The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-03-13
FoR THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
SELF-DENIAL.

"And whosoever doth not bear his cross and
come after me, cannot be my disciple"
Teaching US, that denying ungodliness and
worldly lusts, we should live Soberly, righteously,
and gody, in this present world" "Abstain from
all appearance of evil
l. Here we are taught explicitly that self. denial
is indispensable 1t is to practical Christian life
what regeneration is to spiritual Christian life
the beginning without which there can, in the ma
ture of things, be no further progress.
q What, genericaLy, we must deny ourselves
uugodliness and worldly usts-(EOSmitaS epithu.
nias-incuding desires for worldly things, as we'll
as the stronger sign6catioa,) and by reversing
the precept into positive form, what we must
do" live soberly"-that is, with personal self
restraint: "righteously is, giving to our
feow-men all that is their due: and gody''-
that is living to Gods glory.
8 Further, the injunction is extended for the
sake of others to what is only apparently evil.
Whoever rejects these teachings has no right to
call himself a disciple of Christ and fatally de-
ceives himself, if he thinks that he is Yet &C.
knowledgng their binding obligation, we will have
to lament our shortcomings here, as in everything
else To be below perfection does not imply will
full disobedience. 1t is the duty of the Church to
teach these truths, and our Church teaches them
uutquvocally. 1t is also the function of the
Church to enforce them on its members by disci
pline But in this the Church, even if inclined to
be faithful, finds difficulty almost insurmounta
BILE. The application Of principles which are GER
tain, becomes uncertain when it depends upon
degree. The Church cannot determine the exact
limit of self denisl-cannot say where soberness Of
life begins to be transgressed- in every case
is due from one to another, and, much less, how
each one can precisely best gloriy God. Nor is it
to be regretted that the Church cannot assume
this prerogatve. 1t would be to substitute its au
thority for the action OF conscience and thus inter-
fere between the individual soul and its God. The
Roman Catholic Church has attempted to do this
to large extent with what injury to morality and
religion is we'll known. To obey the laws of Pope
or Church, as such, does not make any one a
Christian but to obey Christ does, and without
obedience to His requirement of selfdenial He
has told us we cannot be His disciples. Let each
one who would not, for the whole world, disavow
this title, try himself by this positive test.
The principles above laid down have present
and practical application to the question of world.
ly amusements- the opera, the theatre,
card. playing-.now pressing upon the Church
courts, and likely to be brought during the present
year to a sharp decision. The teaching Of the
Church is plain. What should be its direct disci-
pline deeply agtates the minds of her wisest and
hottest friends.
But whatever the Church may decide in gene.
raj, the question for each individual Christian re.
mains in all its solemnity-Am l obeyiDg the law
of self denial in all its BREADTH even to the extent
of preserving the peace of the Ohurch-remember
ing. if am not, Christ says cannot be His disci-
pie? s. L. q.