary design is to protect the purity of the household.
We have already seen how it pleased our great Father in Heaven that human beings should dwell together in families. It was he who estab lished the institution of marriage, who fixed its relations, and who ordained its obligations. It was God himself who performed the first mar riage ceremony ever celebrated on the globe, and then gave to the happy pair his divine

i22

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

benediction in such terms as to insure for themselves " a pure and happy home," as well as the accomplishment of a far higher purpose in the multiplication and continuance of the human race.
We can therefore readily understand that God should regard the family, as he constituted it, with special favor and with loving interest. Indeed he has allowed it to be left with man as one remnant of the Paradise that was lost.
Was it not, then, an act of unspeakable mercy that the Almighty Father should throw over the household the protection of his infinite authority ? This he has done in the precept before us. It was no arbitrary mandate. It was prompted by love, contrived in wisdom, and ordained for the highest well-being, in the present life, of all mankind.
Consider for a moment the awful consequences that follow the violation of the precept. Let the sanctity of wedlock be outraged, or the purity of sons and daughters be defiled, and we can scarcely find on earth a deeper pit of misery than is found in such a household. It is a misery that often leads to murder, to insanity, and to suicide.
The guilty parties, it is true, may sometimes escape these fearful results by a close conceal ment of their guilt. And while the concealment

THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT.

123

is safely maintained the family may present, outwardly, a pleasant aspect. But the secret is never safe. The family is resting upon a hidden volcano which may, at any moment, pour out its burning lava.
Again, this sin is often attended with 'a natural penalty--a loathsome and destructive disease. The licentious are always exposed to its infec tion. Some may be fortunate enough to escape this dreadful malady, but its prevalence is suffi cient to make it a warning and a terror to the transgressor.
Well may it be a terror, for its fearful ravages often leave in the system, even when it seems to be cured, lurking effects that are never eradicated, which often end in prema ture death, and sometimes are transmitted by "heredity to innocent offspring, who thus are made the victims of a father's sins.
There is yet another consequence that often attends the violation of this precept. Its tendency is to harden the human heart and thus to lead to deeper and deeper debasement of character. The debauchee must often affect the virtue which he knows he does not possess. To do this he must consent, rather than lose his respectability, to play the hypocrite and the liar.
This hardening process goes on until the heart, frozen into unpitying selfishness, can look with-

124

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

out remorse upon the victim of his unbridled lust. No wonder the poet should ask:
" Where shall the traitor rest, He, the deceiver,
Who could win maiden's breast, Rain, and leave her."
Oh, can there be outside of hell a devil that can match in infamy the vile, the cruel, the selfish seducer?
Let our young people consider, such is the abyss of depravity and guilt, to which the sin against the Seventh Commandment is progres sively and fatally leading them.
It is now time to consider how to escape this deep sin, and thus avoid its awful consequences.
Solomon, speaking to the young, says: " Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."
And a greater than Solomon has said : " Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts." And in the Sermon on the Mount it is shown that, by indulging these evil thoughts, the sin may be committed in the heart, even when there is no outward transgression.
If, therefore, you would be pure, you must avoid all impure thoughts. To do this effec tually you must avoid, as you would the bite of a snake, the impure conversation of wicked companions. Their words are like the song of

THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT.

125

the Syren. They may seem to you melodious and charming, but they excite only to entice, and allure only to destroy. One avenue to the heart is through your ears. If, therefore, you would keep your hearts with all diligence you must listen to no unholy words. They are freighted with a moral miasma far more deadly than the malaria that is exhaled from the stag nant waters of the tropics.
Again, if you would be pure, you must avoid looking upon impure objects. Man is by nature endowed with the love of the beautiful. And when its objects are exempt from all association with moral evil, then its indulgence is not only harmless, but also elevating; and often affords to the soul much pure and refined enjoyment.
But unfortunately there are many objects that are directly and closely associated with moral evil. Such are impure pictures and stat uary, and impure scenic representations that disgrace the stage, and impure stories that fill the pages of a vicious literature. All these pour into the soul, through the eye, a turbid stream of moral pollution.
Ypung people cannot be too cautious as to what they should listen to, and what they should look at. There are men, both in art and litera ture, who prostitute their genius for mere pay to the production of works that are intensely

iz6

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

corrupting and vicious. They fall upon society, numerous as the leaves of autumn when the north wind blows; and they fill the moral atmosphere with a poison at whose touch modesty fades and virtue dies.
K examples were in order, any number might be cited to illustrate all that has been said ; but the recital would give us only tales of woe. Let us drop the curtain upon the scenes which such sad facts would reveal, and consider rather what might be if the precept were faithfully obeyed.
Remember, no commandment of God was ever intended to abridge our happiness. On the con trary, all his requirements are designed to make his creatures happy. This is eminently true of the precept now under discussion. When faith fully obeyed, it elevates and ennobles the charac ter of him who obeys it.
It may be well just here to say, for the benefit of j'oung people, that there is a difference between reputation and character. Character expresses what a man is in himself. Reputation denotes the estimation in which a man is held by other people. This distinction is very important, though it is often overlooked by both speakers and writers. One may be a bad man, and yet so conceal his wickedness that he may establish a good reputation. But this will not make him

THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT.

127

happy. All it can do is to save him from scorn t and sometimes from punishment.
But when a good reputation is based upon a good character---upon what the man is in his conformity to moral laws--then there is opened before him a pathway to honor and to happiness. Whatever then tends to strengthen, to elevate, to purify character, tends also to promote our highest well-being. And this, obedience to the Seventh Commandment most effectually accom plishes.
To emphasize this conclusion let us notice that the violation of the precept is a secret vice. Though it is sometimes exposed, to the shame and disgrace of the guilty parties, j^et it was committed in secret with the intention and hope that it should never be known. Hence it be comes inevitable that obedience to the precept is a secret virtue. One may be indeed chaste, but who knows it besides himself? When we see a man adorned with other virtues that we can see, we may hopefully infer that he is also chaste; but wide observation proves that the inference is often false. Nevertheless, we rejoice to believe, with full assurance of faith, that there are thousands around us who are truly chaste.
And whatever uncertainty may hang over the question of one's chastity, there is a secret com-

1^3

MANUAL OP BIBLE MORALITY.

pensation for it in the fact that God knows it. If he truly desires, and is earnestly trying to ren der obedience to the divine requirement, he comes in touch with God in submission to his will. Here the seeker finds a sympathy and support which,, from the very nature of the case, he could not find in the world around him. By this holy communion with God he can overcome the evils of his nature and attain to " glory and virtue." And this means a lofty elevation of character, replete with happiness.
Much more might be said to illustrate the glory of obedience to the seventh precept. But I must leave to parents and to teachers the work of amplification and of illustration. I trust the foregoing thoughts will afford them some useful suggestions in performing their very important duties.
This is about as much as I can attempt with out making the little book too large to be use ful. I close this chapter as usual with the
Summary to be committed to memory.
1. The Seventh Commandment. 2. The primary design of the precept is to protect the purity of the household--of parents and of their children--and through them to in sure the purity of society through all its grades from the highest to the lowest.

THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT.
3. The violation of the precept leads to shame, to degradation, to murder, to insanity and to suicide. Therefore the prohibition imposed by the precept is an expression of the mercy, the grace, and the far-reaching love of the Divine Lawgiver for the subjects of his moral govern ment.
4. Obedience to the precept leads to honor, to elevation of character, to peace at home and throughout society, and to a very great degree of individual and of social happiness.

CHAPTER IX.
Eighth Commandment.
" Thou shalt not steal." Exodus xx. 15. The Rights of Property.
Every human being feels, instinctively, that he has an exclusive right to the products of his own skill and labor; and that he has the right to acquire, to use, and to enjoy these products, according to his own pleasure, so long as he does not infringe upon the rights of others.
All history proves that this sentiment is uni versal among men, and has been recognized as a fundamental element in- the structure of every grade of human society. So great has been the estimate which men have placed upon the rights of property, that much the largest part of all human legislation has been to define, to regulate, and to protect them. Hence it is not surprising that we find in the Decalogue--that wonderful summary of human duty--the prohibition of the Eighth Commandment.
The Design of the Precept.
In view of the facts above stated, it is easy to see that its design was to protect every indi vidual in the peaceful and secure possession, use, and enjoyment of his own property against the
(130)

THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT.

13 *

selfishness, the injustice, and the violence of his fellow men. To this end it clearly recognizes and virtually affirms the equity and the validity of the rights of property. It renders those rights most sacred by giving to them the sanction of the Almighty, and by placing them under the protection of his infinite sovereignty. Thus they are lifted far above the plane of mere social or political conveniences up to the plane of moral obligation. And this was done that they might be more effectually protected.
He who violates the precept knowingly and intentionally is guilty of a crime against society and a most grievous sin against God, and becomes at once amenable to the righteous judgment of both. The transgressor may possibly escape, by concealment or by flight, the justice of the State; but he cannot escape the justice of God. He may rest assured that, sooner or later, his " sin will find him out."

The Extent of the Precept.
David, in one of his sacred songs addressed to the Almighty, says: " Thy commandment is exceeding broad." This is especially true of the precept before us : " Thou shaft not steal." Here are only four words, but they mean a great deal. They mean that thou shalt not, in any way whatever, take thy neighbor's goods without his

i32

MANUAI, OF BIBLE MORALITY.

knowledge and free consent. To do so is to

steal.

Modes of Stealing.

A man may, in the day time, enter his neigh

bor's house, stealthily and unobserved, and take

away with him such valuables as he is able to

carry. This is called, in legal phraseology, lar

ceny (which means stealing) from the house. If

he enters the house by night, by breaking through

a door or window, or even by lifting a latch, with

the intention of stealing, and carries off with

him any portion of goods, he adds to the crime

of stealing the crime of breaking into the house,

which our courts call burglary. This is a more

wicked crime than simple theft; because, the

burglar is always supposed to be, and generally

is, armed, and is ready to shed innocent blood, if

found necessary to accomplish his purpose, or to

effect his escape. He is therefore in heart a

murderer as well as a thief. That we may judge

more fully the deep guilt of the burglar, let us

notice the scene of his wickedness.

The time is not far from midnight. The

house is shut up. The inmates are asleep.

Such is the situation. Look at it. Is there

on this earth a condition in which a family can

be placed that more truly demands their pro

tection than this? They need protection, be

cause they are, under the circumstances, not

THB EIGHTH COMMANDMENT.

*33

able to protect themselves; and because it is their right to enjoy, in peace and safety, their home and their property. But the spoiler comes. He has no care for human rights, no regard for human life. He craves money as the hyena craves blood. Impelled by the hell-born lust, he forces an entrance into the house, creeps from chamber to chamber, and, without a throb of pity, murders the inmates! Then, at his leisure, gathers up what treasure he can find and makes his escape I
Such is the burglar. I have not overdrawn his character. It has been verified to the letter in thousands of cases. It is important that our young people, while preparing in the schools for the responsibilities and temptations of ma tured life, should be made to know the deep "damnation to which the habit of early pilfering. may lead.
Other nodes of Stealing.
Among these we find such as are practiced by the pickpocket, the highway robber, and the car wreckers. The crime in these cases in volves what is called stealing from the person. The pickpocket may intend nothing more than theft. He may have no idea of shedding blood. But the highway robber and the train robbers kill if they cannot effect their purpose without it. Like the burglar they are murderers in

134 -

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY

heart, and deserve with them the deepest repro bation and abhorrence.
In this connection I would call the attention of our young people to a mode of stealing which is often looked upon with very little concern Schoolboys, and even young' men in college, sometimes make raids upon orchards, potato and watermelon patches, and sometimes upon bee gums and even upon poultry yards. They may pei-haps do these things for mere sport and laugh over them as good practical jokes. But a moment's thought should be sufficient to con vince them that, in all these cases, they are selfish^' trespassing upon the rights of another. The amouuts taken may be of small value; but the owner's rights are violated. The act is a theft, and the moral law is broken. A dozen peaches may be worth a dime. Why should it be considered a serious offence to steal a dime, bvit only au innocent sport to steal its full value in peaches? The moral quality of the two actions surely is identical. I do not mean that there are rio exceptional cases. I believe there may be such ; but the raids of schoolboys upon their neighbors' premises do not belong to those excepted cases. Such raids, as I have described above, are modes of stealing. You can make nothing else of them.
Against these " petit larcenies," our youth

THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT.

135

ought to be most carefully guarded. They may begin among little boys and girls. Even in the home circle children will purloin thread,"pins, or needles from mother's work-basket; or they will invade the pantry in search of nuts and sweetmeats, hoping that mother will not " miss the little that they take." Then at school children will sometimes steal each other's toys, pencils, pens, and even knives.
Now it is just in the midst of such trifles as above mentioned that the seed of dishonesty is dropped into the character of many a youth. Right at this point deterioration of character begins if no care is taken to prevent it. That seed of dishonesty, if not plucked out in time, will surely germinate and bring forth its dread ful fruit. And yet, strange to say, some parents 'will pass by these thievish peccadilloes of their children with scarcely a remonstrance, and teachers seldom allude to such offences.
I wish I could make our young people com prehend what is meant by degradation of char acter. All sins lead to it; and the sin of thieving as surely as any other. The habit may begin by stealing at first only things of little value; but it grows stronger by indulgence. Its effect is to gradually weaken one's " moral sense," and thus to harden his heart. His thefts become more frequent and he seeks more valuable spoils.

136

MANUAL OP BIBLE MORALITY.

He loses his respect for public opinion. His social feelings become perverted. He seeks not the companionship of the wise and good, but his fellowship is with the depraved and vicious. Thus he goes on and on to greater deeds of villainy, till at last he is plunged into shame and ruin.
It remains to notice some modes of stealing that are found
Along the Walks of Business.
I approach this topic believing, perhaps, it is the most important of any topic yet consid ered ; for in the great world of business, men are obliged to trust one another. Without mutual confidence among men, the business of the world would be impossible. But without honesty there could be no confidence, and there fore no co-operative labor of any kind; and our civilization would be swept away.
But it is a matter of rejoicing that there is a very great degree of honesty in business life. Hence there is a great deal of confidence, so that business of all kinds is carried on with wonderful success.
But I am sorry to be obliged to notice that much of the honesty which is found in business circles is not real. It is often only apparent. Men have found out, as they believe, that "hon esty is the best policy." This old adage is

THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT.

