The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1868-10-15

For these God has graciously made rich
provision. He has given US the Bibi.,
his own revealed will from heaven, as
the rule -four faith and practice. TO
this as the charter Of their rights and
liberties-as the foundation of their
hope for safety and joy-every branch
Of the christian church clings; while
each one issues Its own exponents of the
truth, and makes its own bylaws n 1t
pieases. The Presbyterian church, next
to the Bible Ms It's standard, holds fast
with an unwavcring grasp to the West
minister Confession of Faith, and the
Larger and Shorter Catechisnls, as set
ting forth In condensed and choice
language its cherished views Of the
Divine Record. And this religious So
ciety; of whatever evangelical name,
has its laws and its consequent penal
ties. 1t requires adherence to its estab-
lished forms-that upon repentance
towards God, and faith towards our
Lord jesus Christ. there must he an
open profession Of this religion, u visible
/ union with the body Of Christ, by a
sincere observance Of the Sacraments OF
Baptism and the Lords Supper, aud
with such public profession there is re-
. quired holy life of active obedience in
the service Of our Divine Redeemer.
Such, then, are the foundations OF
human society; but these may be dc
stroyed-or at least bescriously impaired,
and tend to entire dissolution. The
body may be 30 abused and weakened
by repeated violations Of physical laws,
as to lose its vitality, and drop into an
early grave. The MIND may become so
corrnpted-the thoughts so tinGed with
error, or so polluted by familiarity with
crime; and the feelings so perversc and
hardened in consequence-as that II
"blind leader of the blind.n 1t will
make "shipwEeck of faith, aud of n
good conscience" 1t will make vaga-
bonds and outcasts in society here, and
the world to come "castaways' forever
from the presence Of the Lord, and
from the glory of his power"
Family relationship may be broken
up. not only by disease and death in
their natura! forms, aud by necessary re-
movals in the providence OF God; but by
internal disentions, and wiIful viola
ton of mutual obligations. Christ says,
"A mans foes shall be they of his own
household"
Civil society may lose its protective
power and the safe enjoyment of its
privileges by outward violence, or by
It's IeSIccI VI wise uIT3Clloll, Nlu WIlolt-
some restraints. These things subvert
istrates, the Psalmist says, "rhey know
not, neither will they understands; they
walk Oh in darkness; all the founda-
tiOns of the earth are out of course. -
That is when men in authorit- Niliful-
~ shut their eyes to the truth, aud are
unwilling to know their responsibilities
and faithfully meet them-rendering
justice, aS the context teaches, 10 all
alike, to the poor and needy as well as
to the rich, accepting no,man's person,
making principle or merit the true cri-
terion of Judgment rather than wealth
OF position, but persist in their unright-
eous courses. blinded by their corrupt
affections and interests, this corruption
will extend to all under their influence,
and manifestly tend to the dissolution
OF all civil society; partly by subverting
that order and honesty by which it is
supported; and partly by provoking God,
the governor of tie world to destroy it
for its wickedness.
And the Church may be frittered
away to amere nonentity-to n dead let
tcr-to an empty Eame, by each mem
Der becoming Il cumberer OF the ground,
barren fig-trec, an incubus, II Gead
weight, Il stumbling block, Il hypoerite,
u"" oh liviii ttutb oiic
love of gold as DemGs, refusing To con-
tribute cheerfully ana promptly his just
proportion to sustain the pecuniary in
terasts of the Church, or refusing to aid ,
through the appropriate means of sab
bath schools, prayer meetings, church
ordinances, and other religious agencies
its spiritual Advancement. Curse ya
Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse
ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; be-
cause they come not to the help Of the
Lord, to the help of the Lord against the
mighty" As celebrated English CON-
mander once said to his soldiers just Oh
the eve ofa terrible battle, England ex-
poets every man to do his duty so
soldier, "the church expects every mem
ber to do his duty" in the mighty con
flict in which we are already engaged
"not against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, and
agants the rulers of the darkness of this
world, against spiritual wickedness in
high places" And as "the eyes of all
Europe were upon the former; so the
eyes of all the earth, and all heaven, and
all hell are upon the church to note its tri-
umph or defeat. Aud if christians will
not work, God will not work. lie has
appointed all adapted agencies, and if
We VIII not Use them, III reliance Oh his
promised aid, We will perish. lie says
MY spirit shall not always strive with
man." Itiiuiduuis will then suffer
aud so will the church and the WOrd-
Persons who have been trained up un-
der the gospel, and by pious ancestry,
and have experienced the striving cf
the Holy Ghost-or witnessed the
powerful displays OF Gods grace if
they reject these teachings, and do des-
pite to the spirit OF grace, and rush head
long into sin, their case seems hope
less. They are most likely given over
by God to judicial blindness OF mind
and hardness OF heart, TO seal th cir own
damnation sure. Ii you want examples
look at Esau, ut Pharoah, Judas and
Demas. VIGOROUSLY wicked men some
times die under the deepest ien,orse,
like Thomas Paine; and sometimes
with anxiety or fear, like the brutes.
Says the Psamist ofsuch "Ihere ARE 10
bands in their death" Watts says
Like brutes they live, like brutes they
die.' And no revivals of religion will
occur to bless society and the church
when the foundations of society are
destroyed, when individual welfare is
neglected; family ties are rudeiy sun
dered; social order is overthrown; fanat-