The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1881-02-03
Farewell sermon of Rev. w. whitney,
Pastor of the Baptist Church.
Gods idea Of the christian life.

Tim, 2::l.-"If II Man therefore purge him
self from these, ne shall be vessel unto
honor, sanctiticd, and meet for the masters
use, and prepared unto every good work.
TO describe mans idea of the
christian life is very easy Must he
join the church If ii will make it
easier FOR him, and increase his social
advantages, yes; otherwise. no. Must
he change his course of life! IL
he has been a notorious, Outbrcaking
sinner. yes; otherwise, no. Must he
have any established doctrinal belief!
Only of the most superficial and elias
tic sort. Must he become IA religious
man Only in the same superficial
sense. Not in any such WAY as to
make others of freer habits feel I'M
comfortable in his presence. May
he dance! Oh, yes! Play cards
Certainly. Attend the circus and
theatre? by all means. Minglc
freely in MI the frivolities, and dissi-
patiUns OF fashionable life OF
course. You would not have one ap
pear singular, would you! In II
word. our modern habit of thought
sanctions this idea. that the christian
may be rs goddess in hi. life us any
other ordinary sinner. as heretical i'll
his belief rs any other disbelicvcr
save IN outward assent to Il creed
and sometimes not even that is re-
quired and yet in no wise forfeit his
christian name or standing. With
many the church is Il sort of Noah $
ark, or city of refuge, within which
they may do and think us they please.
With many others it is II passport To
good society. and they join it with
much the same motive that one would
unite with Il social club. or Il literary
society. or Il lodge. They have no
idea OF weighty responsibilities, no
intention of being restrained from
any indulgence. 10 purpose to lead Il
consecrated, Christ-like life. The
church has listened so long to the
seductive words, that her tones seem
but the echo to the voice of the Syren.
Don't he prudish. or puritanical, or
set in your way. BE free, and liber.
al, and social. What is the harm i'm
Il little recreation! What is the need
of being SO precise and staid Don't
you see how you repel very many that
might be won if yon would only be II
little more easy! This is the worlds
idea Of the christian life us inter-
preted 10y the conduct of thousands
oi protesting christians the world
over. From this view let us turn to
Gods word. that we may learn how
He thinks christian ought to live.
In Panl's letters to Timothy, we find
not only the directions which pertain
to the public and official life of a
minister of the Lord Jesus, but es-
pecially such counsels us he needs for
the guidance of his private life. He
is warned equally against false views
of doctrine and of living. AS an in
christian, Timothy was to
avoid idle disputes tending only to
strife. and to hold fast the truth as
he had been taught from very infancy.
He WAS to flee youthful lusts, and
manifest in his daily life the graces
of the Spirit; following "afler right
eousness, godlincss. faith, love, pa
thence. mcckness." Even as IL young
man he was to he ''an example OF tie
believers, in word. in conversation,
i'll charity, in spirit. in faith, in pu-
rlty." He is reminded of that pre-
cions doctrine of tine divine fait' ;;si-
ness, 1.-The Lord knoweth them mat
are His and then as if to guard
the perversion of that blessed
truth, the eXhortation comes: "i.et
every one that nameth the nai&e of
Christ depart from iniquity." With
these two inscriptions the foundation
stone of Gods truth is laid and seal
ed. The many temptations of the
world. the flesh, and the devil, from
within and without, will greatly tend
to detract from his usefulness. aLd
unfit him for the service of the Loiu.
IF Il man therefore purge himself
from these, he shall he a vessel unto
honor, eanctilied, and meet for the
Masters use, and prepared unto every
good work." AS in Il great house
there are utensils for noble and for
ignoble uses, so i'm the Lords great
house. the visible church. every pro-
Gessed disciple is a vessel unto honor
or unto dishonor. All professors are
not christians, but all shall be used
in some way for the Lords glory.
Live what way you will, the Lord
will usc you, but who would be Il
vessel for destruc ton, to be filled
with shame and everlasting contempt!
AS presented in this connection,
Gods idea of the christian life is that
of fitness for his use, ready unto
every good work." In this is the
radical difference between God $
thought and mans thoughts. Ac-
cording to tho low standard referred
to the principal thought, is this ::
What harm? Can't | be saved and
do this! Shall I be lost if l do not
do that! One living upon such Il
plane is only concerned to shun those
practices, and perform those duties,
which must be stunned or performed,
to get into heaven. 1t is not the
glory Of God he is seeking, but his
own. He is trying to work out his
own salvation, not because he reali.
yes that God is working within, both
to will and to do of his good pleasure,
but through fear of punishment if he
does not work. i venture this asser.
ton, that even the present law stand.
ard of living would not be reached if
SO many were not afraid to do less.
Rut xuhan n narSon heconaa thorounI,