*37

often given to the young as a motive for fair dealings; but there is a dangerous fallacy involved in it. It suggests to many minds only this: that our temporal interests are best pro moted by honesty.
This at once degrades honesty to a popular and genteel mode of sheer selfishness. Admit that true honesty is often rewarded with success and prosperity; yet it has an excellence--a virtue of its own, that is far above and indepen dent of its results. It is not a policy but a duty. It is founded upon the principles of eternal rec titude, and its most perfect expression is the "Golden Rule,"--"Do unto others as thou wouldst have them do unto thee." Hence the truly honest man is he who dares to do right and who abides the consequences.
Now, it is to be lamented that the kind of honesty above explained is not universal in business circles. We find various modes of stealing' among them. And it is against these that young people should be faithfully warned. These young people, when they are grown, expect to engage in some kind of business. Some may become clerks. In this vocation they often have the opportunity and tefliptatiou to steal. They may filch small change from the till of their employers. Or they may make false entries in their cash accounts, so that they can

138

MANUAL OP BIBLE MORALITY.

appropriate to themselves the surplus. In either case the clerk is a thief.
But clerks are sometimes safely trusted. They seem to be honest; and after a while become merchants themselves. Here, however, they find greater, opportunities and stronger temptations to steal. And it is sad to find that some yield to the temptations that assail them. They misrepre sent the quality or the market value of their goods, in order to obtain a higher profit than would be fair and just. This is cheating, and cheating is stealing.
In conclusion, on this subject, I must add that Bible morality demands that the thief, in order to be forgiven his sin, should make full restitu tion of his ill-gotten spoils to their rightful owner, in all cases where it is in his power to do it. This precept is fully enforced in Lev. vi. 1-8.
The want of space forbids me to amplify at length. It must suffice to say that in every branch of business, opportunities and temptations to steal are abundant.
I must leave to parents and teachers the important duty of verifying the suggestions, which I have been able to offer by citing facts to illustrate them.*
Summary.
i. The Eighth Commandment: "Thou shalt not steal."

EIGHTH COMMANDMENT.

139

2. Every human being has a God-given right to the products of his own skill and labor.
3. Upon this riglit are founded the rights of property.
4. These rights the Eighth Commandment distinctly recognizes, and gives to them the sanction of divine authority.
5. Its design is to protect every man in the pos session and enjoyment of his own property, against the violence and injustice of his fellow men.
6. It virtually affirms the validity of the rights of property, and thus justifies and upholds human laws against the violation of such rights.
7. Hence, whoever violates the precept is guilty of a crime against society, and commits a grievous sin against God, and is therefore justly amenable to the righteous judgments of both.
8. The extent of the precept is very broad. It forbids us, in any way whatever, to deprive an other intentionally of his property without his knowledge and consent.
9. The modes of stealing are very numerous and examples are found all along the .grades of human society from the highest to the lowest.
10. The ultimate effect of stealing upon char acter is to debase it to the lowest plane of infamy and shame.
n. The thief is bound to make restitution whenever it is possible.

CHAPTER X.
The Ninth Commandment.
" Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor." Exodus xx. 16.
This precept has a range far more extensive than its brevity and its terms would seem to imply. Some may think that it forbids false testimony only in courts of justice. Of course, it does forbid such testimony. But you can bear false witness, or testimony, against your neighbor in many places besides a court of jus tice ; and your testimony may be just as certainly to his hurt, as if -it were before the highest judicial tribunal. Hence the precept forbids all sorts of mischievous or hurtful lying.
A lie is a false statement willfully uttered with the intention to deceive somebody. And he who tells a lie violates the Ninth Commandment.
In order to impress upon the hearts of our young people the importance of obeying this precept, I would remind them, first of all, that to violate it is a grievous sin against God. This is a reason why you should not lie, which ought to be sufficient.
But to enforce the precept still further, I will try to tell you how mean and disgraceful it is to be a liar. It is so mean, that to be called a
(140)

THE NINTH COMMANDMENT.

141

liar is considered almost the highest insult, that one person can offer to another. It is an insult which has often led to violence and to blood shed. Even the man who knows himself to be a liar, will stab or shoot another, who ventures to apply to him that hateful epithet. Why is this ? It is because, in his heart, he feels that a liar is an infamous character. It is because, in the spontaneous judgment of his own nature, he knows that " to lie is base."
Another proof of the baseness of lying is found in the fact, that it is most usually employed to cover or conceal some other vice. A lie seldom stands alone; it is the common hiding-place where all sorts of evil-doing would fain escape the censure and scorn of mankind. But this is not all. A lie is used not orrly to conceal other vices, but it is often made the means of perpetrating them. Every- case of cheating, of fraud, of forgery, of swindling, and of hypocrisy has a lie at the bottom of it.
Once more, the baseness of a lie may be seen in the fact, that it is often used, in jealousy or in envy, to defame the innocent and the unsuspecting.
There are not many more hideous vices than a malicious slander. It is like the bite of a reptile that hides its loathsome form in the grass, while, with its poisonous fang, it strikes the

142

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

unfortunate victim. Well has Shakespeare said: " Who steals my purse, steals trash ; 'tis some thing, nothing; 'twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands; but he that filches from me my good name, robs me of that which not en riches him, and makes me poor indeed."
Thus far I have only spoken of the form of lying which is found, for the most part, in do mestic and social life. But there is a place where this awful vice reaches the lowest depths of moral turpitude. That place is within the sa cred precincts of our judicial tribunals.
Our courts are designed and clothed with their high authority for the sole purpose of protecting the citizen in the peaceful enjoyment of his life, his liberty, his reputation, and his property. But how can the courts give this protection unless they can know the truth--the whole truth--about each case that comes before them ? It is simply impossible. But to obtain this knowledge the courts are dependent upon the veracity of witnesses. This means, assuming the court and the jury to be incorruptible, that we are all dependent, in the last resort, for the protection of our rights upon the veracity of witnesses. How solemn is the responsibility of a witness on the stand! He-holds in his hands the life, or the liberty, or the reputation, or the property of his neighbor. His words will decide

THE NINTH COMMANDMENT.

143

his case. Now suppose that, impelled by secret motives, he gives, willfully, false testimony. He may turn a dangerous felon loose upon society to outrage its laws and to disturb its peace. Or he may, if impelled by malice, send an innocent man to prison, or to the gallows, or in some other way defeat the claims of justice. Is there -on earth a more despicable character ? Is there a more flagrant crime ? Our laws have called it perjury, and rightly declared it to be a felony, and made it subject to severe and disgraceful penalties.
The last effect wrought on human character, by the habit of lying, is to reduce the man who inindulges it to the likeness of the devil; " who," it is said, " abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him; when he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar, and the father of it." The habitual liar has made the devil his model, and, sooner or later, he will be conformed to Satan's likeness, and with him and the false prophet, shall be cast into the lake of fire. In view of all that has appeared thus far, we may safely conclude that habitual lying deserves to be classed with the very lowest vices known among men.
Surely we ought to thank God that he has so carefully warned us against the sin of lying. In doing so he acted the part of a loving Father

i44

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

anxious to save his children from what he knew would, utterly and forever, ruin them. It was only to do them good, and only good, that he has with all his divine authority, forbidden them to bear false witness; i. <?., to make any false state ment willfully designed to deceive.
It is, therefore, immensely important that our young people should be taught, in early child hood and youth, the evil and the infamy of lying. The habit is early formed. Its birth place is in the nursery. Temptations to indulge* it are found in all the years of school life. In the mixed multitude of boys and girls that meet on terms of intimate association, the love of mischief and of fun renders the vicious habit almost inevitable.
Some, we are glad to hope, do indeed escape the moral contagion that surrounds them; others, who may have yielded to the temptations that beset them in their early years, are able to discover, when they reach maturity, that the habit of lying is disgraceful. Influenced by self-respect and a due regard to public opinion, some of these may reform and become truthful men and women. Others, again, by the grace of God are brought to the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus, and of course are set free from this, as well as all other evil habits. But after making allowance for all such excep-

THE NINTH COMMANDMENT.

145

tional cases, we find a very large class remain ing, who never reform, and these are they who are in danger of becoming cheats and swindlers and hypocrites. And these are they who swell the number of public criminals of all grades.
It may be well, before closing this chapter, to place in contrast with the vice of lying its opposite virtue, which of course is the habit of telling the truth. To do this effectually, we must know something about the worth and nobility of truth. The worth of truth is evi dent in the fact that it is the constituent ele ment of all knowledge. This means that where there is no truth there can be no knowledge. It is truth, and truth alone, that makes up the subject-matter of all knowledge.
In the next place, the nobility of truth is seen in the influence which it exerts upon character.
That man who is known to love the truth, and always to speak the truth, whose word or promise is as good as his bond--that man is honored and respected by all who know him. And yet the respect which he commands is paid, not to the man, but to the lofty character with which his fidelity to the truth has clothed him.
If such is the nobility of truth when illus trated in the character of a finite human being,

I45

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

what must it be when it shines forth in infinite splendor in the character of God? Human thought cannot reach the conception, human language cannot express it.
Now, in contrast with the beauty and grandeur of truth, how little, how contemptible, does false hood appear! I have already exposed its mean ness and shown how it degrades character and leads ultimately to ruin. Surely I have said enough to make young people desire to be honest and truthful. I add only the
Summary.
1. The commandment: " Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor."
2. The range of the precept is very broad. It was intended to forbid all sorts of intentional and willful lying.
3. A lie is a false statement willfully uttered with'the intention to deceive.
4. A lie is a grievous sin against God. 5. That to lie is base is proved, first, by the fact, that no one, not even the liar himself, can patiently bear to be called a liar. Second, by the fact that a lie is usually employed to con ceal other sins. And thirdly, it is also often employed as a means of committing other crimes, including all sorts of cheating, of slander, and of perjury.

CHAPTER XL
The Tenth Commandment.
" Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neigh bor's." Exodus xx. 17.
This precept has reference to an act of the " inner man "--the soul. It is well to notice this, for many people seem to think that, as long as they commit no outward act of sin, it matters not what may be the state of their affections. But they are greatly mistaken. The soul itself is the proper subject of moral law. And the precept "now before us, speaks directly to the soul when it says, " Thou shalt not covet,"--thus showing that man is accountable for the state of his affections, as well as for his outward conduct.
" To covet" means to desire strongly and earn estly. ' Its synonyms are " to long for," " to han ker after," "to crave." According to its etymology, it may sometimes be used in a good sense, i. *?., it may sometimes express a degree of desire that is innocent and lawful, however intense it may be. We find it so used in our English Bible. It says: "Covet earnestly the

148

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

best gifts," meaning the gifts of the spirit. These spiritual gifts we may desire with all our strength and earnestness, with the full approbation of our Heavenly Father.
But in these modern times, it is not usual to use the word "covet " in a good sense. Hence, our Revised Version has, very properly, dropped out of the text above quoted, the word " covet" and translated thus : " Desire earnestly the best gifts." And I think that in our religious litera ture of to-day, the word "covet" is most generally used in a bad sense; that is, to express a form, or degree of desire, which is in some way evil and sinful. And this is certainly the sense in which it is used in the Tenth Commandment.
When, therefore, it is said " thou shalt not covet anything that is thy neighbor's," the word " covet," must mean something more than simply to desire a piece of your neighbor's property. Suppose, for instance, you really are needing a house; and your neighbor has one that would exactly suit the wants of your family. There would be no wrong if you should desire to'obtain that house by fair and honorable purchase. Such a desire is, certainly, not forbidden by the Tenth Commandment. To bring it under the prohibi tion of that precept, we must suppose that your desire to obtain the house, is so excessive and so selfish that you resort to unlawful methods to

THE TENTH COMMANDMENT.

149

accomplish your purpose. You do not propose a fair and honorable purchase. You go to work, by trickery and deceit, to bring your neighbor in debt to you. As soon as the debt amounts to half the value of the property, you contrive to force a settlement. This brings the house to the sheriff's hammer; and you bid it off at half of what it is fairly worth. In some such way as this, you gratify your selfish, unholy desire for your neighbor's property.
The case above supposed, I think, will help our young friends to understand what it is to covet. It is, so to desire what belongs to another, that we become willing to use ungenerous, selfish and unlawful means to obtain it. And this is exactly the thing forbidden by the precept, " Thou shalt not covet."
Covet is a verb, denoting, as before stated, an act of the inner man. The noun which is cog nate to it is covetousness. It is the name given to that form of desire, which leads to the act of coMeting.
It is usually, if not always, used in a bad sense, to denote an inordinate desire for wealth, and its synonym is avarice.
It may be described as an excessive love of gain. And as money is the current representa tive of all kinds of property, covetousness often manifests itself as an excessive love of money.

150

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

To covet is but to indulge this sordid, over reaching lust for filthy lucre. And to eradicate from the heart this hateful passion was the design of the Tenth Commandment.
Let us next consider the range of the precept. It forbids us to covet anything that is our neighbor's--anything whatever. Now our neigh bor's possessions include much more than his houses, his wife, his servants and his cattle. He possesses physical strength, and sometimes me chanical skill in some useful line of work. This strength and skill may, and often do, constitute a man's capital. And the precept, just as truly forbids us to covet that strength and skill, as it forbids us to covet his house or his ox. And yet covetousness will often lay its sordid grasp, if not directly, at least indirectly, upon these sacred rights of another. The capitalist needs the muscle and skill of his neighbor to run his mill, or his mine, or some other form of business. Well, there is a way by which he can honorably obtain the needed help of his neighbor. But the capitalist is not always honorable, or even just. His consuming lust for gain (which is covetousness) perverts his better nature. He contrives, in some way, to depress wages below the value of the service rendered. On the other hand, the laborer has it in his power, sometimes to extort from his employer a

THE TENTH COMMANDMENT.

