The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1881-02-03
Examiner & Chronicle.1

tt may not, at first view, seem quite
fair that men Of the world should base
their Judgment of Christianity upon
the imperfect exhibitions of its power
in the lives of professed Christians.
But, after all, Is there any good ground
for complaint that they do so? Men
who profess to have undergone
change Of disposition SO radical that
the Scriptures describe it as passing
from death unto life," ought not to
find fault if they are held strictly to
the terms of their profession, and re-
quired to show proof, not in words but
in works, of the genuineness of the
transformation. The New Testament
clearly recognizes the substantial JUS
tice Of this mode of Judging believers
in Christ. For, although the worlds
Judgment is often unduly censorious,
and necessarily crude and partial, it
demands only the kind of testimony
to the regenerating power of Chris
tianity that the gospel itself offers in
its own behoof. Not words but deeds,
not creeds but men, are Gods chosen
witnesses to the truth.
There can be little doubt, we fear,
that much of the current skepticism
res oecting the Word Of God and the
divine origin of the Christian faith
springs from observation Of the every
day life of Christians. The merchant
who has been overreached in bargain
by professed believer in Christ, how
ever much he may admire the neatness
Of the operation, viii not be very apt
to take kindly to the religion Of the
man who has outwitted him. And
when the young find themselves una
BILE to discern any difference in the be-
havior of believers and unbelievers, in
business affairs. in the pursuit of
pleasure, or in social life, it cannot be
thought strange if they draw the con-
clusion that religion which produces
so barren results is not of much ac-
count. The skepticism which grows
out of such observations as these is :.
the hardest in the world to overcome.
Those who entertain it believe they
have come to know the hollowness of
Christian professions. The Bible they
read is the lives of believers, and the
false renderings they everywhere en-
counter disgust them with the very
name of religion. Believing them
selves to be quite as good as those who
call themselves Christians, they do not
care to look farther into the matter,
and so continue in the darkness of un-
belief, confirmed therein by the un-
fruitfulness of Christ's professed fol-
lowers
The only antidote for this widely
spreading poison of skepticisn Is high
er Christian living. We dc not mean
that spurious sort that goes under the
name Of the higher life," but praeti-
cal. everyday conformity to the pTiI-1
ciples Of the gospel in all the affairs;
of life. When to say that man is an.
Christian is to say that "his word is as
good as his bond" that he will not
take mean advantage, that he is pure
in word and deed, that he it simple
and kindly and generous in all his So
cial and domestic relations, then the
religion Of the Bible will take on
in the eyes Of the world, it
never had before.
We read the other day of a rough
looking man who entered store III
Georgia, and asked to be trust
ed for goods until he could market his
cotton The storekeeper, not know
ing his customer, refused his request.
But learning soon after that he be-
longed to the primitive Baptist
church, he said, "Well, then, my
friend, go through this house, from
cellar to garret, and pick out what
you want. | will sell you the whole
clerks and all, on cred
it, with only your religion as security"
The stony, whether true or not, illus
trates what ought to be true of every
disciple of the Lord Jesus. His relig-
ion should be SO vital force in his
life that all who have dealings with
him should recognize it as a guaranty
of straightforward honesty and good
faith in every transaction. As an ar
gument for the truth OF Christianity,
such life of practical religion is
simply irresistible.