Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1863-01-28
Written for the Advertiser.
I'D OIL A T II Y.
A L NJ ON.

"wheresors, my dearly beloved. Zee from idoia,
try."-1 Cor, 10: Il.
When we review the history of man, and
reflect on the follies, vices, and crimes by
which he has debased himself, we are apt to
think that we should not have gone with the
multitude in the ways Of wckedness and DEG
radiation. Yet it is truth supported by rea-
son and revelation, that as in water lace
answcreth to face, so the heart of man TO
man." By nature men are very much alike,
"lnade subject to vanity and when tempt
ed they leave the path of rectitude, and plunge
into folly and sin.
Among the wicked practices which nave
prevailed in the world, there is no one per-
haps which appears more astonishing TO US
than that of Idolatry. We wonder that any
human being possessing sense and reason
should make an image, aud then worship II
as god, and trust in it as delivercr. UT
that he should pay his devotions TO some mol
some beast or bird, or loathsome reptile. Yet
such has been the fact in all ages. Even tue
children of Israel after witnessing the most
signal displays Of Divine power and goodness
in their deliverancc from Egyptian bondage,
and guidance and support in the wilderness,
fell into gross dola,ry. Though they heard
the voice Of God from Mount Sinai, and prom
iScd in the most solemn rlianutr to serve and
obey him, vet scarcely forty days had passed
before they made golden calf, and worship
ped it, and said, "T!'cse be thy Gods, o Is
rael, which have brought thee Up out Of tue
land Of Egypt What base insratitude!
What unaccountabl. stupidity! Aud though
they suffered severely for their wickedness,
and often witnessed the power an:l goodness
OF God, they continued from time to time to
relapse into dulatry, even causing their Chill
fr.p to be burn, alive unto Muoch, until
th.y wer. driven cut o; their land, and dis'
prrsed among the heathcn.
But strange and umccountablc as these
things may appear to MS, they may perhaps
have been no more absurd or criminal than
practices which now prevail, even in this
Christian land Is there no idolatry in this
age And are all protesting Christians trSe
from this sin? 1t is true we do not SEE men
prosratng themselves before their images,
and calling on them for aid but is there NJ
idolatry of the heart? TO supreme devotion
to other objects beside the living and true
God?
These questions naturally lead to the IN
oury, what is idolatry The answer is, The
worship Of idols or images. But it is not the
idol that makes the i,iola,ry. 1t is the 'iev".
ton paid to the idol, the love for it, aud The
trust reposed in it, which constitute ido!"'ty.
Hence, to idolize is "to love 10 excess, 'r
alteration" :" and whatever we love 10 excess,
the object to which We are suprrInely deyo'
ted, and in which We put our trust, except 1t
is the true God, that is our idol and that
love, devotion, and trust is idolatry. We
are under the strongest possible obligations
to love God, our Heavenly Father, the Crea-
tor and Governor Of the world, TIE giyer OF
every good and perfect gift, i'll whom we live
and move aud have our being TO put our
trust in him, aud to worship and serve him
with the utmost fidelity. And Whenever
this supreme love- trust, or devotion, which
belongs only to God, is diverted from him to
any other object, it is idolatry. Hence the
Apostle Paul declares that co7etousness is
idolstry" Coyetoasness is the excessive love
OF wealth. And our Lord himself has as
sured us. that we cannot serve God and Mann
mon. Mammon signifies riches when,
therefore, we are suprenely devoted to riches
we cannot serve God, and are as truly dola-
ters as those who put their trust in images,
or worship the hosts Of heaven; " for where
our treasure is, there will our hearts be also. y
For the purpose Of practical application it
is necessary for us to understand with precis-
ion what constitutes an excessive love of
wealth; or of any other object; that we may
be able to determine with certainty whether
We are, or are not idolaters; for probably er'
cry person would admit thst such excessive
love is wrong, yet yery few perhaps would
allow tha. Mey were guilty. 1t is necessary
therefore, to adopt some fixed rule 10y which
it may be determined without question, wha,
Constitutes an excessive love OF wealth, q,
other object. The golden rule laid down by
our divine Master will snswer this purpose
All things whatsoever ye would that mer
should do to you, do ye even so to them
81 this rule it is easy to perceive that if oui
love of wealth is such as to cause us to desire
to obtain it without giving just cquiva!en
therefor, or to keep it when it justly brlor..
to another, it is an excessive love; for ,ucl
desire il directly at variance with the Rule
w. would not that others should obtain uu
property without u jus. equivalent, or keel
from, US that to whic! VIZ are Justly entitled
and therefore it would be wrong Tor us to OBJ
tain property without a just equivalent, or t
keep that. which justly belongs to another
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