15*

compensation far beyond the value of the work done. Every such case is a case of practical covetousness. Hence both employers and em ployes are alike exposed to the temptation of covetousness, and he that yields to it violates the spirit, if not the letter, of the Tenth Com mandment.
I have said enough to show that the range of this precept covers the whole field of human ac tivities.
It may be well to notice its relation to other precepts of the Decalogue. I have said in a former paragraph that covetousness has its seat in the heart. It is an excessive and unlawful desire for gain. To gratify it, men will often lie, and thus violate the Niuth Commandment. In like manner it will often lead to stealing, to high way robbery, to burglary, to violence and murder, and to a violation of the Seventh Commandment. But covetousness is worse than all these things. It is idolatry. It robs the great God of the love and homage due him, and elevates in his stead gods of silver and of gold as the objects of worship and of love. Thus the covetous man, yielding to this vile passion, may violate many of the commandments at one time. How deep, how dreadful, must be the sin of covetousness!.
In view of what has been said, it is evident that the evils of covetousness are numerous and

i5 2

MANUAL OP BIBLE MORALITY.

of the most hurtful character. But the half has not been told. For nine-tenths of all the wars that have ever covered this beautiful globe with fraternal blood may be traced, directly or indi rectly, to covetousness.
Nineveh, Babylon and Memphis were not built at the expense of the natives, but with the spoils of other realms. Soldiers were but legalized robbers. Even under the influence of Christian civilization, the councils of modern nations have often been ruled by covetousness. The division of Poland by Russia, Prussia and Austria during the eighteenth century, and the opium war of England with China during the" present century, are notable examples of covetousness among the rulers of the world.
Summary.
1. The Tenth Commandment: "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor.his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's."
2. The precept has reference to an act of the mind or the heart, and thus shows that we are accountable to God for the state of our afiections as well as for our outward conduct.
3. The precept forbids us so to desire anything that is our neighbor's as to be willing to do him wrong in order to obtain it. Such a desire is

THE TENTH COMMANDMENT.

153

called covetousness, which means an excessive and selfish des; . for gain.
4. The range of the precept is very wide. We must not covet anything whatever that is our neighbor's.
5. The evils of covetousness are manifold: (1) It leads directly or indirectly to the vio
lation of many precepts of the Decalogue. (2) Covetousness has been through all ages
the exciting cause of many cruel and bloody wars.

CHAPTER XII.
The Law of Piety.
In the preceding chapters, I have given you a short explanation of the Ten Commandments. It was proper to do this, because they are a state ment of moral law in the words of God himself; and also because they constitute the most perfect standard of rectitude known among men.
But Bible morality is taught not only in the Decalogue, but throughout the sacred volume. The mode of teaching it varies with the circum stances of the different cases that furnish occasion for it, and with the style and purpose of the several writers. The historical books often teach morality incidentally, in the lives and characters of the personages of whom they treat. This mode may be called teaching it by example. The devotional and prophetic books abound with allusions to the excellences of the moral law, and vividly describe the blessedness of fulfilling its requirements; thus giving to its validity the sanction of their own inspired authority. The writers of those books often appeal to it, to enforce their earnest exhortation to a pure and holy life. In like manner the writers of the New Testament honor and magnify the moral law.
(i 54)

THE I/AW OP PIETY.

155

But after all, the moral law as given in the Decalogue is only an epitome of Bible morality. To find it in full measure we must " search the Scriptures." Sometimes by example, sometimes by implication, or by inference, and sometimes in direct terms, they give to us most valuable precepts which are not found in the Decalogue. And yet they are in such harmony with its teachings, and so useful in promoting its com plete observance, and so evidently given by divine inspiration, that we are bound to accept them as possessing equal authority with the pre cepts of the Decalogue itself.
Now, in this and the chapters which follow, I wish to bring to your notice some of those pre cepts.
I will first consider the law of piety. Piety denotes that state of the heart in which it exercises right affections toward God. The law of piety is thus expressed in the Bible: " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind." This precept is not expressed by words in the Decalogue ; but it is there in meaning. Indeed, it in one sentence expresses all that is meant by the first four commandments. It tells you what is the sum total of your duty to God. It is to love him supremely.

156

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

There are many reasons why you should obey this precept.
First of all, you should love God because he is infinitely worthy of it. In his holiness, his jus tice, his love, his righteousness, his truth, his goodness and his mercy, he is the best of all beings. In his wisdom and his power, he is the most excellent of all beings. And in his rightful authority--that is, in his absolute sovereignty--he is the rightful ruler of all beings. Ought not your whole heart to go out in love toward such a being? Just think of him! Try, my young friends, to take into 3'our mind the whole of his most perfect charac ter. Do you not feel that he is infinitely worthy of your highest love ?
This kind of love which one may exercise toward God because of his worthiness is some times called, and I think correctly, the love of appreciation.
It is true, all men do not feel this kind of love. Some men are so bad that they have no just appreciation of God's worthiness. They do not appreciate the noble qualities above mentioned, which make up the goodness of his character. Such people, unless they are, somehow, made to change their views of God, will never love him. But I am glad to know that some people, yes thousands of them, do in some good degree com-

THE LAW OF PIETY.

157

prehend the' worthiness of God. No human being can comprehend it fully; for it is far abdve the reach of human thought. But so far as any do comprehend his worthiness they are able tu appreciate it at something like its full value; and, enraptured with its manifestations, they love the being to whom it belongs. Therefore, the infinite worthiness of God is one great reason why 3'ou should love him.
Another reason why you should love God is, that your love is the only requital that you can make to him for all his goodness to you. There is an affection in the human heart which is called gratitiide. It is a feeling which makes you desire to return a kindness that another has conferred upon you. It often is expressed in words of thanksgiving. It is a generous and -noble sentiment. It prompts one that feels it not only to return thanks, but, if possible, to make some requital to his benefactor. I hope my young readers know that what I have said is true from their own experience.
So far as your earthly friends are concerned you often are able to make to them, for their kindness to you, the requital which your grati tude suggests. And I hope it gives you great pleasure to make such requital.
But the affection of gratitude was put into your heart for a higher purpose than to regu-

158

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

late your actions toward your earthly friends. You have a friend in heaven. He is your Heavenly Father, and he is your greatest ben efactor. All that you have to enjoy in this life he has given to you. And all that you can hope for in the life to come must be the gift of his boundless love. Should not your hearts swell with gratitude toward him for all his ben efits? Does not his goodness to you call for words of thanksgiving ? And ought you not to make him some return for all his abundant mercies to you ?
David, the great king of Israel, three thou sand years ago felt the force of the above ques tions. In view of God's goodness he exclaimed, " What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me ? " He felt that gratitude required a suitable return for all the good things that the Lord had given him. He did give to him words of praise and thanksgiving. But he did not stop with these; he gave him also the grateful love of his heart.
And this is what your Heavenly Father re quires you to give him in return for his great and continued mercies. He does not need any earthly thing that you can give him. What he asks of you is your love. When you give him your sincere and grateful love in return for all his kindness to you, you are giving him that

THE LAW OP PIETY.

159

which he values far above your silver and your gold; for these and all earthly treasures were his already. In his holy word he speaks like a father thus: " My son, give me thy heart." And if you give him your heart in return for his mercies, then your love is so closely asso ciated with gratitude that it may be called the love of gratitude.
There is a third reason why we should love the Lord with all our hearts.
It is because he is not only a father whose exalted character we love with the highest ap preciation and the profoundest gratitude, but he is also an infinite Sovereign, whose rightful authority we are bound to obey. He who would love God with appreciation as a Father and with gratitude as a benefactor, should love him also witli reverence as a Ruler. This may be called the love of reverence.
It may be needful to explain the meaning of "reverence." Its bottom idea is respect. But this alone is not reverence. Besides respect, there must be a sincere desire to please, and a corresponding fear of offending. Now, reverence has been adopted by common consent as a con venient term to express in one word these three ideas--respect, a desire to please, and a fear of offending. True love often takes this form. We see it illustrated in a well-trained

160

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

family. Dutiful children"who love their parents greatly respect them and desire to please them, and feel a dread or fear of offending them ; that is, their love for their parents includes a degree of reverence as well as of appreciation and of gratitude.
But when one loves God with all his heart then these feelings are developed in the highest degree. Respect rises to a lofty appreciation that Jeads on to veneration, to worship and to praise. The desire to please becomes a desire to render unto God a willing obedience to his will, and to glorify his name. And the fear of offending is intensified to such a degree that the soul shrinks back with horror at the thought of his displeasure. And all these feelings, when combined, make up that affection of the soul which is called reverence; and this is, when fully developed, the highest mode of love. It is such love as this that enables us to recognize the rightful authority of God, and that impresses our consciences with a conviction that we are morally bound to obey his commandments-- which love is the bottom rock of Bible morality.
I have thus far given you three reasons why you should love the Lord your God supremely. There is yet a fourth reason which should, by no means, be omitted.
You should love him because it will make

THE LAW OF PIETY.

161

you happy. The Lord loved you before you were born. And it was because he loved you that he has made it your duty to love him; for he knew that you could never be happy if you should fail to love him. You may not believe this. You think that there are many things that would make you happy if you could only get them. But the trouble is, you seldom get the things that you desire. Or if you do, you will often find that you have got something along with the things which you desired so much, that destroys all your happiness. All worldly-minded people are in hot pursuit of happi ness. But you can't find one of them that has all that he wants. So he is never satisfied. And as he is dissatisfied he is not happy. I have not space to treat this topic fully. What I have said could be illustrated by thousands of examples. Solomon, with all his wisdom, affords a distinguished example to prove all that I have said. In his old age he confessed the insufliciency of earthly things to make him happ3^. He pronounced them all to be nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit.
On the other hand there are millions of witnesses that he who loves God supremely enjoys a peace and comfort in the soul that the world can neither give nor take away. True, his body can suffer, and he can weep in sorrow

162

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

for his lost loved ones, like other men; but these

affections do not hurt the peace of his soul in

his relations to God. Indeed, they often inten

sify his happiness. Have I not given good and

sufficient reasons why you should keep the law

of piety?

Summary.

1. Bible morality is taught not only in the Decalogue, but throughout the Scriptures.
2. We find many moral precepts which are not in the Ten Commandments.
3. Piety is the exercise of right affections toward God.
4. The law of piety is: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind.
5. Obedience to this law will insure the exefcise of right affections towards God.
6. These affections include supreme love to God, which manifests itself,--
(1) In the highest appreciation of God as the most worthy of all Beings.
(2) In profound gratitude toward him as our Father and our greatest Benefactor.
(3) In profound reverence for him as our absolute Sovereign, and Lawgiver, leading on to veneration, which manifests itself in wor ship, thanksgiving, and praise.

THE I*AW OF PIETY.

163

7. Associated with reverence, yet springing from love, are other affections:
(1) An earnest desire to please God; i. e., to win his approval by a willing obedience to his commandments.
(2) A profound dread or fear of offending him by failing to obey his requirements. 8. Such are the affections toward God, which all who supremely love Him are able to exer cise, and in doing so they fulfill the Law of Piety; for it is written that " Love is the ful filling of the Law."

CHAPTER XIII.
The Law of Reciprocity.
We learned in the preceding chapter that piety is the exercise of right affections towards God. In this chapter we shall learn that reciprocity is the exercise of right affections toward our fellow creatures. As the law of piety teaches us our whole duty to God, so the law of reciprocity teaches us our whole duty to all man kind. And as the law of piety is a brief sum mary of the first four commandments, so the law of reciprocity is a brief summary of the last six commandments.
It is expressed in these words: " Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."
It is not found in this form in the Decalogue. Nevertheless it was given by Moses a few months later as coming from God. And Jesus also an nounced it in close connection with the law of piety, which is called the " first and great com mandment," and which has already been ex plained. When he had given the first, he went on to say: "The second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself;" and then added: " Upon these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." It is, therefore,
(164)

THE LAW OF RECIPROCITY.

165


manifest that the second, as well as the first,

is a precept of Bible morality.

Some of you may think that this is a very

hard precept to follow; but when you come to

understand it, I hope you will see it to be both

reasonable and just. Jesus had already, on a

previous occasion, said to his disciples: " There

fore, all things whatsoever ye would that men

should do to you, do ye even so to them."

The words just quoted have been called the

"Golden Rule," and it well deserves the name.

Compare the two precepts together, and you

will find that they mutually include each other,

and they mutually explain each other. They

are, indeed, only different forms of expressing

the law of reciprocity. One sets forth the love

which we should feel for our neighbor; the

' other points out the way in which that love

should be exercised, or manifested. True and

sincere love for your neighbor is the inward

affection of your heart which will lead you to

treat him in all cases just as you would have

him to treat you. And in doing so you are

practically loving your neighbor as yourself;

you are showing to him the same good will,

generosity and fair treatment which you claim

for yourself.

Now, is there anything hard in the rule as I

have explained it ? Your schoolroom affords

166

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

many illustrations of what has been said. Boys and girls at school sometimes like a little fun. Well, we all know that real fun may sometimes be had, when it is innocent and harmless -- when it hurts nobody and gives no offence. There -is no harm in such fun as that. And an old writer has said:
"A little nonsense now and then, Is relished by the wisest men."
But such nonsense or fun must be harmless; for the moment it ceases to be so, that moment it also ceases to be" funny," and becomes at once offensive.
Suppose, for example, that one of your school mates should fix a pin on your chair while you happened to be out. And suppose when you returned to your seat you should sit down upon the keen point of the pin. You would certainly rebound from your seat, perhaps with a shriek of pain. The boys and even the girls might laugh at you for a moment; but all the better class of your schoolmates would, very soon, feel disgusted with the meanness of the trick; and, with them it would cease to be " funny." They would regard it as a piece of malicious mis
chief. The boy who is capable of doing such a piece
of mischief, as just described, and actually does it, certainly tramples upon the law of recipro-

THE IAW OF RECIPROCITY.

167

city,--he does not love his neighbor as himself. His self-love takes the form of supreme selfish ness. As a schoolboy, his selfishness may go no farther than to gratify his love of fun at the expense of his comrade; but very often it does not stop there. If he does not grow wiser and better as he grows older, his selfishness will become more intense. It will control his actions when he has reached the serious busi ness of his life. Then his love of fun will be, perhaps, forgotten; but it will be replaced with the far more absorbing love of profit. His selfishness will, as opportunity offers, gratify his love of gain, at the expense of his employers, or his customers. He does not do to others as he would have them do to him. He thus grad ually becomes a cheat, a fraud, or a swindler, whose end is often found in the felon's cell. Go count the thousands of wretched criminals who fill the penitentiaries of our country to-day, and you will find that all of them are there because they, in some way or other, neglected the " Golden Rule."
The sad effects of that selfishness, which leads to the violation of the precept now before us, are found, not only in all the walks of busi ness, but in all the forms of social life. The precept was designed to check such selfishness, and thus prevent the fearful evils that result

168

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

from its indulgence. Such a purpose is worthy of the God who gave it.
But the precept was designed to do more than merely to prevent evil. It was designed to be a blessing of inestimable value to all mankind.
Only let the precept, " Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself," be universally accepted and obeyed; then the " golden age," which has been the dream of the wise and good through many centuries, would be realized upon this sin-cursed world of ours. Then would be ful filled the predictions of ancient prophets, that the nations should learn war no more, and the lion and the lamb should lie down together. Then the human race would be one great family holding in bands of love one vast brother hood, and God would be its Father. Such would be the effect, if the law should be universally accepted and obeyed.
But, unfortunately, this great commandment is not yet universally accepted, or obeyed. A large majority of people seem to ignore it alto gether; while the few who admit its claims, fulfill its requirements very imperfectly. Hence man's inhumanity to his fellow man has not ceased. Injustice, cruelty, oppression, and vio lence still abound in all lands.
But I am glad to tell you, that in our country there are many people, who not only acknowl-

THE LAW OP RECIPROCITY.

