Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-02-06
Abstract of a SermOnby II. NJ.
Webster. Jan. 9th, 1878.

''That which is highly esteemed among men.
is aoomlnation i'll the sightof God
A startling statement--one to make
us look about and see what men do
highly esteem. 1t is statement too,
to call our attention to itself, and to
move us to ask, what it means, for to
saw that God abominates everything
that men highly esteem or, that men
highly esteem nothing but what, in
Gods sight, is an abomination, is sure
ly hard saying; who can hear it !
These things then are to be said
First Men do not really approve
anything that is manifestly wrong.
The reason of men sides always with
God, in it's moral approvings. The
phrase "highly esteemed therefore,
cannot mean, that which is nationally
approved by the moral sense of men
that which the conscience points out
as the right way. Second there are
many good people in the world, who
are careful to learn what God values,
and to value each thing likewise
The text cannot therefore mean all
men.
Third All men, even the worst,
highly esteem some things, that mani
festly ought to be esteemed-things that
God himself esteems, that he has made
to be blessings to men, and so to be
highly esteemed by them. The state
ment then cannot mean that everything
which is highly esteemed among men
is abomination in the sight Of God.
Look now a moment at the context.
Jesus had been instructing his dlsci-
pies, and others standing about Him,
by the parable of the unjust steward,
giving them scme counsel in regard to
the use Of money, showing them that
they must serve God and men with
their property, or be simply mammon-
servers that they could not serve
both God and Mammon at once-en-
couraging them to regard their proper
ty, not as soma thing to be sought for
its own sake, or for the sake Of possess
ing it, but as means Of blessing
others thus, of getting a personal III
fuence over them, to lead them to
truth and life, that by and by they
might be welcomed by these whom
they had thus saved, into the evcrlast-
ing habitatons of the heavenly home
Now the pharisees who were covctous
heard these things and they dcrided
him. Whereupon, Jesus replied ye
are they 'ehch justly yo"'se'rcs JJore
men but God Anorch your hearts, for
thu: uhich Is hiydty esteemed among
men is aJomination az the sight Of
God." As if he had said ; you may
lauoh at these truths of mine, concern
ing the acquisition and use Of money,
and act in opposition to them, and
still appear we'll among mon, your way
of getting and Of using property, may
be popular way, and your profession
Of religion may help out your case, as
before men but God knows your heart,
and things which men applaud and
justify, because they look only at the
surface, are abomination in the sight
Of God, who sees all the motives and
springs of action.
This then, understand to be the
meaning of the text. Things which
do not interfere with mans respecta
bility, which dc not keep him out Of
good society, which even make him
popular with the world. and which the
world iustiics, are yet in some cases,
things which in Gods sight are an
abomination. If I am not mistaken,
we shall find examples Of these things,
IN every department of life.
First-M the aoorld's pay Of doing
business
Each looks out for himself; covet-
business is common. He is the best
business man who makes the most
money; success is the thing; no mat
ter about the small things Of truth,
integrity, love to the neighbor, and
Justice to all. Men are doing business,
making money, "getting on and
people know they are not doing just
as they would be done by, yet they are
Justified before men, they are looked up
to, they are in good repute. Business
is the thing with them, and because it
is. and because they are successful,
their methods and means are in high
esteem among men, but If there be not
very much about all this that is abom
;,,+;on in Gods sipht. then the words