National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-10-27

necessary for the holding OF the mystery 81
the faith. The apostles teaching warrants
the assertion that for the holding OF such
mysteries Of faith We must have conscience |
which Ia unlike that OF natural and fallen
men, but which u renovated, pnrlhed, m IS
the natural man In his conversion While, |
therefore, conscience IN It's ordinary e1cf-
ci.e guides and directs the natural HE, Tor
spiritual life he must have spiritual illumlna-
tion, which VIII enable his conscience TO In |
dictate not merely mans falllble Judgment |
but Code infalllble Judgment OF things re.
yealed, mat there ha difference between
the conscience OF the fcgencrate ana uiue
generate man Ia clear, and the difference :
Is apparent In this, that me mora
sense appfopriatcs as basis OF decision
Gods revealed truth, while In the natural OF
unrcgeueratc man this element oil decision Is
wanting.
Men sometimes claim the action OF con-
science as the presence Of a divine power in
human nature. But while conscience mas 70
all simllitude Of dlvineness In That u indi-
| Gates right and wrong, ~ can only oe
truly divine power when " Indicates the right
and the wrong; for u Is plain 70 be seen INA,
many have followed conscience anu peen ied
thereby to paipaoic wrong DOING OF ihis tne
case OF Saul Is lot by any means Tue only
Illustration. Let US then consider inc case
In tue light OF the paradox which THIS sug-
gcsts. 1--we admit that each man possesses q
faculty indicating TO him tho right or the
wrong OF a course OF conduct VIC must
admit that he only who acts on It's indlca-
tons MAINTAINS his integrity. An honest
man Is, therefore, one who lives up to the
dictates OF his conscience, and many men so
live, and their lives are OF wondrous beauty
and usefulness. And the world annthema-
tlxcs Christianity because II teaches that more
than this Is needed for the kingdom Of God.
mistaking the truth that u Is not the living
In Tho COueclDupN. Int tho QuQllty al the
conscience lived UP TO that Is faulty.
man Is thoroughly honest II he always
obeys his conscience, but IN honest man can
only be holy man when this verdict OF his
conscience Is In accord with the voice OF God.
1t Is OF great Importance that men Of the
honest, honorable men, whose lives arc ire
proachable; whose conduct Is the expression
OF conscientious obedience TO what they be-
llcvc right. They do right according 70 their
standard OF right; but tho question after all
Is whether their standard Is Gods standard.
The scribes and Pharisecs Of former gener-
alton were doubtless, many OF them, like saul,
conscientious dcvotecs; but We arc told that
our righteousness must exceed theirs, and
yet how difhcult IL must be TO learn IRON
Pauls account OF what this righteousness
was.
The cnormities of heathcnism all procccd
from following the teachings Of conscience.
| ''.-'y -b'-NSe.
even Christian civilization had the same
origin. The mere following OF conscience is
not NIL God requires, but he demands and
provides for the Illumination, the education
OF conscience, Its purging, Its strengthening,
only for living up to, but for educating con.
wha, II. ,h,nt. ,tns, ,,,,i, h. H.. .a,a,
VII =, no ...'i nv u NE ,sI.S
Inc, for thcrs ia a wax Which, sccmcth IN
man to be right whose end is death.
The great difficulty In unscgcncrato niel
with reference 70 the mysteries OF the faitl
lies simply IN ms, that they cvidenty orlne
to bear on them the Judgment OF the nnrc.
generate nature, and so cannot mold e
Them, for the natural man rcceiVeth not I'M
things OF the spirit oil tiod, Tor they arc iool
ishncss unto him neither can he know them
because they are spiritually disccrned,
Cor. n;l4. lie looks on them from tht
point OF worldly prudence as though thel
were things o. THIS world-hs measures arr
maxims, traditions OF men. These he lay
along side OF divine mysteries aud finds then
incompetent. His worldly wisdom Is foolish
ness when IL attempts to test the wisdom o