169

edge the obligation, but also try with all their hearts, to love their neighbors as themselves. And it is in great measure due to this fact that there is in our country so much contentment, prosperity and happiness.
But it is immensely important that this class of people should be greatly increased. As one means of effecting this increase, our young peo ple must be trained to love one another. Now, while you are young, before your heart grows hard in selfishness, learn to treat your brothers and sisters and all your schoolmates as you would have them to treat you. Then you will never fix a pin in their chairs or do anything else to hurt or mortify them. On the contrary you will be generous, kind and friendly in your manners towards them. Why, if all the boys ^and girls in your school would treat each other according to the Golden Rule, what a happy school you would have! Your school is really the place where you have an excellent opportunity to form the habit of doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.
With such a habit as this, you will be prepared for all the duties of life, that will come upon you when you are grown up to be men and women. It will make you just and fair and honorable in all your dealings with those around you. They will soon find out that you are an upright and

170

MANUAL OP BIBLE MORALITY.

honorable man or woman. They will have con fidence in you, and they will love and respect you. I once heard a business man, who had dealings with a great many people, say to one of his customers : " If all men would do-as you do, this world would be far better off than it is." What was it that he did to win such a compli ment? He did not win that compliment by large gifts of charity ; for he was himself a poor man, living upon a small salary. He had but little to give. But he did try to do to others as he would have them to do to him. Just as sure as the rainbow spans the evening cloud with its arch of beauty, just so sure will the Golden Rule shed upon the life of him who follows it, a halo of honor and glory.
Such are the beneficent effects of the law of reciprocity, when it is made the golden rule of our lives.
In view of all that has been said we must con clude that to love one another as we love our selves is both reasonable and just. And we dis cover also that he who truly obeys the law of reciprocity actually fulfils his whole duty to mankind according to the requirements of the last six commandments of the Decalogue.
Thus the words of the apostle are verified when he says, " For love is the fulfilling of the law."

THE IvAW OF RECIPROCITY.

171

Summary.
1. The law of Reciprocity--" Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." And, " Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them."
2. Neither of these precepts are found in the Decalogue expressed in words; but they are found in the Bible, and are clearly precepts of Bible morality.
3. These two precepts mutually include and explain each other.
4. The first shows the inward affection which we should exercise toward our neighbor.
5. The second explains the outward manner in which the inward affection should lead us to treat our neighbor, and thus together they com plete the law of Reciprocity.
6. The need of the law finds illustrations even in the schoolroom, but especially in all the departments of business.
7. The neglect of the law accounts for "man's inhumanity to man" in all its forms.
8. Whoever faithfully observes the law shall win for himself the respect, the confidence, and the good will of all who know him.
9. Its universal observance would give peace on earth and develop the true brotherhood of all mankind.

CHAPTER XIV.
The Duty of Rulers.
God is the Supreme Ruler of all nations. But it has pleased him to allow the nations, of the earth, to form for themselves governments ad ministered by human rulers.
Just such a government he commanded Moses to establish over the Hebrews. In doing so, he has, virtually, given his divine sanction to human government, and recognized the rightful author ity of all rulers appointed to administer them.
But at the same time, God holds all rulers accountable to himself for their official conduct. They are just as much bound by the laws of morality in performing their official duties, as they are in the affairs of private life.
In proof of what has been said, it is needful to notice briefly the civil polity of the Jews. They had no use for a legislative body to make their laws. The Lord himself had given them laws and statutes, by the hand of Moses, which were designed to teach them their whole duty to himself and to one another. And he intended that these laws should abide in force forever. Hence they did not need a legislature. But it was necessary to appoint a body of men who
(172)

THB DUTY OF RULERS.

*73

should have authority to explain and enforce the laws.
Accordingly we learn from the Bible that Moses appointed rulers over all the tribes of Israel. They were also called judges, because it was their chief duty to settle all cases of con tention that might arise among the people.
To these Rulers, or Judges, Moses gave some important precepts designed to regulate their conduct as public officers.
I will give you these precepts as recorded in Deuteronomy i. 16-17 and xvi. 19.
1. " Hear the causes (or cases) between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother and the stranger that is with him.
2. "Ye shall not respect persons in judgment: but ye shall hear the sm'all as well as the great.
3. " Ye shall not be afraid of the face of man." 4. Ch. xvi. 19. " Thou shall not take a gift; for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous." These four precepts, it is true, are expressed in such words as make them apply, primarily, to judges ; but, the principles which they teach apply with equal force to every public man who holds an office. This fact will clearly appear as I proceed to explain them. The first precept includes two thoughts. The

174

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

first clause of the precept is: " Hear the causes (or cases) between your brethren." The em phatic word in the clause is evidently the word " hear" and the meaning is: give prompt and earnest attention to the cases that come before you. Now, is not this requirement perfectly right? Most assuredly: for any unnecessary delay of action, on the case, might bring very great inconvenience, or even damage, to one of the parties. It is therefore right that the judge should be required to hear the cases that come before him promptly. And this requirement certainly rests, with equal weight, upon all other officers, from the President of the United States, down to the lowest officer in our county dis tricts or townships.
The second clause teaches the officer that he shall judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the " stranger that is with him."
It is true the precept is addressed to the judge; and it very properly requires him to judge right eously. But is not the sheriff, whose business it is to execute the sentence of the court, just as truly bound to perform his part righteously, as the judge ? Of course he is, and so, every officer in the land is bound to perform all the duties of his office with even-handed justice toward all men.
The next precept is: "Ye shall npt respect

THE DUTY OF RULERS.

"75

persons in judgment: but ye shall hear the small as well as the great."
This precept, like the first, is applicable to all officers of every kind. It was designed to restrain men in office from being influenced in their action by their friendship for a person, or by their regard for his wealth or his social standing. In other words, it enjoins a perfect impartiality toward all men in his official conduct.
The third precept is: "Ye shall not be afraid of the face of man."
This means that an officer, whether he be a judge, or a president, or a member of congress, or of a state legislature, or the governor of a state, or the mayor of a city, must have the cour age to do what he thinks is right, no matter whom his action may offend.
This, perhaps, is one of the hardest precepts for any ambitious man to obey. And it is the rock upon which many a political character is wrecked. It often happens, that a man in power finds himself in a crisis, when, if he follows his own honest convictions, he knows that his party will forsake him. What should he do? The precept commands him to follow his own honest convictions and bravely meet the consequences. But it requires moral heroism to do it.
The fourth precept, as given in ch. xvi. 19, is: " Thou shalt not take a gift, for a gift doth blind

176

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

the 63^68 of the wise and pervert the words of the righteous."
Here is another precept that applies with great force to all rulers of whatever rank or station. It is intended to restrain them from every mode or degree of bribery. A bribe is a gift bestowed upon a ruler for the purpose of influencing his official conduct. This definition describes exactly the gift which Moses, in his inspired wisdom, for bade the rulers of Israel to accept. Moses knew and foretold its evils. And inspired prophets, long after his day, made it the subject of their scathing invectives. There is, indeed, no evil more hurtful to the happiness of a people, or to the prosperity of a nation, than the prevalence of bribery among her rulers. It defeats the administration of public and private justice; it places the poor in the power of the rich, and it places legislation under the corrupting influences of money.
I think I have said enough to show, that the precepts, which have been explained in the fore going paragraphs, do truly define the duties of rulers, not for the Jews only, but for all nations. And, forasmuch as thej' are found in the Bible, they constitute a part of Bible morality.
The evils of violating these precepts abound in all heathen countries. They know very little about morality of any sort; and what they do

THE DUTY OP RULERS.

177

know does not restrain them, because they do not know the living and true God, who is the author of all correct moral law. They do know that some actions are right and that some are wrong; but they do not know the God who made them so. Hence they have a weak sense of moral ob ligation.
For this reason their rulers are unrighteous, unjust, cruel, and corrupted by bribes. So the people are oppressed and degraded.
In our country the basis of all political power is the will of the people expressed by the ballotbox. This fact clothes every qualified voter with one of the highest functions of sovereignty, viz.: the appointment of those who shall make our laws and administer our government. Hence every qualified voter, is a participant, according fo the influence of his ballot, in the government of the country; and to that extent, he is in fact, a ruler. If so, then, the precepts of Moses (which we have seen are part of Bible morality) should regulate his conduct when about to exercise his high and important right of suffrage.
Suppose all voters should do this; suppose the}' should, beforehand, give due attention and thought to the coming election, judge right eously each candidate, and then, without partiality, with no respect of persons, unawed by any fear of man, and uncorrupted by any bribe, or hope

178

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

of reward, should cast their votes for the man whom they conscientiously believe to be most deserving of the office. We can see, at a glance, that in this way the ballot-box could be effectu ally redeemed from all corruption. Whisky could not intoxicate it; selfish persons could not buy it, and political tricksters could not cheat or mislead it.
Only let our ballot-box be purified; that is, let our voters honestly and righteously do their duty in the fear of God and in the love of man ; then they will put in office men who are worthy of the trust committed to them, and whose dominating purposes will be,--equal justice to all, and " the greatest good to the greatest num ber."
With such rulers as these, we should have just laws, and a righteous administration of them. We should have peace and good will among ourselves, while at the same time we would win the respect and admiration of other nations.
Such would be the happy and glorious results, if we could only persuade every ruler, from the voter at the ballot-box, to the President in the " White House," to feel himself morally bound to regulate his official actions by the precepts of our Bible morality. And to do so is the first and most sacred duty of rulers.

THE DUTY OF RULERS.

179

Summary.
i. God is the Supreme Ruler of all nations. ' 2. Nevertheless he recognizes the rightful authority of human rulers.
3. Yet he holds all human rulers accountable to himself for their official conduct.
4. When he established a civil government over Israel, Moses, his inspired servant, appointed them rulers, and gave to them special precepts for their guidance in performing their official duties.
5. These precepts are of general import, and evidently constitute a part of Bible morality, and are applicable to the rulers of all nations.
6. The precepts are four (quoted on another page); but the meaning of them may be ex pressed thus: N Every ruler should give prompt and earnest attention to the duties of his office and perform them righteously, without partiality, without re spect of persons, without the fear of man, and without a bribe or a promise of reward.
7. Obedience to this law on the part of rulers, would insure peace at home, and respect and admiration abroad.
8. In this republican government every voter is a ruler, subject to these precepts.

CHAPTER XV.
The Duty of Citizens.
This subject was briefly touched in another part of this book; but its importance deserves a more extended notice.
You will remember that God recognizes the rightful authority of rulers. And we have already considered the precepts which he caused to be given for the guidance of their official actions. These precepts place rulers under moral obligations to govern righteously; and God holds them accountable to himself if they fail to do so.
Now, in like manner, we shall find that God has made it the duty of subjects, or citizens, to obey the laws of the State or nation in which they live.
The first evidence of what I have just stated is found in the Jewish commonwealth. That State had the advantage of having God for its Lawgiver. And he required the most exact obedience to his enactments under very severe penalties. This example establishes the prin ciple that citizens are bound to obey the laws of their country; and that disobedience may be punished according to the degree of the offence even unto death.
(180)

THE DUTY OF CITIZENS.

iSi

Additional proof that citizens are bound to obey the laws of their country is found in other 'parts of the Bible.
Jesus, on one occasion, had the opportunity to express his judgment upon this subject; and he did it in the most emphatic terms, and in the form of a precept applicable to all people, no matter what may be the form of their govern ment.
He said: " Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's."
At the time these words were spoken, Caesar was the ruler of the Roman Empire, including all the civilized nations of that day. His name, therefore, may be taken as representing the chief political power in all countries. The pre>cept, therefore, evidently asserts a universal prin ciple; viz., that the obligation of a citizen to obey the laws of his country is second only to his obligation to obey the laws of the God who made him.
In confirmation of the conclusion just stated, we have elsewhere in the Bible an expansion of the precept referred to. We read, " Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever, therefore, resisteth the power, resisted the ordinance of God;

182

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

and they that resist shall receive to themselves condemnation. . . . Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake. . . . Render there fore to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor."
These words assuredly teach us that God has given his sanction to the authority of human governments in such a sense as to make obedience to the laws, which they may enact in the exercise of their legitimate powers, to be also obedience to himself.
It is clear, therefore, that the duties which a man owes to the State or country in which he lives, are as truly a part of Bible morality as are the duties which he owes to God and to his fellow men. Hence every man should feel, in his conscience, as much bound to do right by his State, as he is bound to do right by his neighbor.
I have felt it necessary to dwell so long upon this part of the subject, because a great many people do not understand it. Indeed, they attach so little importance to it, that they hardly think about it.
They seem to entertain the notion, that they may treat the laws of their country just as they please, so long as they can hide their faults, or

THE DUTY OF CITIZENS.

