Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-08-25
8eadiua for the Sabbath.
CONDUCTED BY
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
lOrigiIal ]
THE OPPOSITION.

iourn in this world-God manifest in the
Aesh-a strange class of men. In their phys
ical appearance, they we're, so far as anything
is said to the contrary, just like other men ;
but they had strange ways. From what our
Saviour says about them, We are led to con-
clude that this class was by nc means con-
temptible in point of numbers. They are
thus introduced by the Saviour: "Whereun-
to-" says he, "shall I lken the men of this
generation and to what are they like? ?"
Luke Z: 81. From these words, we are led to
think that there was more than single indi-
vidual whose peculiar traits of character he
would have us consider. There was whole
generation" of them. They we're scattered
about all over the land. They were in every
neighborhood, in every village, and in every
city. The land swarmed with them. Go
where you might, you were sure to find some
of this class of people. In a very few words,
our Saviour gives US a most graphic descrip-
ton of the several members of this numerous
class of persons who inhabited the land of
Judea during his period of dwelling among
men. So minute is the description, that no
one was liable to make a mistake in his con-
clusion as to whether or not an individual be-
longed to this class They are thus described /:
"They," the men of this generation, care like
children sitting in the market place and call
ing one to another and saying: We have
piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we
have mourned unto you, and ye have not
wept."
Surely, if there we're any of "the men of
this generation" present when our Saviour ut
tered these words, they did not feel fattered.
No man can feel complimented when he is
told that he is like silly, pouty, contrary
child, that will do nothing that it is asked to
do, and do everything it is asked not to do.
1t cries when it is desired laugh, and laughs
when it should be quiet. 1t will do nothing
its fellows desire it to do. 1t will not play
when it is desired to play, and it will play
when it is desired not to play. tits perverse-
ly, and, at least, apparently innately contrary.
1t is contrary for no other purpose except to
produce confusion and make itself and every
one else, so far as it can, perfectly miserable.
1t acts against its own interest and comfort,
and against the interest and comfort of every
one within its reach.
We are ready to say, and rightly, too, that
was bad state of civilization, to say nothing
of religion, when whole generation of men
and women acted as Silly contrary as sulky
child acts. If many Of the Jews were of this
class Of men, they, We are ready to conclude,
were in lamentable condition. A genera
tion of contrary people would destroy the
happiness of any country they might inhabt.
No man can be more unpleasant than the con-
stitutionally contrary man. He is unpleasant
to himself. He strives against his own con-
viction, against his own experience, and
against the observation and wishes of all his
fellow men. He says white is black, and
black is white; that up is, down, and down is
up If the rest of mankind 60 east, he goes
west and if they 60 west, he goes east. He
will act and say not as he pleases, but as he
thinks will displease everybody else. He
glories in row. Not in fight, but in con.
fusion. If he can thwart the purposes Of
none of his neighbors or associates, he will
thwart his own purposes. When others are
glad, be is sorry and when others are sorry,
he is glad.
Such were the characteristics of the "gene.
ration of men" described by our Saviour.
We must not, as we shall probably be inclined
to do, come to the conclusion that the "gene-
ration" likened by our Saviour to contrary
children, we're all Jews and that they are
all dead long ago. This would be pleasant
thought Not that it is pleasant to think of
any one being dead; but, surely, death is a
faithful scavenger. 1t hides some in the
grave, and if they are not at peace, they are
no longer able to disturb the peace of others.
There is monument in France, witt an in
scription upon its face in language like this
"Reader, if were alive you would be dead. "
On the gravestones of the whole congregation
of the dead, of the generation of men spoken
ofby our Saviour, it might be written, Read.
er, if I were alive you would have no peace,
if could prevent it"
We are apt to think that the Jews were
the most wicked and the most foolish people
that ever lived, because they rejected the Sa-
viour and cried out, "Crucify him ! cruelty
him |" They were pointed to the miracles
performed by Jesus in proof of the fact that
he was the promised Messiah. "Believe me
that am in the Father, and the Father in
me or, else believe me for the very work s
sake" 1t does seem strange that any man
could call the Messiahship of Jesus in ques-
tion, when he beheld the dead raised by his
single command. We do not hesitate to call
the man contrary who will not believe his
own senses.
We need not, however, 60 back eighteen
hundred years to find contrary and wickedly
contrary Jews, too. We can get perfect ex-
amples of more recent date and nearer home
We can find, without any great labor, some
Gentiles, who are so spiritually contrary, that
they do wrong because those who love them
most intensely and most devotedly, desire