Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1880-05-27

Part OF q Sermon Preached at
Double Springs, Oconee County,
Third Sunday in May, by Rev.
A. w. Moore.
SuBJEoT-Tho marriage of tho Kings Son.
TIE TExT-The inimiablc parable recorded in
Matthew %, 1-l4.
OF course wo could not develop tho many
great trains of thought in human nature and
human life suggested by the Supreme Teacher
within tho compass of few inspired verses.
Attention was specially called to tho graphic
picture of tho human heart and its ccasclcss
manifestations in human life.
l. Tho perpetual hostility of the Jows 10
every higher manifestation of The higher life
this deadly hostility eliminating in the cruciix-
ion of tho Lord Jcsus-tho supreme manifesto
ton Of life.
'And the remnant took his servants and en-
treated them spitciully and slew them" We
think of Zecheriah, the son Of Jchoiada, the
priest, stoned 10 death between The porch and
the altar; of the opening verses in one Of the
submest of the prophecies, "IIcar 0 heavens
and give ear 0 earth, for have nouriS,cd and
brought up children and they have rcbccd
against mc;" Of tho commentary upon the Jews
by Jew, who certainly never manifested n
disposition TO dispnrago his countrymcn; "nnd
others had trial Of cruel mockings and sco,Tg-
ings year. moreover Of bonds and in,prison-
mcnii they were stoned, they were avn asundcr,
were tempted were slain with the sword; they
wandered about in sheep skins and goat skins,
being destitute, afflicted, tormcntcd Of whom
tho world was not worthy; they wandered in
deserts and in mountains and in dcns a,,,! caves
Of The cnrth;" we think of the bacchinalian rcvcl
and the lascivious dance and thc icriayi!y that
could demand, tic dcrIa:::::;. !!lat could give
and the dcprnyiIy that could cndurc the ghastly
head Of John the Baptist; Of The awful, de-
bauchcd spirit, l.fc in tho conspiracy gainst the
life of the Lord Jesus and in The brutal mockings
and inhuman buietings aud terrific scouT, ,ings
upon the trial and around the cross; of the
maddencd jews, acting more like beasts than
men, stoning unto death the holy Stephen, full
of faith and good works, whose face shown like
that Of m angel; we think how many Of the
carly Christians pcrishcd by the sword; Of the
long roll of the blessed martyrs; wc think how
every great reformation, whether Of doctrine or
OF life, must needs be accomplished in the
midst of the most determined and persistent op-
position.
The inherent hostility Of The world TO pure
and gracious Christianity, cmbodyiny the spirit
Of our blessed Lord and Insisting upon tho
purest life, is constantly outcrorping in every
ago Of The world and in every phase of human
life. Its manifestations arc not always rs
violent, but its prosecutions arc none the less
malignant because more polite and refined.
2. The stolia indifference Of the great multi
tudc to the invitations Of God. "Bul they made
light Of it and went their ways, one 10 his farm
and another to his merchandise"
This s!olid indifference is as apparent, perhaps
age than il was then.
In this land of Bibles and churches and rcli-
gious congregations, where n sermon or Il prayer
meeting is within reach Of every one, there is a
great number who never hcGra sermon or attend
prayer meeting. or the number that do attend
how many come iato the sacred prcinols full of
The sensual, worldly, irrcvrcnt unworshipping
spirit? How many arc busy with The money
changing and Tic selling OF doves even in The
temple?
There is very lively interest in political
questions, in all business questions in al social
questions, in scientific questions, n very tangible
interest in everything that pertains to our secular
vocation or 10 our social advancement, but the
interest in our religious development, in our
consciousness of God, in Tic c;:.;!"ttion OF The
conscience, The real interest that We hayo in
religious methods Of cvnnscii2alion, il religious
operations, .. now Slight and feeble ana nuc-
tuating. Arc we not under tho dominion of
that worldly, superficial spirit, which mpclls us
onward IN our ways, 10 our farm to our mcr-
chandise, to our scnsuaiism in the habitual,
unalarming, apparently unconscious neglect, Of
the great invitation that dcsccnds to us from out
Of heaven and is being urged upon us by so
many voices?
g. Look at The unusual, unrricnd,y, irrational,
foolish conduct brought TO our view in the
lesson. The invitation grew out Of kingly
grace 1t was 10 a feast they were invited and
not to an ordinary feast either, but ~ marriage
festival, The most joyful, the most abundant, the
most protractcd Of all fcstivalS--a festival
abounding in universal good cheer and in uni
Vcrsal good wilt was a royal festival and an
extraordinary royal festival, the marriage Of the
Kings Son, the heir apparent TO the throne.
Every worthy motive seems to conspirc 10
make them accept the invitation and to make
them accept with clation. The honor was q
privilege and the privilege was duty. Tho
oxen and the fatlngs were killed and Tho wed.
ding garments wcro provided and all things were
ready.
They would not come, though urgently re-
minded Of tho invitation; they really had moro
pleasure in proving oxen and in buYing and