183

escape the penalties which their faults deserve. This is a great mistake.
Do you know, my young friends, that a very large part of our State laws are founded upon our Bible morality ?
This is true, whether you know it or not. And the laws which are not founded upon any Bible precept have, nevertheless, as already shown, the sanction of God; so that, he who sins against the State, sins also against God. You may indeed hide your offences against the State from human eyes, and thus escape the retribution of human justice; but you cannot hide your faults from the eyes of God, nor can you escape his justice; for it is written in his word, " Be sure your sins will find you out."
But it may help to impress your minds with a feeling sense of your obligation to obey the laws of the State, to tell you the good things that she is doing for you.
Her laws are like the rules of behavior which a kind mother establishes in her well-regulated family, for the government of her children. They are all intended for your good--for your protec tion and for your well-being. When you boys and girls lie down at night to seek refreshing sleep you feel no fear of danger. But do you know you owe your safety in a great measure to the laws of your State ? Next to God, your coun-

i84

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

try is your greatest protector. She has stretched out over j^our father's house the protection of her laws; and within its sacred walls you feel no fear of danger.
But to keep thieves and burglars from your house is only one way in which the laws afford you protection. There are many ways in which you are protected.
I can't begin to describe them. But in a general way I can tell you. It is the aim and purpose of every good government to protect every citizen in the peaceful possession and en joyment of all his rights. These rights include his life, his liberty, his reputation and his prop erty. This is pre-eminently true of the govern ment under which we live. There is scarcely a law on our statute book that does not, either directly or indirectly, afford some measure of protection to the citizens of the State.
Now, in return for this protection it is reason able and just that the citizen should obey its laws. And he should obey not only by ab staining from all those criminal actions which it forbids, but also by rendering a cheerful obedience to all those requirements which the State may see proper to make of its citizens, in order that it may be able to accomplish the beneficent purposes for which its government was designed.

THE DOTY OF CITIZENS.

185

Among these requirements is the payment of taxes. The State is obliged to have money to meet its heavy expenses. And these expenses are incurred for the benefit of the people. And therefore it is right that the people should pay them. To raise this money is the design of the tax law. It is clear therefore that every citi zen should pay his tax. And he should do it honestly. Bad men sometimes make false re turns of their property or they undervalue it. In doing so they cheat the State and perjure themselves. Such conduct toward the State is just as vile as if committed against one's neigh bor. Bible morality requires that we should pay to all their dues, including taxes.
The duty of obedience to the laws of the State may be still further enforced. - I have already told you that many of our statute laws are founded upon the moral laws of God as given in the Bible. This fact teaches us that the State is actually helping God to govern the people.
This may sound strange in your ears; so I will try to explain it to you.
There are in all countries, even in our own enlightened and highly-favored country, thous ands of people that do not know God. Or, if they have some sort of notion about him, they may never have heard a word about Bible mor-

186

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

ality. Hence they would feel no restraint what ever upon their badness if there were not a power somewhere to control them. It is to meet this class of people that human govern ments become a necessity. They are visible; men can see and know them. They can see the courts and all the officers of the law who are employed to enforce it. They can see also the prisons, the penitentiaries, and the gallows, which are provided for the punishment of evil doers. Therefore human governments act di rectly and forcibly upon the fears of the lawless, and no doubt do restrain a great many of them from crime. And so far as they prevent crime they are in a great measure aiding in promot ing obedience to the laws of God. If this be so, then, we can see that the State can be a coworker with God in lessening crime and in pro moting obedience to moral laws, and it becomes a helper of God in governing the people to that extent.
We find in these facts additional reasons why you should obey the laws of your country.
But suppose a law of the State should be unwise, hurtful, or oppressive. What is the duty of a citizen in that case ? Most assuredly it is still his duty to obey it so long as it con tinues to be a law; but it is his privilege to take all legal steps to have the law amended

DUTY OF CITIZENS.

187

or repealed by the law-making power. If he fails in his effort to have the law repealed or amended, he may conclude that there are good reasons for the law which he has failed to dis cover. It does sometimes happen that a good law brings inconvenience and perhaps loss to a few people, while it confers great blessings upon everybody else. The few in such cases must accommodate themselves to the requirements of the law for the sake of its advantages to the general public. Any attempt at resistance in such cases is likely to end in a riot, perhaps accompanied with bloodshed, without affording any relief to the aggrieved parties.
There are, however, some exceptional cases that need to be noticed.
There have been governments so corrupt, capricious, selfish, unjust and oppressive, that the people groaned under the burdens and vexa tions imposed upon them by their rulers. Under such conditions it has sometimes happened that the people have risen up and have over thrown their governments, and sought out new safeguards for their rights and liberties.
In such cases as these the rulers were the first and greatest transgressors, and by their own unrighteousness they justly forfeited all rights to the allegiance of their people. Hence, it is generally considered by learned and good

188

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

men that a people in such cases have a right to resume their original sovereignty and to displace their cruel and unjust rulers and to put better men in their places. This right is called the right of revolution.
But while the right of revolution in some cases may be real and valid, it is hardly necessary, to discuss it any further ; for I hope that our rulers in our beloved country will never make it neces sary for us to resort to it as the means of pro tecting ourselves from injustice and wrong.
Let me, however, in concluding this chapter call back your minds for a moment to the suprem acy of Bible morality. If it could only rule the actions of every human being there would scarcely be any need of human governments at all. There would be no need of prisons or peni tentiaries, or for the hangman's rope. Every man would love God with all his heart and his neighbor as himself.
Summary.
1. God has made it the duty of subjects or citizens to obey the laws of the State or nation in which they live.
2. The first proof of this is found in the Jewish commonwealth, where obedience was required under severe penalties.
3. The second proof is found in the words of Jesus: " Render unto Caesar the things that are

THE DUTY OF CITIZENS.

189

Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's." These words assert a principle of universal appli cation ; viz., that men are bound to obey the laws of their country next to the laws of God.
4. The third proof is found in Romans xiii. 1-7, from which we learn that obedience to the laws of the State is also obedience to God.
5. It is also shown under this head that to sin against the State is also to sin against God.
6. In addition to the foregoing reasons, we should obey the laws because the State is, next to God, our greatest benefactor. It is the State that protects us in the peaceful enjoyment of all our rights.
7. We should obey the laws, not only in their prohibitions, but also in their requirements.
8. Among these requirements we find our tax laws. These we should pay cheerfully and honestly.
9. Human governments are a necessity. They are intended to be co-workers with God, in re straining the wickedness of men and preventing crime; and therefore deserve the support and obedience of all who love their country.
10. Cruel and oppressive governments may sometimes forfeit their right to rule. Then a suffering people may seek other safeguards for their rights.

CHAPTER XVI.
The Selection of Company.
You should not, willing^ and knowingly, choose wicked people for your companions.
This precept is not found among the Ten Commandments. And yet it is most certainly taught in the Bible. In proof of this, notice the fact that the Lord most emphatically forbade his people Israel to contract marriages with the heathen. And when they entered Canaan he commanded them to exterminate the heathen tribes--not sparing even women and children. This extreme severity was justified by the intense wickedness of the people thus doomed to destruction. They had filled up the measure of their iniquity, and -were therefore amenable to God's retributive justice which he intended to bring upon them by the instrumentality of his people.
But we learn from the record that retributive justice was not the only motive that moved the Almighty to require the extermination of those wicked heathen. It is expressly stated that he designed, by this severe measure, to protect his own people from the seductive influ ence of the vicious example of those idolatrous tribes. He foresaw the mischief that would
(190)

THE SELECTION OF COMPANY.

I9I

come upon the Israelites if they were allowed to live in intimate social relations with the Canaanites. The Lord's conduct, in all this matter, clearly proves that in his judgment, we should not willingly and knowingly choose the wicked for our companions. The necessity for the precept is illustrated by the subsequent history of the Jews through many centuries.
The precept, however, is supported by other Scriptures. Solomon, to whom God gave wis dom, above all his cotemporaries, says:
" My son, if sinners entice thee consent thou not. My son, walk not thou in the way with them ; refrain thy feet from their path: for their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood." Such was the advice that Solomon, in his old age, with the light of his own experience, gave to the young who were around him. It is in sense and meaning identical with the precept before us. He might have said: " My son, do not, willingly and knowingly, choose the wicked for thy companions."
I offer one more Scripture in support of the precept. It is found in the first Psalm.
" Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night."

i92

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

We have in these words a character described and a blessing pronounced upon it. Notice first the character:
The words describe a man who carefully shuns the companionship of the ungodly, of sinners, and of the scornful. The words " ungodly," " sinners," and " scornful," alike denote the wicked. So we describe the man as one who shuns the companionship of the wicked.
The next verse informs us that this man, instead of taking pleasure in the society of bad people, finds " his delight in the law of the Lord," and makes it the subject of his daily study. In doing so he is drawing nigh to God. He is, so to speak, listening to God's words, as if the Lord were talking to him. In short, he is choosing God to be his companion in spirit. And because he finds delight in this communing with God he finds his highest social pleasure in the company of those who, like himself, delight in the law of the Lord. He can say with David, " I am the companion of all them that fear thee."
He does not follow the counsels of the ungodly, or stand (or walk) in the way (or path) of sin ners, nor does he sit in the seat of the scornful-- of those who scoff at goodness and laugh at virtue.
Such is the character that the Psalmist describes. He is a man who will not willingly

THE SELECTION OP COMPANY.

*93

or knowingly choose the wicked for his compan ions, but instead of these finds his highest pleasure in the law of the Lord.
Upon such a character the Psalmist pronounces a great blessing. The language is poetic and figurative. He compares such a man to a stately tree whose roots have access to abundant waters, whose leaves are always green, and whose fruit never fails. The meaning of these beautiful fig ures is that the man whom it describes shall be a most prosperous and happy man.
I think I have said enough to satisfy you, my young friends, that the precept given in the beginning of this chapter is one precept of Bible morality. I have expressed it in my own words, but the form of the precept is not material. You may express it as you please, provided you make it a strong prohibition against keeping bad com pany. I think the form that I have given it does this effectually. I repeat it here that you may not forget it:
You should not, willingly and knowingly, choose the wicked for your companions.
The precept, as I have shown, is already taught in the inspired words above cited and therefore has the sanction of God as truly as any precept of the Decalogue, and for that reason it deserves to be accepted as a precept of Bible morality.
13

*94

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY. .

The importance of the precept can hardlj- be overestimated. Thousands of young people have been brought to shame and ruin by the influ ence of vicious associates. How true it is that " evil communications corrupt good manners." Every day's experience verifies the truth of these words. Every intelligent and thoughtful person who has lived thirty or forty years knows that what I have told you is true.
And yet, thoughtless parents, though they know the dangers of bad company, will allow their children to choose their own associates. Under the plea of affording them some needed recre ation, they allow them to' seek amusement, day or night, with whom they please. They are indulged in moonlight rambles, and even in Sunday excursions, without a thought of the company in which they may be thrown. In our towns and cities hundreds of boys are roaming the streets at will. Sometimes they visit the theatre or the circus; and sometimes hang around the seductive saloons, or look in upon the gamblers' den. Are they not walking in the way of sinners and keeping company with the scornful--with those who mock at goodness and laugh at virtue ? What results can we expect from such associations as these ? It is from such associations that we may look for the drunkards, gamblers and felons of the future.

THE SELECTION OF COMPANY.

195

Now, the force of the precept against keeping bad company is often evaded on the ground that Jesus kept company with "publicans and sin ners." It is said, if he did it, it can't be wrong for us to do it. It is wonderful how many men and women will urge this example to excuse their own reckless association with immoral or wicked people.
But the excuse is a gross perversion of facts. There were those who did indeed charge Jesus with being a "gluttonous man and a wine bibber;" but the charge was false.
A little examination of the facts will render it clear that the example of Jesus gives us no excuse to make the wicked our chosen compan ions unless, indeed, we go among them as he did, to do them good and to lead them to heaven. Jesus did not keep company with the wicked in the sense that our precept forbids. To charge him with doing so would certainly do him great injustice.

Summary.
1. You should not, willingly and knowingly, choose the wicked for your companions.
2. Though not found in the Decalogue, this precept is so supported by other Scriptures that we should feel morally bound to obey it.

196

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

3. Obedience to this precept insures to all who obey it great prosperity and happiness.
4. Disobedience to it leads to crime, to shame, and to ruin.
5. The conduct of Jesus among men during his ministry aflFords no excuse for violating the precept.

CHAPTER XVII.
The Law of Wedlock.
The first case of wedlock or of marriage, we learn from the Bible, occurred in the garden of Eden. We learn that Adam was, for a time, alone in the garden. The Lord thought it was not good for him to dwell alone. He, therefore, caused a deep sleep to come upon Adam, and while he was asleep the Lord removed from his side one of his ribs, and out of it, he made a woman, and brought her to Adam and gave her to him, that she might be a helpmeet for him, and she became his wife. And Adam said: "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman because she was taken out of man; therefore, shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife and they shall be one flesh."
In this simple, but at the same time wonder ful and interesting story, we find the origin of Wedlock. It came directly from God himself. He was its author, and he, himself, performed the first marriage ceremony that was ever cele brated on this earth. And it is therefore God who in the beginning fixed its conditions and established its obligations. Now, these obliga-

198

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

tions may be developed into a system of prin ciples, which, taken together, will make up what ma.y be called, the Law of Wedlock.
Notice in the first place, that God saw that it was not good for the man to dwell alone. The Lord, therefore, resolved to give him a companion who should be " a helpmeet for him."
The word meet means fit or suitabl.e. So the Lord intended to give to Adam a companion who should be a help fit or suitable for him. This implies congeniality of nature and of char acter. This was secured by making the woman out of the man.
She was bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh, and they were one flesh. Thus, the rela tion established between parties who are united in Wedlock may well be called duality in unity.
In the next place notice, that Adam perfectly understood the close union that bound together himself and his beautiful companion. " He called her woman because she had come out of man." And then follow the words: " Therefore, shall a man leave his father and his mother and cleave unto his wife and they shall be one flesh."
We find in these words the first Bible pre cept on the subject of marriage. And we find that it was the natural outcome of the facts

THE LAW OF WEDLOCK.

199

previously stated, viz., the woman was made out of the man,--sharing his nature and blood, and therefore qualified to be a companion, or help exactly suited to his wants, and to be united to him, in a relation so close, that the two should be one. If so, then--for those reasons-- "a man shall leave his father and his mother and cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one
flesh." The obligation imposed by this precept upon
the husband rests with equal force upon the wife; for we learn, in other portions of the Scripture, that, practically, it more frequently happened that the wife left her kindred to cleave unto her hus band, than he left his kindred to cleave unto his wife. The obligation is reciprocal and binding
upon both the parties. , In the next place, the precept excludes the idea of more than one wife at a time. Wedlock pre sents us, as already stated, a case of duality in unity. And, for as much, as the precept was given in connection with the history of the first marriage that ever occurred on earth, which was the mar riage of the parents of the human race, therefore, it clearly follows that the precept was designed to be the fundamental law of wedlock for all mankind to the end of time. However much it has been disregarded and trampled under foot among the nations and through all the ages, it is

200

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

nevertheless, a part, and a very important part, of Bible morality. This will be more apparent as we continue to study it.
There is another interesting thought suggested by the story of Adam and Kve. It is, that mar riage should be founded upon mutual affection. But this is so well understood that I need not dwell upon it. You boys and girls have seen it illustrated in your beloved parents; you have heard it talked about in j^bur social circles; and you have read about it possibly in many fasci nating books, for it is the charming theme of all our fictitious literature.
While Adam walked alone amidst the bowers of Eden, we may well suppose, he was but little interested in the objects around him. He must have felt a want of something--he knew not what. But presently, the Lord brought to him a beautiful creature and gave her to him to be his
wife. Adam recognized in her, at once, the offspring
and the counterpart of himself. Nay, she was his complement; for his own manhood was not com plete, till there was added to it the womanhood of Eve. We can now understand the strong but tender words with which he greeted her: " This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh." With such a salutation, he must have loved her as he loved himself.

