Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-04-10

CONDUCTED BY
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
lOriginal
SOME BELIEVE NOT.

DelleVeQ. 10 CnlS StateIneuI tueTe ~ uo eA
ception. On the other hand, it is just as true
that in communities where the gospel is con
stantly preached, there are some who believe
not. 1t is probable that in every Christian
land half of the inhabitants are unbelievers
In fact, if we judge from the only statistics tc
which we have access, we are safe in conclu
ding that far more than one half of the in
habitants of those communities professedly
Christian, are still in the gall Of bitterness:
and bond Of iniquity. Less, perhaps, thar
one-half the members of such communities
make a profession of their faith in Jesus
Christ, and no insignificant number Of those
who make profession of faith, demonstrate
by their manner of life that they are the
bond slaves of sin and Satan.
When we examine into the nature and eff
fects of the gospel, we are astonished to find
that all of Adams race, to whom it is offer
ed, do not accept of it with as much readiness
as a condemned culprit accepts reprieve
Through Jesus Christ there is offered to every
sinner pardon of all his sins and the favor
and friendship of God. The very thing that
every sinner needs, and, in some sense, feels
that he needs, is offered to him freely, without
money and without price in the gospel
Every thing is offered him which will con-
tribute in any way whatever to his temporal,
spiritual and eternal welfare. The offer is
made in good faith. Not only so, but there is
no little solicitude on the part Of him who
makes the offer, that it be accepted. "How
often would I have gathered thee as a hen
gathereth her chickens under her wings v
Matt 23:37. If the gospel contained all
threatenings and no promises, then to reject
it would not only be natural, but eminently
wise and prudent. The violated law of God
threatens death; but the gospel of the Son OF
God makes an offer of life to them that are
doomed to die.
Why, then, it may be asked, are any, in
Christian lands, unbelievers2 This is Sc
rious question, and not unattended with diff.
culties. There is point, both in nature and
grace, beyond which we cannot proceed. We
should be careful not to rush heedlessly and
rashly beyond the confines Of revelation. We
may ask questions which it would be sinful
to attempt to answer. We may propose diff
fculties which no finite creature can unravel.
All the difficulties, both in nature and grace,
find ready solution in the sovereign will of
God. If it is asked why in the same neigh
borhood-often on the same plantation-one
piece of land is rich and fertile, while anoth-
er piece is covered with stones and cursed
with barrenness, we can only reply: "God
made them So" If it be asked why the night
shade is deadly poison and the potato a
nutritious article of food, we can only say in
reply: "God made them So" The existence
and nature of all these things can be traced
back to the sovereign will of God. Beyond
this, we can not and dare not 60. We may
be asked, why is man endowed with a moral
nature and the irrational creatures not. We
can only say, "because it so pleased their
Maker" We should, however, remember
that the sovereign will of God and the free
dom of his intelligent creature, man, never
conflict. 1t is demonstrable fact that God
is an independent sovereign, and it is mat
ter of consciousness that we are free agents
and responsible for all our thoughts, words
and actions. Whether we be able to explain
it or not, it is a plain Bible truth, that God
is sovereign but not the author of sin, and
man is a free agent and accountable to God
for all his acts and the motives which prompt
them.
Our Saviour, who knows all things, says the
reason men are not saved is, they will not
come to him. John $40. The reason that
the sentence of condemnation, which has been
passed upon all men, because all men are sim
ners, is not revoked in the case Of those who
have the gospel offer it is because they will
not accept that offer. In very large majority
of cases. the rejection of the gospel offer is in
direct. In other words, the mul-
titude of those who reject Jesus Christ and
his salvation, are not crying out, "We will
have nothing to do with Jesus of Nazareth.
Away with him cruelty him, cruelty him"
On the contrary, they are simply caring moth
ing about Jesus. Their minds and hearts are
set upon something else. Such being the
case, they place themselves beyond or out of
the reach of the ordinary means of grace.
Faith, we are told in the Scriptures, "com.
eth by hearing, and hearing by the word Of
God" Romans, 1917. "He that cometh
to God must believe that he il" 1t is mani
fest that those who have no knowledge of the
plan of salvation contained in the gospel, can
not believe in Jesus Christ. Before faith can
be exercised, the mind must be enlightened
Faith is, according to the Scriptures, the gift
of God. Believing, or the exercising Of faith,
is the work of him who receives the gift. The
Holy Spirit begets within the sinner the pow
er to believe. The sinner may neglect the
means which the spirit uses in the regenera-
ting of sinners. Such being the case, the in
dividual is accountable for his not being re-
generated. Faltn pelnS parI VI Ihe Ae"
life, which is bestowed in regeneration, the
unregenerate cannot believe, for no one can
use that which he has not.
From number of passages in the Scrip
lures, it is manifest that multitudes, in Chris
tian lands, do not accept Jesus Christ as their
Saviour, because they place themselves in To-
calities and amid surroundings which join
them to their idols, and God says: "Let them
alone" God gives the sunshine, furnishes
the soil, and causes the clouds to distill upon
- ,,o1;G,;no. ro;ne. hut tbis olono will not