Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-10-23
CONDUCTED BY
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
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INCONSISTENCY.

INCONSISTENCY.
If there is any one thing, which, more than
another, characterizes the human family, it is
inconsistency. Men-all men-are inconsis-
tent about everything. Not, to he sure,
equally inconsistent about all things but still
inconsistent. In nothing, however, do men
display so much and so egregious Inconsistent
cy, as in matters pertaining to religion. Vast
multitudes of the human family act as if they
had no soul to be saved. Practically, they
(: ignore the fact that man is sinner, resting
under condemnation, and that the onl way
to escape the wrath of God is by embracing
Jesus Christ as offered to sinners in the gospel.
Men, in other respects sensible, act in moral
and religious point of view, most insensibly.
There are not few men who would not suf-
fer their property to 60 to waste, who barter
their immortal souls for mere triAes. Count
less multitudes of the human family, who are
accustomed to think intensely and logically
about subjects of comparatively little impor-
tance never, apparently, devote moments
thought to the present condition and future
prospects of their immortal souls. Our Sa-
viour, who knew what was in man, strikingly
portrayed the inconsistency Of the human
family when he charged the Pharisees as
straining at a gnat and swallowing camel.
The Pharisees were the high professors Of
the Saviour's day. They occupied the prin-
cipal seats in the snyagogues. They were
rigid church members and yet so inconsis-
tent were their acts, that our Saviour says
that they strained where a thing so small as a
gnat was passing down their throat, and yet
experienced no difficulty in gulping down a
thing as large as camel. By name, the
Pharisees have long since ceased to exist ;
still there are in the world vast multitude
of strict religionsts whom our Saviour would
call hypocrites, who literally strain at sins
no larger than gnats, when others are the
transgressors, but swallow sins as large as
camels, when they themselves are the princi-
pal actors. They are blind to their own sins,
but keen sighted with respect to the short
comings of others. They can discover notes
in the eyes of others, but cannot see large
beams in their own eyes. Again our blessed
Saviour would say-hypocrites, generation of
vipers
Some men would set themselves up as re-
formers; but unfortunately, they mistake the
place of commencing the work. They forget
that reformation and repentance, like charity,
begin at home 1t surely is very inconsis.
tent to live in the practice of glaring sins, and
at the same time to abuse and censure others
for mere peccadilloes.
Another instance of inconsistency which
might be mentioned, is this. Men generally
despise others on account of those sins of which
they themselves are either now or were form.
erly guilty. But the greatest, perhaps, of all
inconsistencies, is the manner in which Chris
tians so often attempt to convert sinners. They
commence by abusing them for their sins, and
villifying them for their stupidity and igno-
rance This is inconsistent with the spirit of
the gospel. Christ, in all his loveliness,
should be placed before the poor sinner. In
stead of abusing and villifying him fer his
moral ruin and degradation, he should be
gently led to the Lamb of God that taketh
away the sins of the world.