Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-12-20

little sense ofhis accountability before God;
but if the dread of the penalty of human
laws could produce such strain upon the
mind, can there be peace when sense or
accountability to God comes home to the
heart and the apprehension of wrath to
come takes hold of the spirit? The most
terrible scOurge with which the human soul
has ever been lashed, is the scourge that is
woven out of its own thoughts. How read
lily God can tip that ScOurge with scorpion
stings, under the strokes OF which the heart
will culver with anguish And from what
we know of the power Of thought to tor
ment the soul in the present life, who can
doubt that in that future world of torment,
thoughts akin to those which here some
times seethe in the brain, may be converted
into an undying worm and an unquenchable
fire?
Third. Worldly thoughts disquietthes soul.
There are many, even among professors OF
religion, who like Martha, are careful and
troubled about many things. What shall |
eat? What shall | drink? WhereWlthal
shall be clothed? How shall make pro-
vision for the wants Of my family? What
would become of them if I were called
away? These are thoughts that often no
doubt arise even in the hearts of Christians
and occasion no small amount of Dispute
tude. The poor man looks at the domain
of the large land-holder, or the splendid
residence of the great capitalist. He says
in his heart-surey this is the home Of con-
tentment, and if such possessions were mine
/ could then be at rest. But it may be that
grasping avarice makes that anything else
than the home of content. 1t may be that
cOrrOding worldly care is there eating into
the hearts of those on whom fortune seems
to have bestowed its most lavish smiles.
Thus men everywhere in their desire to be
rich, and in their anxious thoughts about
the things of this world, keep their souls
disqueted within them.
Fourth. Despondent and unbelieving
thoughts are very disquieting. These are
thoughts that grow out of the impression that
everything is going wrong. Sometimes they
are the attendants of afiiictiOn and adversely.
God seems to hide his face and you are
troubled He touches your person, bodily at
Fiction comes and wearisome days and nights
are appointed unto you. He touches your
family and some of the delights of your eyes
are buried out of sight. He touches your
possessions and they are swept away like
chatf before the wind or vanish like smoke,
and you are ready to inquire, "Hath he in
anger shut up his tender mercies" You
have low and desponding thoughts which
have their origin in unbeief. You wonder
if God regards you, or question ms kind
ness and love in thus dealing with you.
You forget that whom the Lord lOveth he
chasteneth, that he often thrusts his people
in the furnace of atfiiction, to the end that
when he has tried them, they may come
forth as gold.
Or again, things seem to 60 wrong in the
nation. Vile men are exalted and the right
eous are despised. Principles seem to be
in the ascendency that threaten the good OF
the country and the welfare of the kingdom
of God, and you are ready to say the foun-
dationS of the earth are out of courSe-and If
the foundations be destroyed, what can the
righteous do? Thoughts of this kind often
passed through the mind of David, and
| thoughts of this kind often pass through
the minds of Christians: Still in con. on.
! templatng the Vaccinations of ungOdly
men, and unbelieving thoughts are likely
to come in connection with them, as the re-
suit of which the soul is disquieted. Go
not say that the tokens Ofevil should awaken
no concern. Good nell should be observers
of the signs of the times. They should have
hearts alive to the interests Of humanity
and the cause. They should be stimulated
to more earnest efforts in maintaining the
good and opposing the wrong. Yet at the
same time let them not permit dependency
and unbelief to gain dominion over them.
Now from these things we may see how the
and annoy. Indeed, the greatest trouble
some people have, the bane of their lives, is
simply in their own thoughts. How then
shall we get relief? Whence shall solace
come? If we call to the earth, there will
be dead silence broken only by the echo OF
our own cry. five call to worldly minded
men, we will soon find that they are ply
scians of no value. If we turn even to the
saints, they can only give us some directions
how and where to find a remedy. Beyond
the earth, beyond men of the world, beyond
the saints of the Most High, we must go
directly to God himself.
We come then, secondly, to the solace for
disqueting thoughts pointed out in the text.
Thy comforts delight my soul. Sometimes
God gives comfort through the medium of
Others; but the comforts here spoken Of are
those that come directly from God. God
bestows comforts upon the heart which no
one else can give. lst God gives peace if
we come to him in the midst of our dis
uuieting thoughts. No matter what the
character Of our thoughts may be, God gives
satisfying and abiding peace. Peace as re-
CARDS the law. We have violated that law
and there is a penalty attached to its trans
gresson. \ penalty that we could never
pay. But Christ has come in as our SubSti-
tute, paid that penalty and thus magnitied
a broken and dishOnored law. Pardon and
peace are proclaimed to us in his blood. Dis
quieted undera sense ofguilt and thoughts OF
coming wrath, if we come to God in faith we
have that pardon and peace. "Theretore be-
ing justified by faith, we have peace with
Cod" Peace as regards the testimony of
our own conscience. sour rejoicing" says
the Apostle sis this, the testimony of our
conscience, that in simplicity and godly sim
cerity, not with teshly wisdom, but by the
grace of God, we have had our conversation
in the world, and more abundantly to you
ward"
Peace as regards the providence of God.
There are things daily occurring in the
world that men regard as untlvOraDle.
Thereare many things in reference to when
we feel, if the matter were in our own hands
we would have it otherwise. But the fool
ishness of God is wiser than men, and the
weakness Of God is stronger than men. If
a sparrow falls to the ground it has not been
without the notice of God. If atilictiOn or
adyersitv come in any form it is by the APP
pointment of him who uses these things rs
means of polishing stones for the spiritual
temple. if storms seem to be brewing III
the political world that threaten the welfare
of the nation, ifntidelity threatens to sweep
away the foundations of truth, there is Il
God that rules the world whose purposes
cannot be thwarted by the rage of men or
devils, and who can turn all the cOunselS OF
the enemy to foolishness. Sometimes we
NAV feel it is all wrong, and may be ready
to saw with Joseph when his old blind faith
er crossed his hands upon the heads OF
Ephriam and Manasseh-not so my Father:
but God says | know it my son, know 1t.
The trouble with us is, we don't know 1t.
We can't declare the end from the begin
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