THE I/AW OF WEDLOCK.

201

The record fails to report Eve's behavior on this interesting occasion. But all the circum stances of the case, justify the conclusion that she returned Adam's love with all the fervor of her soul. The Bible abounds with evidence, that this mutual affection is the bond of wedlock. I need only refer to the fact that the sacred writers often use the conjugal love--the love that unites hus band and wife--as the most suitable illustration of the love that unites God and his people.
Marriage, then, is the union of one man and one woman founded upon mutual love so strong that either one, as the case may require, will choose to leave home and kindred for the sake of the other; "and they twain shall be one flesh." And four thousand years after the time of Adam this same law was twice re-affirmed sin the later books of the Bible.
Upon these fundamental conditions of Wed lock, was founded the Seventh Commandment. The mutual attachment of the husband and wife that made it their duty to leave their dearest kindred for the sake of each other, certainly implied that they should faithfully cleave to one another against all rival lovers. Hence, when the time came for the formal promulgation of the moral law, this duty was embodied in the Seventh Commandment, which has already been explained in a previous chapter.

202

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

I now proceed to notice some other precepts concerning Wedlock that are found in other parts of the Bible.
In one place, speaking of the close union of husband and wife, it gives us these words: "What therefore God hath joined together let not man put asunder." Here we have a posi tive precept. It is expressed in terms of authority, that make it binding on the con science as a precept, or law, of Bible morality.
The words of the precept plainly show that, when a man and a woman are joined in marriage, according to the ordinance of God, they are virtually "joined together" by the Lord himself. For this reason no human authority has a right to separate them.
Closely connected with what has been said is the question of divorce.
The precept upon this question is given as follows:
" Whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to com mit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is put away committeth adultery." This precept is repeated with a slight variation which shows that, if a husband puts away his wife for any other cause than the one mentioned, he cannot lawfully marry another woman as long as his wife, whom he put away, is living.

THE I/AW OP WBDI/DCK.

203

According to these Scriptures, and others that might be cited, it is clear, that a divorce obtained upon any other ground, than the one above men tioned, can never justify either party in marry ing again, so long as the other party is living. If there be no breach of conjugal fidelity in the case, and yet, for other reasons, the parties are constrained to separate, each must consent to remain single till the other dies. This is the requirement of Bible morality on the subject of divorce.
In this statement of the law I have followed Matt. xix. 9. It is, however, proper to say that the Catholic Church holds that there is no cause of separation whatever that can justify either a husband or a wife in contracting another mar riage so long as both parties live. And some who are not Catholics hold the same view.
We have yet to notice a few precepts ad dressed separately to husbands and to wives, that each may know what is due to the other. To wives are addressed such words as these: " Wives, submit yourselves unto your husbands, as unto the Lord, for the husband is the head of the wife. * * *"
These words are in harmony with what the Lord said to Eve in the garden: " Thy desire shall be unto thy husband, and he shall rule over thee." Several other texts might be cited.

204

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

that agree with those just quoted, in teaching that the relation of the wife to her husband is one of subordination. She, therefore, owes him respect and obedience.
But let me make haste to say that this sub ordination of the wife to her husband was never intended to humiliate, or to degrade her. This will appear most clearly, when we consider the precepts which are addressed to husbands. They teach that husbands should love their wives, in such terms as to imply that one should be willing to sacrifice his own life for the sake of his wife if any emergency should arise demanding it. It may be that this extreme proof of his love is not often required ; but it is not without examples in the history of wedlock. It may be assumed, as a general rule, that the true husband, who walks after the morality of the Bible, is ever ready to peril his own life to protect the life or the honor of his wife.
Another precept addressed to husbands is this:
" Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered."
In this precept, the husband is required, first, to abide faithfully with his wife, thus confirming

THE LAW OF WEDLOCK.

205

the close and exclusive fellowship of marriage, as already explained.
But the husband must do more than simply abide with his wife. The precept requires him to render unto her honor " as unto the weaker ves sel." These words cannot mean that the wife is, in any humiliating sense, inferior to her hus band. She is his equal in nature, in mental en dowment, in moral worth and in social position. She is weaker than he in bodily strength, and this is: all that the words, in the precept, were intended to express.
And it is worthy of notice, that her being the weaker vessel, is one reason why her husband should honor her.
It is highly probable that it was Bible morality which developed, during the medieval period, a veneration for woman which has secured to her a place of equality at the side of her husband, wherever the morality of the Bible has been accepted as the rule of life.
I have thus explained, as fully as my space would allow, the duties incumbent upon hus bands and wives according to the teachings of Bible morality.
Wherever these duties are most faith full)' per formed, there we always find the highest degree of domestic happiness. On the other hand, whereever the rules or precepts of Bible morality on

ao6

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

the subject of marriage, are disregarded, there we find the least degree of domestic happiness. The same fact is true, not only in families, but also in communities, in states and in nations.
Summary.

1. Marriage is a divine institution. God him self was its author.
2. Marriage is the union of one man with one woman; and " they twain shall be one flesh."
3. The bond of union should be mutual love between the parties for each other.
4. The bond of wedlock binds the parties so long as both shall live, except in cases of a viola tion, by one of the parties, of the Seventh Com mandment.
5. If, therefore, they should separate for any other cause, they must consent to remain single so long as both shall live.

CHAPTER XVIII.
The Relative Duties of Employers and Employes.
We here touch a subject which concerns the well being of all men, both as individuals and as communities or nations. That this is true is manifest from the fact, that in civilized states all the people who are able to take care of them selves, are either employers or employes. To settle, therefore, upon the righteous principles that should regulate the relative obligations of these two classes of our citizens becomes a matter of im mense importance. It is a subject which is exercising the wisdom of our greatest and most patriotic statesmen, and our most wise and benev olent philanthropists. Writers upon this subject, sometimes call it the "Labor Problem," and, some times, it is spoken of as "The Relation of Capital to Labor;" but the one design of discussing the subject at all, should be to find the right answer to this simple question : What are the obligations of employers and employes to one another ?
When these obligations are not known, or, if known, are disregarded by either the employer or the employe, there will be danger of more or less dissatisfaction and of friction between the parties. It is just this neglect of their obliga tions that makes employers, sometimes, exacting
(207)

5o8

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

and cruel; and that makes employes, sometimes, engage in strikes and riots, whereby they injure not only their employers, but also themselves. Such uprisings a-e fraught with danger, and often involve destruction of property and loss of life.
The remedy for these evils might be found in the Golden Rule: " Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them."
If employers and employes would only walk by this Bible rule, there would be no more strikes --the " labor problem " would be settled.
Besides the Golden Rule, which is of general application, the Bible gives us some specific pre cepts addressed separately to the employer and employe. Let us notice first how the Bible talks to the employer. It says (Deut. xxiv. 14):
" Thou shalt not oppress a hired servant, but at his day thou shalt give him his hire." Such is the precept. In other Scriptures, the sin, which it forbids, is classed with the most fateful vices to which men become addicted. One such passage may be found in Mal. iii. 5. The Lord is represented as speaking:
" I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against adulterers and against false swearers and against those that oppress (or defraud) the hireling of his wages, the widow or the father less, etc."
You will here see that to oppress the hireling

DUTIES OF EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYES. 209
in his wages is classed with crimes of the most infamous kind. I call your attention to this fact, because it does seem to be true, that many people deem it a very light matter how they treat their hirelings. But the Lord does not think so. In the words above quoted, you see the Lord has taken the hireling, as he has the widow and the fatherless, under his protection, and declares that he will bring swift judgment upon any that shall oppress them. All hirelings are servants, and Moses says: " Thou shalt not oppress a hired servant."
You boys and girls have a deeper interest in this subject than you may suppose. When you are grown, you yourselves may be either hirelings or employers. Whether you are one or the other, how important it is that you should know your duty ! That is just what I am trying to tell you.
The precept to the employer is : " Thou shalt not oppress thy hired servant." There are many ways that this can be done. I will give you one example.
One very common mode of defrauding an employe is to withhold from him his compensa tion when it is due. A very common case of this kind of fraud is found in the experience of teachers. They are an honorable and useful class of public servants, and their patrons are their employers. Would you believe that parents
14

2io

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

sometimes fail to pay their tuition fees ? Well, they do.
Another class of public servants meet the same experience. I allude to the doctors. Their business is to tend the sick, the suffering and the dying. They have spent large sums of money in qualifying themselves for their humane vocation. And many of them do a large amount of charity practice among the poor around them. They do this voluntarily; but their books would show many defaulting patients who are able to pay.
I have taken these examples from the ranks of respectable and cultured people in order to show how much the precept before us is needed. It is certainly violated in all cases where there is an intentional failure to pay for service rendered under contract, unless the failure is due to real inability.
Another common mode of oppressing the hire ling (who is an employe), is to depress his salary or wages, as the case may be, below what would be a just compensation for his ser vices. The employer often has it in his power to do this, and it is sad to know that many a man will do it, if he has an opportunity.
People do not consider this subject as they ought. Let me illustrate it,
A gentleman, in one of our cities, wants a fence of a certain style built around his yard.

DUTIES OF EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYES. 211
He applies to a carpenter to make him a bid for the job. Well, the bid is made according to the length and the required style of the fence. But the man declines the bid. He says to the work man : " That is more than I am willing to give these hard times." The workman looks down at the ground and scratches his head in silence for a while. Perhaps he is thinking of his empty larder and his wife and children. Pres ently he looks up and says: " Mr. ----, I made that offer, based upon the market value of material and upon what I believe my labor is worth for that kind of work. The times are hard, but they are not so hard on you as on me; I have not had a job in a month, and my wife and children have not provisions for more than another day. So I will now ask you to make me an offer, for I am needing a job these hard times." The offer is made, in a cold business way, several dollars below the workman's bid. And he takes the contract, though at a price 25 or 30 per cent below what his time and labor are fairly worth. The proprietor is fully able to pay the amount first offered; now does he not take advantage of the hard times to oppress his employe ?
There are thousands of cases like the one I have supposed constantly occurring in the com mon business of life. But it is in the wider fields of human industry, that the neglect and
.

212

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

violation of the precept before us reaches its climax and produces its most disastrous results. The " Song of the Shirt" tells in plaintive melody the experience not only of the weary seam stress, but of thousands who are toiling in the mines, in the furnaces, in the factories, in the shops and in the fields to provide, first, the mate rial necessary to maintain the splendor of our modern civilization, and then a scant subsistence for themselves. Ought not these people to have their rights ? God himself has taken them under his protection--for he says, " Thou shalt not oppress a hired servant."

The Duties of the Employe.
The employer and employe are so closely con nected that their duties are relative. If it is the duty of the former to be just to his employe, it surely is the duty of the latter to be just to his employer. If the Lord shall come in judgment against the man who defrauds the hireling of his wages, he will come with equal severity against the man who, in any wise, defrauds his employer of the service which he has promised to perform. These relative duties have their basis, first, in the words, " Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self;" and second, in the Golden Rule, which has just been quoted.
Upon these two precepts is founded, as was

DUTIES OF EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYES. 213
shown in the former chapter, the great law of reciprocity. Hence, it follows that the laborer, the hireling, the employe--call him by what name you please--is under a moral, as well as a business obligation to render to his employer the service which is his due.
In the times when the Bible was written, the people had not only hired servants, but servants that were bondmen, or slaves, and even they were taught by the sacred writers to obey their " mas ters according to the flesh, not with eye service, but in singleness of heart as unto the Lord." Now, it is true, we have no slaves in our country to whom this special precept can apply, and yet its bearing upon, the subject before us is clear and impressive. For, if those who were made servants by force were morally bound to render true and faithful service to their masters; how much more should the free man who, with his own consent and free will, undertakes to work for another in order that he may earn a living, feel himself bound to serve his employer to the best of his skill and opportunity ?
There are many ways in which employes can defraud their employers. One is by unfaithful work. This mode is called in common speech, " slighting one's work ; " i. e., he is not careful to do the job as well as he knows it ought to be done. A familiar example of this slighting

214

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

of work may be found, and often is found, among domestic servants. Every housekeeper knows the vexation of having slovenly chambermaids, untidy cooks and careless nurses. True, some of these delinquents err, perhaps, from mere ignor ance or .want of training; but many know better, and slight their work just to save themselves a little additional trouble. In doing so they are violating the Golden Rule and the special precept addressed to servants. It may be affirmed, as a general rule, that all employes of every grade who slight their work are defrauding their employers.
Another way by which employes can defraud their employers is by failing to do as much work in a given time as they ought to do. They may fail from sheer laziness, or by slug gishness of movement. See two workmen at the same bench planing plank; one will make three strokes with his jack-plane while the other makes two. Or, if equal in speed, one keeps steadily at his work ; the other stops frequently to look out at the passers-by on the street, or to have a little chat with some idler who may chance to step into the shop. So when the day is closed he has not done a full day's work. And therefore he has, to that extent, defrauded his employer. When a man engages to work for another a given time, that time belongs to his employer, and he has no right to idle it

DUTIES OF EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYES. 215
away. It is fraud. A third mode of defrauding your employer, and the very worst of all, is steal ing from him. This point was alluded to in the chapter on the Eighth Commandment, but it deserves to be noticed in this connection, because stealing from an employer is the meanest kind of stealing. And why? Because it is not only, stealing, but a breach of trust. It is a fact that in all the grades of business, employers are obliged to trust, more or less, to the honesty of their employes. It is true in the kitchen, as well as in the store of a wholesale merchant, that em ployes often have opportunities to steal if they are mean enough to do it.
A lady housekeeper gives out to her cook the supplies which she wishes to be prepared for dinner. She cannot leave her other house hold work to stay in the kitchen and watch the cook. The lady is obliged to trust the cook. Well, she has the supplies all to herself in the kitchen. Now. suppose she should put aside in the basket a little flour, a little sugar, a little coffee, and perhaps a slice or two of bacon, for her own use at home. Has she not betrayed a trust as well as played the thief?
Take another case. Clerks behind the counter handle a great deal of their employer's money. It is a trust,--a sacred trust committed to their honor. To be faithful to the trust is to do no

216

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

more than their duty; but to violate it is to forget their honor, as well as to rob their em

ployer. In conclusion, let me say: I believe, if em
ployers and employes of every grade knew and

fulfilled, with all faithfulness, their relative duties to one another according to the teachings

of Bible morality, the labor problem would be

solved.

