Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1863-01-28

ing tue person. WIN uno ciotneo anu 1eWels,
in useless furniture and costly equippage,
there is devotion to vanity which is incon-
sistcnt with the sincere worship of the true
God.
There is sometimes likewise an excessive
love of children which interfercs with the OBJ
legations that are due to God. Parents may
become so dotingly fond Of their child as to
place their affections wholly on it, and thus
idolize it, and allow it to separate them from
God, and cause them to neglect their duty to
their fellow-mcn. Such excessive love is sure.
iy idolatry.
And there is the man too who seeks popu.
larity by unrighteous means who will fawn,
and Halter, and lie to accomplish his ends !;
who puts the bottle to his neighbor's mouth,
and does all in his power 10 make him q
drunkard; who endeavors to raise himself by
pulling others down. and will slander and abuse
his opponent that he may profit by his ruin.
To such an one, is not popular favor the idol
Of his heart?
We have thus glanced at some OF the evil
dences that idolatry is the prevailing sin in
this prclrssedly Christian laud, and in this
enlightened age Of the world. If we have
taken right view CT the subject, and if the
premises that we have laid down are Just and
true, and if We have reasoned correctly, does
it not follow beyond all question, that we are
almost exclusively given to idolatry? Look
where we will within the Church or without,
among the rich or the poor, is there not abun'
dant evidence that the love .! money! or
some other base Object, has become the r'l-
ling passion, 70 tile exclusion OF Justice, r'9h.'
cna&ae%s and hufa, and every other Christian
virtue? How rar:ly do we meet with exam
plcS of that sterling integrity, that iniies'bie
adolescence to what is right, that supreme de-
yUtion to the cause Of Christ, that cheerful
obedience to all his commands, that liked !ur'
pose to follow him unto martyred death,
which distinguished his faithful disciples 1t
is true that Christianity is nominally the re-
ligion Of our country, and lis Pure principles
are generally admitted, but is it not equally
manifest that these grand principles, the
very basis Of moral obligation, are almost to-
tally disregarded in practice. That while
Christianity has gained in favor, it has lost in
purity aid as the number Of its So'ar'rs
has incre a>cj, their Zeal and faithtnnesS
have diminished, until little bc<ides the name
is retained: and almost the whole mass Ct
the people huvc become guilty OF h!oalry.
1t is freely admitted that there are some Faith,
fnl followers of Jesus, who'e bright example
shines out conspcuuu>ly anid tho srrrnund-
inv Lal kne>s WHO, like tl">c in ;ii: days Of
Eliza the prephe, have n''' bowed the k'"r
tu l,a;.l, but have zralou,l "a hrrrd t" the
,ruc worrlip IF God as revealed by his SolI.
When We reflect on this .clleral departure
from the worship ur III. tue Go and bear
in lninl the severe Judgments Which he hllics-
ed ON his ancient people: the Jews, for their
idulatry, is it at all strange that cur country
is suffering widespread distress a#d MISERY
Have we not rather great reason to lear that
there is vet in reserve much seyerer pnlilSll-
mrnt for our sins National sins are otleE
punished with na,iunul cal,.litirS, in which
! the innocent suffer Us wei Us the guilty.
1t may be useful to inquire from wha,
source this general ilolu!ry nus had its ori-
gin. Among the causes which have most es-
telsively operated to produce this effect may
be noticed The great deficiency in moral or
Christian education. Parents have often
neglected to impress on their children the
grand principles of moral right, OF unswerv'
ing regard for truth, and sacred respect ior
/ the rights Of others. Some not only fail to
rive their children good instruction, but nc
tualy teach them by precept and example to
disobey the commands of God, and spurn hi:
authority. 1t is not strange that those who
are thus instructed should pursue the way o.
disobediencc. Example has powerful iniu
ence ON mankind. 1t was by this means that
the Jsraelites were often drawn into idolatry
On this account they were strictly tCrblddcl
to have any intercourse with tle idOlatrou'
nations around them. So men in cur coun'
Try, especially the young, are entlecd fro"
the service Of God by tue Influence and ez
ample of others. specu'ating, gam'ling
drinking, profanity, idlcness and vanity, arr
contagious sins and the wicked often draw
others into wickedneSs to give their own &C
ton couu,cnance and support. The rich, ant
those who till high offices, exert a powerful
influence on Others either for good or evil
When this influence is in favor of righteous
ness it is highly benellciali but when exert
ed 10 encourage sin, the consequence is disas
,rvus indeed.
Let us now seriously briSg this slsbjcc
home to our own hearts to discover whclhe
We ure guilty of idolatry. We have arrive'
Mt the conclusion that iduatry Is the prevail
iuy sin in our land-Gre @e free .tiom It's IN
Ruenre.' Has tue covetuusncss which is lido