San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1879-07-05
: Fer the Fsxs PASS
Sermon by m On tsider.

Fer the FsxE Pass.
,Sermon by IN On ss'der.
BRETHREN AND STsrERs:.-
L take for, the subject Of my text
Honesty Is the best policy" NJ!
hearers you may not find my text il
the Bible, but irisAsn old saying, quo
led by some one WHO is dead centuries
aeo, md who died unknown and no
honored, for 10 monument 10 isund II
memory of him. ! am sure you will
not find the quotation 10 H. Old Tes'
lament, for the Jews arc tie last s'
fo|leH this principle. nor could it b
tHs quotation Of politician. for they
are ssifish and desigoiug.
-, Honesty thsss days is q rare jewel
Brethren and sisters; 10 the outset Of
my sermon, Twill be honest with you,
/ tell yoq tbss.I do not pretend to have
II call from God-I called ngself-and
Isleave It to you whether l preach to
you the, truth or not? II l should
commit errors, don't ascvibe it to the
Divinity, for ! claim no authority
from him to preach.
My hearers. ] became once acquaint-
cd with nm honest Christian who
sought after truth; he Joined seven
churches before he at last believed he
was In the right way to heaven. He
first Joined church in which sprink.
ling iofants and adults was thought to
be baptism; some yeays after, he heard
al eloquent Baptist prove conclusively
taat sprinkling was not the original
baptism instituted by Christ, and that
each member had first to repent, then
believe and be baptized to enter into
the church.
Years after he heard the talented
Rev. Campbell. who proved clearly that
the sinner had to hear tho gospel first
before he could believe or repent, and
then he was fit to be baptized by i'm
mersiou. The argument was so clear
and ably defended that he Joined that
church. What other churches he had
been in previously l do not remember.
Lastly no joined the Catholic church,
in which he remained member to his
death. 1t happened thus, perchance:
lie seeking after truth and the right
way to go to heaven, entered cathe-
draI, the presiding Bishop proved in
his sermon from history that the no.
man Catholic church Was directly de-
scended to them from the apostles,
and that there had from St. Peters
times on, been a regular head and de-
scendant in that church, which other
churches could not claim. He pointed
to the devotion and sclf.sacri6ce of
their priests in giving the last Chris
tian consolation to- the dying on the
battle field, or on sick beds in epidem'
les; to the tender care the Sisters OF
Charity bestowed on the sick or dying;
to their many charitable institutions
and to the sincerity and religious ten
acity of all Catholics.
And so it is, since Reformation,
many have risen to give true inter-
probation of the New Testament, till
at last all get COMPOUNDED, and the be.
lever is not allowed to think for him
self or to investigate the subject; they
i've us preccpts and doctrines to which
they themselves do not adhere.
The child who is taught to love God.
associates that idea vita kindly. be-
rifrent, protecting being, into whose
loving arms he may be drawn, and not
scourged; whom he could not help low
ing If he would, but the terrors OF the
l1w, and threats Of future punishment,
are more potent in his maturer years,
when his heart is less susceptible to
tender emotions, aud the universal
resort TO these threats by our preach
rs proves it.
Honesty is the best policy" My
hearers however true that sentiment
may be, it appeals to the meaher side
af human nature, is despicable idea,
.ri calculated TO make boy hypo-
r-i,c. i is the last app,al to make,
ani only justiiable as last resort.
IN this world, where the wicked are
,irlys troublesome, and the weary are
- bad as the rest, young persons as