Summary.

1. A very large majority of all people in civilized countries are either employers or em

ployes. 2. These two classes are so related that they
are morally bound to act justly and righteously

towards one another. 3. The employer is forbidden to oppress his

employe in any way--either by withholding his pay, or by depressing his wages below what is just or fair, or by exacting an unreasonable amount of labor for the price agreed upon.

4. The employe, on his part, is bound, (1) To do his work to the best of his skill

and ability;

(2) To work diligently and faithfully during

the time he is employed; (3) To deal honestly with money, or tools, or
material, that is intrusted to him by his

employer.

CHAPTER XIX.
The Law of Temperance.
Webster's Dictionary defines temperance thus: " Temperance is habitual moderation in regard to the indulgence of the natural appetites and passions."
Accepting this definition as correct, its mean ing may be, I think, brought out a little more distinctly by stating it thus:
Temperance is the habitual exercise of a proper self-control in the indulgence of our natural appetites and passions.
I think this mode of expressing the definition accords more perfectly with the Bible idea of temperance, for in the Bible the word has for its root-idea "self-control," which is essential to moderation.
The law of temperance is designed to show to what extent we may innocently indulge these appetites and passions.
Of the passions, however, I have already spoken in my comments on the Sixth, Seventh, Eighth and Tenth Commandments. You may remember what was there said about anger, hatred, covetousness and other evil passions. I need not repeat here what was said in those chapters. I shall therefore confine myself at present to the

218

MANUAL OP BIBLE MORALITY.

consideration of temperance in its relation to the appetites. And of these I shall speak only of hunger and thirst And first, of

Hunger.
Man cannot live without food. To obtain food he must seek it. Sometimes he must work for it. But to make him willing to seek and work for food, he must feel that he wants it. This feeling of the want of food is hunger.
It is a natural appetite that impels a man to take food. The Lord has placed it in our nature for that very purpose. The Lord has done more than this. He has associated with the indulgence of our desire for food a great degree of pleasure. Who does not enjoy a good dinner ?
Right at this point arises the necessity for temperance. Such are the pleasures of the table, that we are constantly in danger of eating too much--more than our digestive organs can at one time dispose of. Thousands actually do this, and thus bring on themselves various chronic and painful diseases, which in many cases em bitter and shorten life. To guard against these unhappy results we must exercise a prudent selfcontrol over our desire to enjoy the pleasure of eating.
As already stated, the desire for food is a natural appetite, and may be innocently indulged

THE LAW OP TEMPERANCE.

219

so long as we subject it to the prudent restraints of temperance.
But there are appetites very similar to hunger which are not natural. The Lord did not give them a place in the structure of our bodies.
One of these is an appetite for tobacco. Some of you boys may have already formed the habit of tising it. If so, you know very well that you had not, at first, a natural taste for it. Very likely it made you sick. But you persisted in using it, and after a while you came to love it as much as your daily food, and so you have acquired an unnatural appetite. And your in dulgence of that appetite for a few months will bring upon you what is called " the tobacco habit," a habit which in all probability you will never be able to shake off. The evil effects of * this habit are numerous. Some people, I know, use tobacco all their lives and are not conscious that it ever injures them. But these are ex ceptional cases. It is well known that tobacco contains within its fibre a violent poison, the tendency of which is to break down the health of those who use it.
To this habit we should certainly apply the law of temperance. But temperance in the use of tobacco demands more than mere moderation. Who ever did use it moderately ? See that boy smoking a dozen cigarettes a day! How

220

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

many will he smoke by the time he is twenty years old ? By that time the tobacco habit will be fixed for life. Then he may look out for nervous prostration, dyspepsia, or a diseased heart, or all of them at once, to make him a trem bling invalid as long as he lives. To avoid the possibility of such consequences, temperance demands total abstinence.
What I have said about the appetite for to bacco applies with full force against the habitual use of opium. It creates another unnatural appetite. Its indulgence brings on what is called the " opium habit." It is far more dread ful than the tobacco habit. But it is worthy of notice that there is often an apology for the opium eater. Opium is a powerful anaesthetic. Hence it has been used by physicians for many years to relieve pain. When a man is suffer ing with intense pain, and his physician pre scribes opium in some one of its forms, the poor fellow is not to be blamed for taking it. But when he has been relieved he should have selfcontrol enough to let it alone. To take it merely for the pleasant feeling which it may produce will gradually form the opium habit. Except when used for medicinal purposes the law of temperance demands, as in the case of tobacco, total abstinence.
I have discussed these acquired appetites for

THE lyAw OF TEMPERANCE.

221

tobacco and opium in connection with hunger, because the craving desire which they produce is more like hunger than any other natural appetite.
The other natural appetite to be considered is thirst.
We cannot live without water. The Lord has therefore supplied abundance of it all around us; and natural thirst is the feeling which impels us to drink it.
If all people were content to slake their thirst with pure water, there would be no need to urge upon them the restraints of temperance in its use.
But, unfortunately, men are not willing to be restricted to simple water as their only beverage. By their ingenuity they have dis covered, and are able to manufacture, many other beverages that are far more gratifying to them than simple water.
These beverages, with many that may be con sidered harmless, include all kinds of fermented and distilled liquors. These liquors all contain in them a peculiar element called alcohol. Fermented liquors, such as beer and wine, con tain in them only a small amount of alcohol, compared with the amount found in distilled liquors, such as brandy, rum, and whiskey.
All these beverages, on account of the alcohol

222

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

which they contain, are more or less intoxicating; and for this reason, they are often called intoxi cating drinks. The habitual use of them often creates a thirst for them that few, very few, are able to resist. The indulgence of this un natural appetite becomes, in a little while, what is called the "liquor habit."
It is in regard to the use of these intoxicating drinks that we find the greatest need for a faithful application of the Law of Temperance.
The liquor habit leads to drunkenness. It is scarcely possible to estimate its destructive and widespread evils. Let us notice, first, the effect of habitual drinking upon the drunkard himself. On this point, the- Bible speaks with fearful warnings: " Who hath woe ? Who hath sorrow? Who hath contentions? Who hath babblings ? Who hath wounds without cause ? Who hath redness of eyes?--they that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine." Yes, drunkards are the people who answer to these questions. There can hardly be found on earth a more wretched man than a drunkard. No wonder the inspired writer added, in the next verse, an. earnest admoni tion : " Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth its color to the cup, when it moveth itself aright; (for) at the last, it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder."

THE LAW OF TEMPERANCE.

223

Such is the sad picture of the drunkard as given by the Bible. And we know it is true. Examples are all around us. How often do we see the drunkard afflicted with madness while he lives, and at last dying with " delirium tremens."
Notice, in the next place, the effects of drunk enness upon communities.
Here the evil falls first and most heavijy upon the drunkard's family. The wife and the children of a drunkard are often doomed to the privations of poverty, with all its burdens of unrequited labor, and of heart-sorrow--too deep for utter ance. How many homes have been made miser able by a drunken husband and father! There are thousands of such homes.
Notice, in the third place, the evils of drunk enness upon larger communities--upon states and nations.
First, it is the source of unnumbered crimes. The statistics of our criminal courts establish this fact to a degree that is appalling. Perhaps fourfifths of all the crimes against the state are the results, either directly or indirectly, of intemper ate drinking. It is the liquor habit which often suspends the power of conscience and stifles the feelings of moral obligation; and thus demoral izes its victim till, like a ravening beast, he is bent only upon the indulgence of his diabolical pas sions. Can life and property be safe in any

224

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

community infested with a class of habitual drunkards ?
But this is not all: the liquor habit involves the community in a heavy expense. I again refer, for proof, to our criminal courts. Every criminal brought to justice costs the county more or less money. The expenses of a trial, taken altogether, amount in some cases to more than a thousand dollars. Therefore, as drunkenness increases crime, to that extent it increases the expense of punishing it. The aggregate of this expense for one year in all the counties of the State would amount to many thousands of dollars. Who pays this money ? Of course the citizens of the county--the taxpayers--must meet this heavy expense. And in all probability threefourths of it is due to the prevalence of liquordrinking among the people.
What is the remedy for this stupendous evil ? It is to apply the Law of Temperance against the use of liquor as a beverage. Leave it to physicians to be prescribed as a medicine when they judge it necessary; but let it be banished from every household as a beverage. To do this will require the exercise of self-control against the contracting of this unnatural appetite for intoxicating liquors.
In regard to the indulgence of our natural appetites, temperance requires no more than to

THE LAW OF TEMPERANCE.

225

use them with moderation. It requires modera tion, because excessive indulgence even of hunger and thirst are found to be dangerous and hurt ful ; but the thirst for intoxicating drinks is an unnatural appetite--an appetite which grows by indulgence till it becomes uncontrollable and destructive. Experience shows that moderation in its indulgence is a very rare exception to the general rule. lu this case, true temperance clearly demands more than moderation--it de mands " total abstinence " from all intoxicating liquors, when used as beverages.
It is true the Bible nowhere mentions total abstinence as required by the Law of Temper ance. This is easily explained : In ancient times the only intoxicating beverages that the people had were fermented liquors. And these were so mild that they could be used with moderation. Therefore, total abstinence was not enjoined in words. But since distilled liquors have been discovered it has been found that men who in dulge in the use of fermented liquors as a bev erage, will gradually acquire an appetite for stronger drinks, which, if indulged, will almost universally lead on to the liquor habit. Hence it is not too much to claim, as I have done in this chapter, that the Law of Temperance now requires total abstinence from all intoxicating liquors as a beverage.

226

MANUAL OF BIBLE MORALITY.

Having explained the Law of Temperance in some of its most important applications, I will now try to unfold to you its true place in the morality of the Bible.
We find that the sacred writers have placed temperance among the highest endowments of a noble character. Notice the following -words:
" Add unto your faith courage; and to courage knowledge; and to knowledge temperance ; and to temperance patience; and to patience godli ness ; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness love."
Here we have presented to us a golden chain of exalted virtues. The first link is faith; the last, is love: these are bound together by other golden links, and conspicuous among them is TEMPERANCE.
Another citation will present to us temperance as one of the loveliest graces that adorn a sancti fied nature.
"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temper ance."
Here we find temperance classed with the graces that give beauty and lustre to a pure and holy life. In the light of these Scriptures we may safely conclude that temperance in all things is a part of Bible morality, and that it is one of the most attractive virtues found among men.

THE LAW OF TEMPERANCE.

227

In contrast with temperance, how hateful is drunkenness? I have already shown you how drunkenness bites like a serpent and stings like an adder. The Bible classes it with the most abominable vices that disgrace human nature and destroy human happiness. And it teaches most emphatically that no drunkard hath eternal life.

Summary.

1. "Temperance is habitual moderation in re gard to the indulgence of the natural appetites and passions."
2. To exercise such moderation requires effi cient self-control.
3. When applied to our natural appetites, the Law of Temperance permits us to indulge them irr moderation, enforced by a wise self-control, but forbids all excessive indulgence, because it is hurtful and dangerous.
4. When applied to certain acquired appetites, such as the desire for tobacco, or opium, or al coholic liquors, the Law of Temperance forbids their habitual indulgence altogether. There is no certain safeguard against their destructive effects except in total abstinence.
5. Temperance is counted, by the Bible, among the noblest virtues that can adorn a human char acter.

ENDORSEMENTS.

I have just finished the reading of " A Manual of Bible Moral ity," by your honored father, Rev. S. G. Hillyer, D. D. It is most admirably conceived and executed. Such a text in the hands of competent teachers cannot fail to produce most salutary results in the elementary and secondary schools of the country.
W. A. CANDLBR, Pres. Emory College, Oxford, Ga.

I have just completed the reading of the " Manual of Bible

Morality," from the pen of Dr. S. G. Hillyer, and so fully interested

was I in the effort to provide our schools with an every day text-book

on the line covered in the title page that I read every chapter. The

treatise is wholly free from the least suggestion of sectarian bias,

and while it urges all the sanction of the Bible in inculcating its

precepts, it smacks of no creed, it is narrowed by no bigotry. Its

ethics is universal--its basis of right conduct is along lines of action

which, if adopted by all, would promote the happiness of all--and

if only this book could be bound up in the heart of a child his life

would issue in blessings to his generation. The book is, I think,

admirably adapted to school uses, both as a supplemental reader

for all pupils above the second year at school and for the specific

purpose of educating the sense of right and wrong. It can be used

as an every day text, and its " summaries" made matter for exact

memory drill with vast profit to the pupil, I commend the book

without reserve to all teachers seeking a practical work on school

ethics.

J. C. HARRIS,

Prin. Public Schools, Rome, Ga.

