Sunday, August 07, 2011 "The early courts" (1844)

Sunday, August 07, 2011

"The early courts" (1844)

First from Julie's Keyboard

Words of Wisdom?

As Jesus walked this earth and taught the truth to those who would receive, He had a sure cure for dealing with body parts that got folks in trouble.  If you'll remember from the Scriptures, He said "to cut them off, and cast them from..."  Can't get much straighter in approach than this wouldn't you say?

Well, my thoughts today are regarding a member of the body that according to the Bible can be the most "deadly" of all.  Such a little thing it is, yet it can wreak such great damage.  Yes, I'm speaking of the "tongue."

How easy it is to open the mouth and as we're known to say, "insert the foot."  We get the impression from the book of James that this little body organ requires constant discipline.  Oh to be able to speak graciously each time we open our mouths.  What a precious gift it would be to have the ability to speak the truth in love always.  Then what an added blessing it would be to be able to keep quite often.

The Scriptures teach us that one who is able to keep from being offensive with his tongue is a "perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body."  There's a verse in the book of Proverbs that tells us that "The power of life and death are in the tongue, and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof."  It seems in the interpretation of this, there would be great wisdom in choosing words with care. 

The Scriptures teach us that every other kind of animal life can have their tongues tamed by mankind, but not the tongue of humankind.  They go on to describe the tongue as "an unruly evil, full of deadly poison."  Ouch!

With these things in mind, what manner of persons should we be in regard to our speech?  I leave with you these passages of Scripture today to help with this issue.

James 3:13-18 "Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you?  let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
And the fruit of righeousness is sown in peace of them that make peace."

Matthew 5:29,30 "And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast if from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell."

Colossians 4:6 "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man."



Blessings in Him,

Julie

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"The early courts" (1844)

Vidal v. Girard's Executors "1844"
United States Supreme Court

To be as brief as possible, this case involved the probation of the will of Stephen Girard. His entire estate and personal property (valued at over $7 million) were bequeathed to the city on the condition that it construct an orphanage and a college.  But he stipulated that no ecclesiastic, missionary, or minister of any sect whatsoever, shall ever hold any station or duty, or ever be admitted for any purpose, not even as a visitor. 

Sounds like most of our universities today!  Who said atheists could not attempt to accomplish what many consider good things?  There are many good people who are atheists, if we were judged just on our goodness, they would win over Christians many times.

Walter Jones and the great Daniel Webster were the lawyers for the plaintiffs.

Webster reminded the Court, "Both in the Old and New Testaments [the religious instruction of the youth] is recognized. . . . No fault can be found with Girard for wishing a marble college to bear his name for ever, but it is not valuable unless it has a fragrance of Christianity about it."

The city's attorneys concluded, "The purest principles of morality are to be taught.  Where are they found?  Whoever searches for them must go to the source from which a Christian man derives his faith, the Bible. . . . There is an obligation to teach what the Bible alone can teach, viz. a pure system of morality."

After all arguments were concluded, the United States Supreme Court offered an unanimous opinion delivered by Justice Joseph Story.

"Christianity . . . is not to be maliciously and openly reviled and blasphemed against to the annoyance of believers or the injury of the public. . . . It is unnecessary for us, however, to consider . . . the establishment of a school or college for the propagation of Judaism or Deism or any other form of infidelity.  Such a case is not to be presumed to exist in a Christian country." 

Of course the Courts today would hold an entirely different view. 

The Court then explained, "Why may not laymen instruct in the general principles of Christianity as well as ecclesiastics. . . . And we cannot overlook the blessings which such men by their conduct, as well as their instruction, may, nay must impart to their youthful pupils.  Why may not the Bible, and especially the New Testament, without note or comment, be read and taught as a divine revelation in the college, its general principles of morality inculcated? . . . Where can the purest principles of morality be learned so clearly or so perfectly as from the New Testament?"

Thus pointing to both sides that even though the will had prohibited clergy, it had not prohibited Christian instruction and was therefore constitutionally acceptable.

The idea of teaching Biblical principles to our youth in public schools and colleges was not considered or conceived to be a breach of Constitutional principles because our general population and governments accepted the ideal and considered this to be a Christian nation.

Today we have great conflicts because the Constitution allows for such expression of faith among our people, but many of our people are now offended by and opposed to such expression.  Our courts and public offices are occupied by many who are offended by and are opposed to this public expression.

Thus we find ourselves in conflict not with our Constitutions of government, but with our own interpretation of those Constitutions.  What once needed not to be clearly defined among us, now must be debated, amended, changed, or even omitted to bring closure. 

At present this is being attempted by Court's interpretation and rulings rather than legislation.  President John Adams accurately stated, "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." 

As we move away from our original moral and religious convictions, our Constitution of government grows weaker and weaker as governing principles.  It will eventually become irrelevant to our actions or either completely replaced with something conducive with our behavior and desires as a people.

May God bless each of you,

David