Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-01-30

Where sorrow cannot come. -, ~
And would'st thou have thy child forsake
That holy place of rest? "a. ~.
Say, if thou couldst, Oh! wouldst thou take
Thy babe from Jesus breast? :,
All! no, but when lfes close is near,
And death stands waiting by, .....
Pray that thine angel babe appear,
To guide, ,thee.to the sky. = -
CHRrsT's FIRST SERMON AT NAZARETH.
We are told that when our Lord had fin
ished His sermon at Nazareth, His hearers
"bare him witness, and wondered at the gra-
cious words which proceeded out Of His
mouth" They could not find any flaw in
the exposition Of Scripture they had heard.
They could not deny the beauty of the we'll
chosen language to which theyshad listened.
"Never man spake like this man" But their
hearts were utterly unmoved and unaffected.
In short, there seems to have been no effect
produced on them, except a little temporary
feeling of admiration. s,; ;,.g.. ..',..s.sI >
1t is vain to conceal from ourselves that
there are thousands of persons, in Christian
churches, in little better state of mind than
our Lords hearers at Nazareth. There are
who listen regularly to the preach
ing of the Gospel, and admire it while they
listen. They do not dispute the truth of
what they hear. They even feel kind of
intellectual pleasure in hearing a good and
powerful sermon. But their religion never
goes beyond this point. Their sermon hear,
ing does not prevent them from living life
of thoughtlessness, worldliness and sin.
Let us often examine ourselves on this i'm.
portant point. Let us see what practical ef-
feet is produced on our hearts and lives ,by
the preaching which we profess to like. Does
it lead us to true repentance towards God,
and lively faith towards our Lord Jesus
Christ? Does it excite us to weekly Efforts
to cease from sin, and to resist the devil?
These are the fruits which sermons ought to
produce, if they are really doing us good.
Without such fruit a mere barren admira.-
ton is utterly worthless. 1T is no proof of
grace. 1t will save no soul.-Ryles' Ezpos-
tory Thoughts. ...: ! =:
CHRIsT's DILIGENCE ABOUT PRIVATE
PRAYER.-Although great multitudes came
together to hear, and to be heal led by him Of
their in6rmities;'' He still made time for Sc
cret devotion. Holy and unde6led as He
was, He would not allow the demands of pub
lie business to prevent regular private inter-
course with Cod We are told that " He
withdrew himself into the wilderness and
prayed" sE/f
There is an example set before us here,
which is much overlooked in these latter
days. There are few protesting Christians, it
may be feared, who strive to initiate Christ
in this matter Of private devotion There is
abundance of hearing, and reading, and
talking, and profession, and visiting, and
aims. giving, and subscribing to societies, ahli
teaching at schools. But is there, together
with all this. a due proportion of private
prayer? Are believing men and women sui:
fciently careful to be frequently alone with
God? These are. humbling and heart-search
ing questions. But we shall find it useful sto
give them an answer. ,~ ~
Why is it that there is much apparent re-
ligious working, and yet SO little result in
positive conversions to God-so many ser
mons, and so few souls saved-so much ma:
chinery, and so little effect produced-so
much running hither and thither, and yet 90
few brought to Christ? Why is all this ?
The reply is short and simple. There is not
enough private prayer. The cause Of Christ
does not need less working, but it does need,
among the workers, more praying. Let US
each examine ourselves. and amend our
ways. The most successful workmen in the
Lords vineyard, are those who are like their
Master, often and much upon their knees
Ibid 49,.
THE COMPLAINT THAT THE DISCIPLES OF
JOHN, THE BAPTIST, FAST, WHILST CHR1sT's
MD NoT--Agreeipg, as they. doubtless did,
about the necessity of repentance, and faith,
and holiness, they disagreed about such mat
ters as fasting, eating, drinking, and manner
of public devotion. One in heart, and hope,
and aim, as they were about the weighter
matters Of inward religion, they we're not er.
tirely Of one mind about outward matters.
We must make up our minds to see differ
ences of this kind among Christians so long
as the world stands. We may regret them
much, because of the handle they give to an
ignorant and prejudiced world. But they
will exist, and are one Of the many evidences
of our fallen condition. About church gov
ernment, about the manner of conducting
public worship, about fasts and teasts, and
saints days, and ceremonials, Christians have
never been entirely of one mind, even from
the days of the apostles On all these points
the holest and ablest servants of God have
arrived at different conclusions. Argument
reasoning, persuasion, persecution, have all
alike proved unable to produce unity.
Let us, however, bless God that there are
many points on which all true servants of
God are thoroughly agreed About sin and
about repentance, and faith, and
holiness, there is mighty unity among all
believers, of, every name, and nation, and
people, and tongue. Let us make much Of
these points in cur own personal religion.
These, after all, are the principal things we
shall think of in the hour of death, and the
day of Judgment. On other matters we must
agree to differ. 1t will signify little at the
last day what we thought about fasting, and
eating, and drinking, and ceremonies Did
we repent, and bring forth fruit meet for re.
pentance? Did we behold the Lamb of God
by faith, and receive Him as our Saviour |?
All, of every church, who are found right Oh
these points, will be saved. All, of every
church, who are found wrong on these points,
will be lost foreyermore-
hSS There is no trait in the human charac-
ter so potential for veal or woe as frmness of
purpose. 1t is wonderful to see what mira.
cles resolute and unyielding spirit will
achieve. Before its irresistible energy the
most formidable obstacles become as cobweb
barriers in its path. .. ....
aD- There can be no monopoly in religion.
Neither wealth, power, social position, genius
nor learning neither man, woman, childhood