Union and American. [volume] (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1875-1877, 1876-04-06
INSTABILITY IN RELIGION,

the seed into strong places, the saine : he
that hearelh the word, AID anon with joy
receiveth it,; yet hath he not root in him.
self. but dureth for a while: for when
tribulation or presentation ari.eth be.
cause of the word by and BY lhs islOf--
Tended
The sevenDpSrables recoFSledI In
this chapter, Of which the parable
of the sower is the first, are de-
signed to illustrate the nature, de-
velopment and triumph Of the
klngdomsof heavenspas1gr1s.sn2.a
In this parable the image is
drawn from AM aodqtiouF cemmop
among men, and iorciblN EXHIBITS
the manner in which the world re
ceives the word of truth, and sets
forth the principal obstacle IN the
way of successful Christian labor
in dis$emipa ting that truth sothate
itmay accomplish the d~esiredschd,
Tie four Classes heredescIrbedsem-
brace all who hear the gospel. The
first represented by the "~@ayside"
wheretheseed was spw99Fet4pSel
who hear the gospel, but 1t makes
no sensible impression upon ,tleiR
minds-they feel no interest IN it,
and j~scareelyr give it 2 passing
thought EAfaTgeh umbeG Of Jour
CONGREGATIONS areof this Class.
But 1 call your thoughts to those
whose character eis' d~eififeattd III
the text-tAc ''stony ground hear
ers,' in reference to whom you will
-notethe Observation-Disclosures,
|. Their attention is arrested by
the Word TO the extent that they
are conyincedoo fa IT'S itruthAawallL
ened to a sense Of itsg-inpertance
feel its force, and appreciate It's
relation to their present and future
.. Theif sythpathies dre enlisted;
being excited by tie exhibition OF
pleasures, promises, hopes and
glories of the plan Of redeerhing'
mercy, without counting the cost
anon with JOY theysretctpe it, %
B., They belleye.-Luke S:l3.
They publicly acknowledge the
claims OF Coo, respond TO tlempy
taking upon the VOWS OF Christian
ity, and uniting with His people.
4. After ali their promises, spe-
cious pretepsions, and prgtle eola-g
initials, etht51 totIA d~b& Sad
San eanse,os heir fall @Tliey
hayegp NOT root IN MemsS yes
deep Work 81 grace in tile heart
This class Of hearers represents
O great number OF persons in The
visible Church, who IN seasons of
exciteEgentS pgdter the inHuepee5o q
feeling or urgent persuasion, or
false instruction profess conyer-
sion, probably run well for a time,
and then yield TO thea corruptlohs
of the unrenewed heart, and DRIFT
off oirtheJide Of worldly pleasures
and sins.
Tam .t6orou9hly convinced that
the necessity of regeneration to
faittfutncss IN tn; AGt5liifistian pro-
1ession is here thoroughly taught,
and that all d}rstenaons 10 Christ
ianity without it will, sooner or
later, end in vanity and barren
formality or open apostasy and
wickodness. RegeheraJion is the
indef %life Of the true Christian.
Its root is fajth q t4Y Aeart, which
like the root Of the tree IS hidden
from the vision of the world, yet
upon it his tirmness, growth and
stability depdnd. True, this class
Of ChnstLans Lave II degree Of
faitlN bat 70 seems to be merely in
te|llectual, or sensational, without
much, If any, previous preparation
of The heart for the exercise Of
that degree Of faith that saves. |
would not, FORA moment,l depreci-
ate that exercise Of The mind, de-
scribed by some, intellectual faith,
or It's assent 70 The truths Of re-
ligion, yet | must say that it is not
suIliclSnJ TO connect the Ch0te mon
toGod SO that perseverance, IN good
works wall be The result. The ex-
perlence ol the world demonstrates