The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1860-09-20

i
bust and manly; and, just in proportio,
as picty is low, prejudice is high, ant
men magnify unduIy things of mino
consequence, and under estimate things
Of tn, first importance. Of course, if
minister is plain and faithful in dcalin.
with sin and error, in all places, aud i,
ali forms, some will b. offended and wall
no more with him
Now, unless one is we'll fortified agains
this besetment, he is liable to be drawr
aside from the straight path, into som.
roundabout way, by which he may avoit
giving offense, and escape the afilictior
Of being despised aud deserted. But il
is, or certainly should be, enough 70,
the disciple that he be as his master, and
the servant as his Lord. If they have
called the master Of the house. Belle
bub, how much more shall they cal
them Of his household" Ifthe founder
of christianity was deserted for his faith
fulness, and his chief apostle forsaken ol
all men for his fearlessncss in fulfilling
his 'ninistry,-how much more may 9th.
er ministers expect the same, 10 simila,
circumstances
A few words by way Of exposition
6rst, Of the words Of Christ a. recorded
i" Matthew 7: II. "Thereforc all thing,
whatsoever yc would that men should do
to you, do ye even 40 to them" This
the Saviour affirMs, is the substance o!
the law and the prophets. 1t is also the
substance of the gospel, so far as our du
ty to man is concerned. Notice the
universally Of its application "nll
things whatsoever" &c. Whatever
We are conscious that we should, in an
exchange Of circumstances, reasonably
wish that others should do to US, that we
are bound to do to them" BY "men,"
in this passage, is meant all men. not
somo particular inch. It applies not on.
ly to our equals aud friends. but to our
interiors and enemies. Kindness and
mercy should be extended to all.-even
to the dumb beasts which minister to
our necessities.
The same sweeping universally is
manifest in the passage cited from Col
3: 25: "And whatsoever 70 do, do it
heartily, as to the Lord. and not to men &"
(Sso also v. II; and I Cor. 10: 81 }
Surely this does not mean that in our
public and private 'oor.hip only, we are
required to serve God. and that in ouz
business and politics We may serve the
devil. or do as We please We are to
"do al to the glory Of God" whether
in religion, in business, in social inter.
course and amusement, or in the dis.
charge Of our civil and political dutie.
" Not ~ men,; j. c. not to men as sep
arate from, and at variance with God !;
not AS fearing men, nor as pleasing men.
nor yet regardless Of men. for that would
not be "as to the L,rd ;" but as prom,t
ing the highest good Of men. which is
we'll pleasing in His sight
The third passage cited needs no ex
plana.ion it can be made no palmer
than t is az it stands on the sacred page:
" Thu" shalt speak my wori< unto them
'oheth"r thy ~W hear, or ,oAether they
wW ./orLrur."
We insist, then, that the obvious
teaching ofthe Bible is. that all the busi
ness. aud all the relations Of life, in gen
c,al and in detail, are to Be held sub
servient to the principles and prec"pts Of
christianity; and that it is the duty Of
Gods ministers, to bring The gospel tu
bear, directly and distinctively. on all
the wide and diversified range Of human
pursuits. Not only is it our duty TO in
cu'cate virtue and charity in general, but
in particular, every where aud always
You are to be reli yious, not merely on
the Sabbath, but on the week day ; not
only at the prayer meeting, but at the
counter, and on tho farm. sowing and
reapi"g, aud exchanging commodities.
You are to be neiyhborly and kind, not
alone to those who live next door to you.
or on the adjoining farm; but also TO
those that live the next door and the
next farm bcycnd, and so outward and
altar OF, 10 the extent Of your influence
and relationship as fellow creatures.
" Who is my neighbor ?" is an old cues.
tion, and you all remember the Lords
answer. The answer is the same now as
it was then; and will be the same as
now to the end of the world. All ma.
tions aud tribes Of men, throughout the
world. according to the gospel platform,
are ncighbors, and entitled to neichborly
regard and kindness.
Bnt the time would fail me to speak at
length of all the particulars. in which the
principle advanced is applicable. I de.
sire to dwell especially upon one pro,nin.
ent point of application. TO- day. which
seems to be called for by the times to
whlchweare come, and by the fact that very
erroneous and pernicious views are enter.
tained on the subject, by not few. The
point is this, viz that all men, and es
prcinlIy alt Christians, should be govern.
ed an their poiitiai riers and measures,
By tie e.raltra principles of morality and
religion. | speak not now Of persons,
nor Of parties, but Of pr;nci,les, which
Q c,mmand all parties and all men. And
to break the force Of any scrupulousness
which may possibly exist, in some minds,
as to the propriety. or utility, of preach.
ing on political subjects, wish to make
. few further remarks on this point.
Why is it that men arc 50 sensitive on
this point, and so easily disgusted when
it is mentioned in the pulpit? Trey will
allow US to bring any other subject up
here, without being offended. Dr.. Chai.
mers could preach series of sermons ON
:, :, The Application Of Christianity to the
commercial and Ordinary Affairs Of Lite"
and they could be published, both iu hi.
ow: country and in this, without any
p,eJuo'ce whatever. and even with great