The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1882-10-19
ga Sermon"
BY DEACON SLASHER.

BY DEACON sLAsHER.
"Truly God is good to Israel, even to
such as are of clean heart.
But as for me, my feet were almost
gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
For was envious at the foolish, when
l saw the prosperity of the wicked."-
Psalms lxxiii-1, 2, 8.
Fortunate is the man who can view the
things of earth calmly-preserving his
GOODNESS amid scenes that excite or dis
courage many of his fellows. Mankind
show too strong tendency to view mat
ters in their present aspect, and, in case
we are confronted by discouraging pic
ture, to consider it in its present bearings
rather than it's relations to the future.
There is no great work accomplished
by mankind in day-no great reform
wrought out instantaneously. Any great
work of reformation, having for its OBJ
ject the good of mankind, requires long
and patient labor, the exercise of cool
ness and judgment, and the possession of
faith in the righteousness of the cause
advocated. A faith that will not be dis
couraged at obstacles-a faith that laughs
at temporary defeat. We are told that
the Savior of mankind was tortured with
a crown of thorns; shall we, then, become
discouraged at finding thorn in our
pathway? "God moves in mysterious
way, His wonders to PERFORM and we
cannot doubt that, ofttimes, "He maketh
the wrath of man to praise Him."
We are of those who believe that a
great crime, great sin, will materially
aid in working out its own destruction.
For instance, take as an illustration the
horrible evil of intemperance.
There is not, perhaps, an intelligent
man, woman or child living, who will
claim that intemperance is other than a
great evil. Yet we find men-with their
accustomed proneness to cling to sin-at-
horrible crime. This gives the criminals
who are engaged in selling Intoxicating
liquors such encouragement that they
readily imagine themselves in possession
of dictatorial powers, and, not being sat
isfied with the privilege of running their
horrible business, of robbing households,
of stealing the bread from the mouths of
poor but respectable children, they must
needs push their crimes before the public,
and attempt to force their spirit of law
lessness and infidelity into the minds of
decent, respectable, law-abiding citizens.
We do not believe that any other being
is created, under the mercy of Heaven, SO
totally doT,rox7aH 11ffar1u 1OSf fn all
sense of decency and such utter disregard
of the rights of others, as the doggery-
keeper. He is not even blessed with suf-
fcient foresight to discern what is, and
what is not, for his own good. just now
in the flush of victory he is in the most
dangerous ground-to him and his crime
that he has ever occupied. With q
| howl. at the Churches and Sabbath
Schools, and a free use of intoxicants, he
has succeeded in apparently gaining q
point in his favor. This will prove the
worse for him, for even now he is work
ing his own destruction. Even now he
is reeling about the streets, drunk, brag
ging that "der invlooence of der saloons
vas der ding fur successp' Even now he
is dressed in fine raiment, and bedecke6
with jewels, which through the channel
of his peer faucet, he has stolen from
his superiors. While his costly musical
instruments ring out upon the air theil
merry notes, they but play a sad accom-
paniment to the sighs and groans of peo
pie whose money has bought them, and
the miserable criminal Waddles
about in front of the door, swaggers anG
brags about the success of his "peesness'
meaning the success of his devilisI
thievery.
Decent men can truthfully say that
they envy not the prosperity of such cat
tie. The prosperity that spreads lawless
ness everywhere; the prosperity that fills
the alms-houses and prisons; the pros
perity that makes wrecks of human bo.
dies and destroys human souls; the pros.
perity that causes angels to weep. and
makes He'll to rejoice; such is not the
prosperity which makes decent men to
rejoice.
There is better day coming in the
near future, when all this rejoicing will
be turned into torment. To-day, the
Devil is a beer-jerker. But that guise
will not serve him again. The people are
watching him, and it will not be many
days ere his disciples will cease marching
to success over the necks and hearts of
Christian women and children.
Let us keep up our determination to
battle for the right, under all circum-
stances. If there be anything in the
temporary success of a great evil to cause
any poor mortal to rejoice, let him rejoice
while he may. All that is necessary for
decent men, for Christian men, to do, is
to go steadily forward, battling for the
right. Success will come. "Lo, 1 am
with you always, even to the end of the
world"