It lias been my privilege to read the advanced sheets of Dr. ShalerG. Hillyer's "Manual of Bible Morality," intended for the use of pupils in our public schools. The idea of adapting the princi ples of ethics to the comprehension of the youth of our country is a happy one, and most happily has the learned author wrought out the conception in this little volume. No man of my acquaintance is better qualified for this important task His long experience as a student and teacher of moral philosophy renders him. eminently fitted to. produce a text-book for the schools. His investigation of a subject is radical and thorough, and his conclusions logical and sound.
Moreover, he is a master of simple, pure and lucid diction. His treatment of even abstruse principles is so simple that a child can follow him. The present work is a fine sample of these char acteristics of his style. Assuming that Bible morality is the high.est and purest morality in the world, and that its principles ought to be taught to the youth of our primary and grammar schools, I know of no one so well qualified to write a text-book on this sub ject as Dr. Staler G. Hillyer.
A. J. BATTI.E, President of Shorter College, Rome, Ga.
The happy manner in which God's laws are presented and ex plained to the inquiring young mind in this volume will bless, broaden, and brighten many lives. Where this book fiiids a place in the regular curriculum of the school, its study will prove time profitably spent, and, in the bands of a sympathetic teacher, it will be the means of greatly advancing students in every line of study.--Baptist Outlook, Indiana.
Dr. S. G. Hillyer's " Manual of Bible Morality " is a clearly ex pressed work for use in schools and in the homes.--Outlook, Illi

Admirable in design it is equally so in execution. The treatise is wholly free from the least suggestion of sectarian bias, anfl while it urges all the sanction of the Bible in inculcating its pre cepts, it smacks of no creeds, and it is narrowed by no bigotry. Eminent educational authorities with great unanimity have ex pressed their high approval of the work, not only in its adaptation to school uses, but for the purpose of training the sense of any and every one to the right and wrong.--North and West, Minnesota.
A book needed in every home aud every school room. It should be carefully read and studied by every individual, both young and old, who desires to make the most and the best of llim self.--Arkansas Baptist, Arkansas.
It is an admirable book, setting forth clearly the morality taught by the Bible. As a school book it is especially valuable, and will prove a splendid addition to the course of studying in our institutions of learning, great and small.-- Christian Neighbor, South Carolina.
It fills an important niche and should have the attention of parents and teachers.--Methodist, Virginia.
It is designated as a text-book for the use of schools, is written in pedagogical style and well adapted to the purpose for which it is intended.--St. Louis Christian Advocate, Missouri.
Its code is the Ten Commandments, and in a happy manner God's laws are presented to the inquiring young mind.-- Christian Observer, Kentucky.
It should be in the hands of every intelligent reader, and we heartily recommend it to the schools and colleges. It is com mended by many of our ablest denominational scholars.--Baptist Union, Virginia.

This manual is Scriptural, wholly free from sectarian and sectional taint and presents Bible morality simply and attractively. "We wish it might be introduced into all the schools. Onr greatest need in education is Bible morality.-- The Lutheran Evangelist, Dayton, Ohio.
It is comprehensive, radical, loyal to the dominant ethical spirit of the Sacred Books.-- Western Christian Advocate, Cincin nati, Ohio.
The author uses very plain and direct language and the book is well adapted for the purpose for which it is intended. It is. the more acceptable to Christian people because it is based not on ab stract morality but on a divinely given law and impresses truth as coming from God. Yet there is no dogmatism about it, or any sectarian teaching.--Southern Presbyterian, South Carolina.
This book is admirably suited for the purpose designed--to be a text-book on Bible morality. It is a simple, clear pesentation of the subject, free from technical terms and well suited to the child mind. It lays stress where stress ought to be laid--on duty to God and man. There is nothing in the book that indicates the denom ination of the writer, and so little of sectarian bias, that all denom inations can approve it and use it for what it claims to be, a manual of morality based on Bible teaching.-- Christian Index, Georgia.
The book is admirably conceived and executed, and, in the hands of competent teachers, can not fail to be productive of much good. While intended especially for primary schools, it may be studied with profit by all.-- Herald aud Presbyter, St. Louis, Mo.
(232)

It is an admirable -work, and if it -were in every household, I would feel secure of our government and its institutions.
CHAS. H. SMITH (Bill Arp), Carlersville, Ga
The teaching is in plain language, and is judicious and forcible in form.-- Watchman, Massachusetts.
The book is well written and will do miwb important service for morality as the Bible teaches it in the Decalogue wherever used. We commend it to our public and private school teachers.--North Carolina Presbyterian.
I am in receipt of your two communications under date of the a6th instant, and every word you say in regard to the teachers showing an interest iu the instruction of the children by such methods impresses me greatly--the remarks upon the threefold de velopment of man is especially true ; and I would (from my first cursory glance) if I had the power, place your " Bible Morality " in the hands of every Instructor in our country. There is entirely too little development of the moral side of the child's nature, and as a consequence he grows up with an intellectual development which is merely a firebrand in his hands, unless controlled by a high moral nature.
R. W. SILVESTER. Pres. Md. Agricultural College, College Park, Md.
Your valuable little book " Manual of Bible Morality " was re ceived some days ago. Accept my thanks for it. I most surely agree with its author as to the adoption of such a work in our pub lic schools. -It is certainly needed beyond a question. There are

so many teachers who never realize the great responsibility of in structing the young and growing mind; never stop to think that the impressions planted perhaps by them will be a fundamental ruling of that child's destiny.
WILL A. BERRY,
Springfield, Ark.
Dr. Hillyer's work simplifies this study, and makes it inviting for this book to be in all the public schools of the land. It is unsectarian, and is well suited for its purpose.--Christian Tribune, Marvland.
It is based on the Ten Commandments. The author talks to Hie point, -with a definiteness and a directness that are refreshing. Old folks would do well to read it, and tone up their moral sense by its plain words. Young folks should be trained up upon it. It is calculated to be an exceedingly useful book.--New York Obsei~'cr.

Outlines of German Literature
FROM 50O B. C. TO 1870
For Qass-Room and Library
By MADAM MARY JEFFERSON TEUSLER
Ttacbcr of Ganuut i* the Hi[k School of RicirmaitJ, ft.
Contains about 250pages. I2mo. Price, $1.95 ; introduc tion price, $I.OO. Will be sent to teachers postpaid on receipt of introduction price, tut if more convenient may bt ordered ofyour bookseller.
The book is simply what its title indicates: an outline to be followed in studying German literature--a guide to more extended work in this great field. It is an excellent refer ence book for dates and facts desirable to be known. It also contains fifty of the most celebrated short poems in the lan guage. It is not only a text-book, but will be found accept able to the general reader.
Important points to be considered :
i. It gives the pupils a clear idea of German literature, its authors, and their works in an interesting and concise style.
a. It is adapted to all schools, public and private. 3. If used only as a reading book many important facts
will be so pleasantly acquired as to make a lasting impression on the pupil.
The style is simple and direct, and the volume cannot fail to inspire in the young a desire for a more extended acquaint ance with the legends, lays and authors of which it treats. --Richmond Dispatch.
In short, it lays foundations, and lays them well, which should be the limit of the scope of any school or college text-book. The publishers are disciples of that-sensible reform of using large, legible type at the expense of space.

In every respect this new text book merits the attention of teachers and students of German Literature.-- The Teacher, Illinois.
The volume has the charm of biography and intelligent literary criticism or comment in one, and is very delight ful reading aside from its very positive educational merit. It is the work of a thoughtful, discriminative and sympa thetic mind deeply in love with its subject, and it has all the value which that implies.--Richmond Times.
" OUTIJNES OF GERMAN LITERATURE," by M. J. Teusler, is a most interesting compilation of the best gems of the German language, replete with appropriate remarks. It is fascinating from cover to cover, and no lover of this language can afford to be without it--Public Schools, Tenn.
The Bible Course Syllabus
Prepared by
REV. J. B. SHEARER, D.D.
President of Otmdson College, N. C., formerly Professor of Biblical Instruction. Souttmsttm Predrrterian University, Ctfrhsvillt, Tat*.
Complete in three volumes. Price, go cents each. (Bound in cloth, interleaved for notes.) i6mo. For the use of theJunior, Intermediate and Senior Classes of the University, for Colleges, Schools and Private Bible Classes. Sample copy ofeither grade sent postpaid on receipt of 40 cents, introduction price. Price, per set (j volumes), $t.gO. Price to Ministers, also to Teachers, for examination and introduction, per set, $1.20.
The study of the Bible is attracting more and more atten tion every year, and now our wisest educators and best men feel that the safest and best thing to do to protect our young people, to build them up and make strong and vigorous men and women of them, is to begin early in life the teachings' of the Bible and constantly impress its beautiful truths on

their minds. They need to realize that it is the foundation, ofall learning, the foundation ofall literature, and the founda tion of all law, and when God's Word is fixed firmly in their minds so as to enable them to use it to the very best advan tage in all of the trying exigencies of life, they are far better prepared to fight life's battles. Some institutions require every student enrolled to take a systematic course of Bible
study. There are minor details in connection with this work that
must be settled according to the individual needs of each case, according to the enthusiasm and vivacity of the teachers; but there are certain general lines of thought and work that we can all safely follow along. Shearer's course of Bible study does not undertake to present any peculiar doctrine or to favor any particular sect, but it simply en deavors to lay out before the student the Word of God in all its beauty and purity.
There is enough valuable matter packed away in each little book to render it worthy of the title volume.--Prof. G. S. Burroughs, D. JO., Amherst College, Amherst, Mass.
You have done a great thing in anticipating the general sentiment which is now going to prevail.-- Wm. R. Harper, President Chicago University.
I like your plan because it is a plan to learn the truths of the Bible from the Book itself. We then analyze your analy sis more minutely so that the students fix in their minds and memories, as far as possible, the very words and idioms of the Bible.--Rev. D. Rice, D. D., President Macalester Col lege, St. Paul, Minn.
I have used it five years in the class-room and find it excel lently adapted to my work. It is eminently practical and comprehensive. I like the feature of leaving details of in terpretation, doctrines, etc., to the teacher.--Rev. S. E. Chandler, Prof. Biblical Instruction, Austin College, Sherman, Texas.
I take this occasion for bearing my testimony and uttering in no uncertain terms my hearty advocacy of .the Christian feature in education which you are developing.--Rev.J. D. Tadlock,D. D., Theological Seminary, Columbia, S. C.

We commend the work as one of great value, not only to the professor, but to the teacher of Bible classes and to the Bible student.--Central Presbyterian.
They are full and accurate, and admirably adapted to aid. the student of the Bible, by giving him a clear and connected view of its contents, and directing his attention to very many points which would otherwise be overlooked.--D. D. San? aerson. Prof. Tuscaloosa Institute, Ala.
We have formed a Bible class here and have fifteen mem bers to start with, and we are going to use your BIBLE ' COURSE SYLLABUS, and have named the class the "Shearer Bible Class."--/. W. Bishop, Sec. Shearer Bible Class, ffarper's Ferry, W. Va.
I am quite well pleased with it, and I shall use it in my class.--Kev. G. M. Elliott, Pastor Berean Pres. Church, Beaufort, S. C.
Pollard's Sbakespearean Tablet
By JOHN POLLARD, A.H., D.D.
Professor of English in Richmond Collcfc, Richmond, Va.
Just ike thing needed by every literature class. Thirty-two pages, printed on good quality of writing paper. Price, US cents / introduction price, 20 cents. Will be sent, postpaid, on receipt of introduction price.
Teachers have frequently felt the need of a work of this kind that would enable them to have their scholars carefully tabulate the important points in connection with the drama that they were studying, and we are glad to be able to offer a most satisfactory Tablet. We believe it is the only one that has ever been made for work of this kind. It contains thirty-two pages, printed and ruled, especially adapted to the needs of the class, the present form being adopted only after eight years' experience in teaching on this plan.
Students using this Tablet are compelled to be able to grasp thoroughly and master the subject in hand, while it is a great saving of time on the part of the teacher.

Literature Tablet
By JOHN POLLARD, A.M, D.D.
Professor of English in Richmond College, Richmond, Va.
Price, ay cents. Introduction price, ao centB. Will
it sent on receipt of introduction price, which may be refunded if not satisfactory. Postage stamps taken. This Tablet is on the same general plan as the Shakespearean Tablet, but adapted to a wider range of reading, and it may be used in the study of any kind of literature. It possesses the same advantages as the Shakespearean Tab let, and contains the same number of pages. We heartily commend these Tablets to teachers of litera ture, believing, as we do, that they will prove exceedingly helpful and advantageous both to themselves and their pupils.
Smttbdeals Practical Grammar. Speller and Leiter-Ulriter
By G. H. SMITHDEAL
Formerly Teacher of Rhetoric, Spelling, Dictation and Reading in the Richmond High Ischool, Richmond, fa.
Contains 214 pages. Bound together in clotb and stiff boards, or each part may be had bound separately. Price for com bination, 75 cents; introductoryprice, 60 cents. Grammar, separate,45 cents; Speller,35cents; letter- Writer, 35 cents. Introductory price of each part, as cents.
Important and closely related as these subjects are in a practical education, we believe they have not heretofore been united in one volume. This book embraces just such matter, and is arranged in just such a manner as it is thought will best serve the needs of the Business College, the Academic or the Home Student.
The Grammar of this book, including a treatise on " Words Frequently used Incorrectly," together with complete rules for Capitalization and Punctuation, embraces 104 pages. It is a well-known fact that English Grammar is an unwelcome study to the average student. Recognizing the very great importance of this part of the book, and the fact that students do not make satisfactory progress in those studies

l6r which they feel a distaste, the author has endeavored to eliminate technicalities and make the subject as simple and attractive as is consistent -with thoroughness.
The Spelling covers 52 pages, embracing nearly 5000 words, which have been selected with great care. Knowing that for a few cents a student can purchase a dictionary, with a long list of simple and difficult words pertaining to all sub jects; following each other promiscuously, without regard to system, save alphabetic order, the writer has carefully classi fied and placed all words under their respective headings, as shown by the " Contents," more than half of them being defined. There are embraced in this department such words as are in common use, not only in business, but in every department of life, and are liable to be misspelled. Having examined the latest leading business college spellers, the author confidently believes this division of the_ book to be easily superior to anything else of the kind published.
The Letter-Writing embraces 50 pages. Here general information is given on the subject oi correspondence, fol lowed by detailed instruction concerning the various classes of business and social epistolary correspondence. A large cumber of model forms are also given, showing the learner just how to begin and end letters, how to fold and insert them into envelopes, how to address and stamp envelopes, etc.
BUSINESS FORMS.--The book ends with eight pages of the various kinds of Business Forms, and instructions for writ ing them in the best style.
"We invite attention to the opinions from scholars and educators of high character and reputation. Better still, send for a book for examination, with a view to introduction, and judge for yourself.
I find " SMITHDEAL'S GRAMMAR, SPELLER AND LETTERWRITER " admirably adapted to the purpose for which it has been prepared. It derJB with just those subjects with which a business man needs roost to be acquainted. It is logical in ar rangement and clear in statement. I should be glad to know that all our young men entering business know half of what is here so well set forth.---John Pollard, A. M., D. D., Pro fessorofSchoolofEnglish, Richmond College, Richmond, Va.
I have examined " SMTTHDEAL'S ENGLISH GRAMMAR, SPELLER AND LETTER-WRITER," and can very highly rec ommend it. It ought to be on the desk of every business young man.---James Nelson, A.M., D.D., President of Woman:s College, Richmond, Va.
I