The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1879-08-07
mo Man Can Serve two Masters.

The Rev. DR.. Wilkes of Lebanon
occupied the pulpit of the Metho-
dist church in this place last Sun
day night, and the above quotation
from Matthew VI, "a, was the
basis of his discourse, one of the
best to which we have listened in
many day. He began by saying
that dependency was universal;
nothing isolated. The Book before
him was held to its place by an in
visible force-gravitation or adhe-
sion. The earth held its place and
ran it's course by the same law.
Around this earth and in regular
orbits coursed other planets; these
were called the solar system, each
keeping its place. If one of these
should act independent of the laws
governing the whole, disaster would
be the result. Probably one-third
would be con chaos hurled" 1t
had been conjectured that millions
of systems composed Gods uni
verse. That DR.. Dick had said
somewhere in this great universe
was a great center, the home of sys-
TENS, probably the home of God"
He left the material universe and
said that God had also an inmate
rial or spiritual universe. Spiritual
planets and systems equipoised by
moral force. These in primeval
purity were by Him pronounced
very good. When a spirit broke
these forces and wandered, disaster
was the result. When a man aban-
doned God and His family, it re
suited in ruin. "No man can serve
two masters" He could cease to
do good, and do evil, or he could
cease to do evil and do good. He
could not cease to do evil and cease
to do good. A line divided his
congregation. Each individual was
on one side or the other. No man
was on both sides. That line was
drawn between the good and the
bad. The life of every individual
sent wave of influence on one side
or the other. He quoted from a
book called "The Successful Mer-
chant" saying that around every
man there were three circles.
1. The outer circle. This extend |
ed as far as the man was known.
His physician, neighbor, friend and |
customer formed this circle.
2: "A s as.!. nearer circle. This ex-
tended only to the family. His
wife, his children, and to some ex-
tent his servants,
3. The inner circle. This was
his soul. Its windows had been
shut against all eyes save the eye of
his conscience and the eye of God.
In regard to the first he said that
where a man lived and had become
well known, public opinion fixed
his moral status, and that it was
generally correct. That public
opinion was generally sustained by
aman' life and conscience. "Now,"
said he, 81 wish to make application
of my subject" You are mer
chant. What does your clerk think
of your religion? You are physi-
clap. What does your brother ply
stefan think of your religion? What
does your neighbor or your custo-
mer think of your religion? What
does your companion in worldly
amusement think of your religion?
What does the man sitting with
you at the card table, or assocIatlng
with you in the saloon think of
your religion?
Come nearer, come home. In
your home you are supposed to
have no secrets. You are married
man. Your wife knows who you
love and who you hate. How much
you love and how much you hate.
She knows how far you reach to
get a dollar, and how hard you
press to hold it. What does she
think of your religion? Or you are
a wife. Your husband knows
whether you are conformed to the
world or not. He knows whether
you go to church to worship God
or show your dress. He knows
"where the shoe pinches." What
does your husband think of your
religion?
Come closer still. What do yoU
think of your religion? Look down
into your own heart. See there the
motives that prompt you in life, the
effects of your words and actions.
Turn your eye within you and an
swer: What do you think of your
re1igion2 What does God think of
your religion? He sees and knows
every act of your life, and every
purpose ofyour heart. The preacher,
trembling from head to foot with
affiietion, yet enthused with the
Importance of his theme grew
grandly sublime in his prero-
ration. He referred to his vast
ing body worn down by long
service in the ministry and the
probability that he should never ad
dress his audience again. He urged
that all efforts to carry the world
and the Church were vain, that they
could not serve two masters. That
they would either hate the one, and
love the other, or else hold to the
one, and despise the other"