Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-05-13
&eadiug tur the Sabbath.
CONDUCTED BY
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
BUILDING FOR ETERNITY.

...:. BUILDING FOR ETERNITY.
This life is 6tly compared to the process of
putting up building. AS soon as life be-
gins, this building process begins also. What
ever means and influences are brought to
bear on the formation of the disposition, de.
sires, habits, thoughts, words and actions,
these are the materials used to build a person s
character, and this character decides that
persons destiny for eternity.
If the materials used in this building pro-
cess be such as are in accordance with the
will and the word of God, they will form a
character, by His blessing, likewise such as
God approves; but, if the materials be bad,
then the character will be bad also, unless
the grace of God prevent it.
It becomes, then, matter of the greatest
importance that all the influences which are
brought to bear on the formation of these
first dispositions, desires, habits and conduct,
be such as will form them according to the
will of God such as will draw the person to.
ward God and not away from him then
they will be good materials for building up a
good, substantial character, we'll pleasing to
God
But, if the influences constantly brought to
bear on these persons be such as tend to draw
them away from God, toward the flesh and
the world, then these materials will be bad,
and, if put into the building, the whole will
have to be taken down, and better materials
used, or the building will perish. This is our
blessed Saviour's own illustration, Luke, 6 {:
47-49: "Whosoever cometh to me, heareth
my sayings, and doeth them, 1 will show you
to whom he is like: He is like man which
built house, and digged deep, and laid the
foundation on q rock and when the flood
arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that
house, and could not shake it; for it was
founded upon a rock. But he that heareth,
and doeth not, is like man that, without a
foundation, built house upon the earth,
against which the stream did beat vehementy,
and Immediately it fell, and the ruin of that
house was great"
Paul. in Cor 8: 9-l5, uses the same 6g-
ure aye are Gods building" Jesus Christ
is the foundation. The preaching of the pure
truths of the gospel was building with good
materials, "gold, silver, precious stones" and
the work would stand the test in the day of
Judgment But preaching error in doctrine
and practice was building with bad materials,
"wood, hay, stubble," and these would be
burned
Now, if, in education, worldly knowledge,
worldly motives and worldly influences, be
the materials mainly used, and brought to
bear on the minds and hearts of children and
youth at home, in the school and college, the
character will be formed accordingly ; it will
he worldly character; the mind and heart
l. ,:IL A.
be no room for God. On the contrary, both
mind and heart will be averse to God. Such
education is agreeable to the natural heart,
and the lessons are easily learned. Besides,
to change the figure, "Whatsoever man
soweth, that shall he also reap" If these
souls are ever saved, all these worldly things
must be rooted out and destroyed, and oppo-
site influences must be brought to bear in
forming the character; ; or, to recur to the first
illustration, materials of an entirely different
kind must take the place of those. bad mate
rials, if we would have the building stand for
eternity.
How foolish is it to build wholly or main
ly, or even partly, for this world, when very
soon "our earthly house of this tabernacle will
be dissolved" And then there will be for US
no building of God, no house, no shelter from
the storm of Gods wrath, which will abide
on the soul to all eternity
How deceptive the common opinion, that
one can 60 On in worldliness, and negle lect Of
God, the soul, and the kind offers of saliva
ton, and then suddenly, at any time, become
Christian, and all will be we'll! Awful,
fatal delusion
How erroneous our system of education,
which trains our children and youth almost
wholly for this world, and not at all for eter
nity! At home, then, in the school and in
the college, let us take the Bible, these pre-
cious sayings of Jesus, and on this foundation,
and with these materials, these blessed inAu-
ences, let us resolve to build for eternity
NJ. J. W., in Christian Observer.