Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1870-03-15
Infdelity.

| How pitiable the case of the lnfdel l. How
Dni l'elty shining in everything around him.
| and yet he cannot see How deaf! Everythne
that hath vocality speaking His name, and vet
ne cannot hear!A Well do the Scriptures de-
clare It It, The fool that hath said in his heart.
there Is no God. !" This blindness and deafness
is wilifu They hold the truth in unrigh,eous
ness; because that which may be known of Gud
Is manifest among them, for God hath showed
1t unto them For the invisible things of
nim from the creation of the world are clearly
seen being understood by the things that are
made, even his eternal power and Godhead."
iow ungrateful is the inidel He receives
his all from the hand of God, and yet will not
even acknowledge his existence, but gives the
honor OF all his blessing, to another How uu-
happy Is the lnhdel Everything around him
Is a mystery-hs origin the object of his exist
ence, his destiny, all involved in utter darkness
How low must be his esteem of himself aud Of
his fellow! A slight difference of organic
structure Is all that distinguishes him from the
reptile the crawls at his feet Both live bv
chance, both die by chance, both have one end.
doW chilling his prospect OF futurlty! As age
creeps on, or sickness wastes, he feels he is ap-
preaching. What S the shoreless, waveless.
botomess, gulf of annlhilaIiun He feels that
when he loses his life, he loses his all when he
thinks of the cold, damp grave, the loathsome
decay, and the banquetlng worm, there is no
redeemiog thought No trust in a God. no
CLEAN OF Immortality No bright hope of a
resurrec ion morn No sweet foretaste of that
auspicious hour when the Saviour, the Lord
Jesus Christ, shall come from heaven. and
change this vile body, aud fashion it according
to his OWN glorious body, and when the redeem
ed OF the Lord shall return to Zion with songs
and everlasting JOY upon their beads
No to the lnidel the future is all dreary and
dreadful This world is his all OF good and
yet he perceives it every moment rcceding.-
Death comprises the sum total of evil, and vet
he sees 1t constantly approaching, and liable to
ponnce upon hin In his securest moment Yet
dark and dreadful as appears the future to the
nhdel, the reality will infinitely exceed his i'm
aginlDgs. He calls death an eternal sleep. but
he will find it scene of wasting vigils. scene
Of endless wakefulness and waiting Life has
been to him the period Of Sleep Death alone
has opened his eyes. Does he sometimes speak
OF death being leap in the dark? 1t will, in
deed, be awful leap from the precpice of
nhdelity into the dark abyss of perdtion That
consciousness which he expected would leave
him cllngs strangely to him. Thatreason whichhe
had resolved into mere result of physical Or
ganizatlon, or property of matter, now asserts
its prerogatlves, aud, when it is too late to
repent, teaches him the folly and sinfulness of
his course, and the justice OF bis fearful doom.
The existence of God, he no longer doubts,
but shudders at the awful reality of that scrip
ture which he once despised: Though make
uay bed in hell, behold thou art there Then.
cast it away as you would cast Goals of fire from
your bosom shun all books and associates that
would bring you in contact with the poison
Their words are softer than oil, yet are they
drawn swords. He that believeth shall be
| saved, but he that believeth not shall be damn
od -