Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-07-06
&eadiuq far the $abbath.
CONDUCTED BY
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
(OrIglnal.1
"NOT YOUR OWN.O

pressed the fact upon them that they were not
their own, but that they belonged to God,
having been bought with price. What was
true of the Christians at Corinth eighteen hun
| dred years ago, is true of Christians to-day in
every part of the world. In every Christian
God has "a peculiar propriety." They, in
common with all creatures, belong to God he
cause he made them, and by his special proYi-
dence preserves them ; but in addition to this,
God owns Christians because he ransomed
them from the condemnation which is in the
law.
So fur us we are informed. no other creature
received such favor. So far as we know, the
redeemed are all human beings. Some of the
angels sinned, but for them no ransom was
paid They were left in their sins and con-
demned to outer darkness. The fact that God
bestowed so much love upon fallen man and
passed fallen angels by, is most astounding.
We may ask why did lie do this? The only
intelligent answer which can be given is that
lit SO pleased God" That God did send his
son into the world to save sinners is us easily
proven AS that he made the world and governs
it, but still the wonder remains. That there
is a vast multitude who give good and salts
factory evidence that they have passed from
death unto life by the Quickening power OF the
Holy Ghost and transforming influence of the
gospel, is seen by all in Christian lands, eX
cept those who will not see. 1t is manifest
that, 50 far as either the Scriptures or the
providence of God disclose to lis the mind of
God, he has done more for man than any of
his other creatures. No other creature can
call God redeemer. This precious privilege is
granted to man alone.
AS is to be expected, the comforting Of this
great privilege imposes a corresponding duty.
Reasonably, Christians are expected to love
God more intensely, and serve him more de-
youtly than are any of his other creatures.
Their bodies are said to be temples of the Holy
Spirit. In their bodies the Holy Spirit dwells
in that peculiar way that these bodies, frail
though they be, are temples Of the Holy Spirit.
Even superstition forbds the proclamation of a
temple. Amid the ruins of an old church we
feel a strange and indescribable sensation
stealing over us. Shall those whose bodies are
the dwelling-place of the Most High defle
those bodies Can they do it with impunity :?
Christians are not their own. They belong
to God. They are his property. They are the
servants Of God. This is, when properly re-
ceived, an inestimable privilege. Since Christ
ians are Gods property, by purchase, he feels
an interest i'll them which is commensurate
with the price paid for them. This was the
blood of his own we'll beloved son. Even men
estimate their possessions by what they paid
for them. That which costs us nothing is
usually estimated at a low value.
Christians are not simply the servants OF
God, but they are his slaves. They are not
Gods hirelngs, but they belong to him, be-
cause he bought them, paying, as their re-
dempton price, the blood of Christ. TO be
servant Of the world or of the flesh, is to be
an ignoble slave ; but to be slave, owned and
possessed by God, is to be free man in Christ
Jesus. Such persons enjoy the special favor
of God. lie watches over them with far great
er care than the most worldly minded man
ever watched over his earthly goods. He that
keeps Christians never sleeps. The lions may
lack their food, but all necessary good shall
be bestowed upon those who serve the Lord.
To his blood-bought people God has most SOL
emnly promised that he will be sun and
shield and that they shall not lack any good.
lie promises that his grace shall ever be sutfi-
cient for them.
1t may be disgrace tob under the necessi-
ty to say that we are the property of any one
of our fellow men, but no greater honor can
be enjoyed by any of our race than to I've the
propertyof God by redemption.
LAZY CHRISTIANs.-Ther is good deal of
religious lazness in this world. Once in a
while we hear of a Christian worker who is
overwrought. one who dies too SOON or is laid
aside through excessive devotion. But the oc-
currence is 50 rare that a small volume would
probably contain the record of allsuch lives in
generation. There are more churches dying
for want of working pastors than there are
pastors dying through excessive workfor their
churches. There are Sabbath-schOOls that are
languislfing because of the want of energy in
those who conduct them. There are classes
that make no progress because lazy teachers
sit before them and yawn through a lesson
which they have not prepared, and have not
earnestness enough to teach if they were pre-
pared. There are Christian men that let their
church run down because they are too lazy to
keep it up. Yet these same men make their
own secular business succeed. 1t is only as
Christians that they are lazy. 1t is shame
to do the worlds work well and then Christ's
work shabby WHAT'S wanted is a revival of
Christian energy and zeal. God never blesses
laziness. 1t is farce for you to ask him to
bless your work, your preaching, your teach
ing, your superintendency, if you put no life
| into your work. Conservation is mockery
unless it be made real by the utmost we can
do. The curse of the church to-day is laziness.
How TO SOFTEN AsPERITIES.-Two neigh
hors, cooper and farmer, were spending the
evening together. Both were professors Of re-
ligion, but of different communionS. Their
conversation was first upon topics relating to
practical religion, but after a time it diverged
| to the points of difference between the two
denominations to which they belonged. 1t
first became a discussion and then dispute.
The cooper was the first to perceive its un-
profitable and injurious tendency, and re-
marked, "We are springing apart from each
other; let us put on another hoop-let us
pray.'' They kneeled down and prayed to-
gether, after which they spent the remainder
of the evening lovingly together, conversing
on the things of the kingdom in which they
both felt an equal interest. The suggestion of
the cooper was an excellent one, and it were
well if it were acted on more frequently by
those who, like him, are members OF the house
hold of Christ.
ksg- If you want the s1;arke of life, you may
find it among the gay and happy, among those
who know not an '.ngratltied wish, nor an
earthly sorrow. But if you want the temper,
the tone, the sweetness, the richness of life,
YOU must 20 down where patience has had her
perfect work. You must sit with those whose
hearts have been long waiting before the closed
doors which shut out their best beloved from