Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1884-12-04

imposes. Certain il is, the Bible is true,
but its character as Supreme law is not
derived from its truth but from its au-
thority. IL tfue-beeauSe authoritative.
Its authority lies back of. and is anterior
to its truth If may SO speak; and hence.
"the Scripture can OF be broken" The
whole subject of christianity, as it re
spects the religion of the individual or
the nation, is involved in a recognition
of the Bible. There can be no defence
set up for the claims of religion without
the Bible. Not a single religious iIisti-
tuition can stand without the Bible. Not
singlerelfgieus seryices can be render
ed without the Bihle. Recognition of
the divine law and sense of the obliga-
ZION it imposes is indispensable if We
would render unto God the glory due unto
his name. The supremacy Of the law of
God and its binding obligation, involves
a defence of the Bible, as the moral
educator of the people. Il must be
maintained in the homes and schools
and its supremacy acknowledged BY the
individual and the nation.
How shall show myself religious to
him wbois so abundantly aud constant
Iy munIicent to me? 8d-B5 the main~
Lenance of God given institutlons-such
rs the Sabbath, the family, and the State.
fhe observance of the Sabbath is fnnda-
mental to any just claim to be consider
ed u religious, Godfearing. Christian
people. This Is true as applied stoyOne
or many-the individual or the whole
people. Regard for the Sabbath is an
unerring index personal piety. Re
ligion Cannot be maintained among
people where the Sabbath is seeularized.
There has been, in this land, wide de-
parture from the law of God, and the
practice of our fathers in this matter To
MAINTAIN the Sabbath inviolste, there
must be more conscientious observance
of il Us day of holy rest and spiritual
communion with God-an endeayor TO
secure a public recognition of the NOR
Il obligation of the Sabbath aud eon
foimity to the requirements of The di>
vIne laws, and a proper resistance Of ey-
cry effort for the abrogatlon of the law
OF the Sabbath. We cannot be alive to
our own interests and the honor and
glory of God, nor duly grateful for his
benefits toward as. without defending
the Sabbath against every assault. II
IL The maintenance of the home and
the sahctity of the family is logically in
volved in the Bible idea of the Christian
religion The purity of the home and
the sanctity of the marriage relation is
essential to practical piety and the pub
lie welfare. Wherever the purity ofthe
home is tainted by unlawful marriage or
its sanctity invaded by unjustitiable di-
voree, not only is the Institution of the
family seriously assailed. but piety itself,
the life of God in the soul, receives
deadly wound. The family is the corner
stone of the whole social fabric. Do
nestle peace, social happiness, national
life, the perpetuity of the church and the
very existence of piety and religion are
all Involved in the sanctity of the home.
With what jealous care, then. sheuld its
portals be guarded What hallowed in
tluences should be thrown around IT,
And how much should the piety of the
home be a perpetual thanksgiving an
them to God for this benefit TO us.
Ill. The maintenance of the State as a
moral parsonage before Ged and account
able to him, is involved in, and INSOFAR
able from the Christian religion. Civil
government is divine Institution. Civil
rulers are Ged's ministers. Obedience
to eivillaw is matter of conscience.
Resistance to civil authority is q chine.
These all point to the relation between
God and civil government, and to the
domain of his law In civil affairs. II is
an act of homage to God to maintain
this relation. 1t is religious obedience to
conform the national life to the divine
mandates. To maintain the Sabbath. the
the family and the State, iDviolate, that
thereby may be subserved the benifieene
design for which they were instituted
by the GiVer of all good, is one mode Of
our thankfuIness to Him for
these benefits.
In the last plsce-We show our graft
itude to Him who has been so abundant
antly muniticent to us
By solemn acts of worship, secret, So
ciai and public: IL will take the cup Of
sc; Il will offer to Thee the
sacrifice OF thanksgiving and call upon
the name of the Lord; will pay my
vows unto the Lord now in the presence
Of ali His people, aa e -.1
II will take" is a strange, and yet it
is the most lifting reply that can be made
to the question. what shall l." &c.
70 drink of the cup which the Lord has
filed with His lovisg graee-to lay hold
of the golden ehaliee of the covenant,
realizing the fulness of blessing it con-
tains, and by faith receiving its divine
contents into our soul. is an act OF spi>
ritual thanksgiving which is well pleas
ing to God. In The closet the soul hrSt
lakes the cup of salvation, and the heart
delights 10 pour out its lively joys,
thence the same holy Hre is kindied
upon the family altar, and "the voice OF
rejoicing and salvation is heard IN the
of the righteous; thence the
refrain is taken up. I'VE viii GO into
his tabernacles, We will worship at his
footstool. Arise. o Lord. into thy rest,
thou aud the ark of thy strength" From
the retreat of the sanctuary. whittier the
Christian has betaken himself by renew
I'd personal conservation to God, and
" whence he lifts up his soul in believing
he views with ealmness
and awaits with eonhdenee the issue of
The conflict raging without. He is not
An uninterested or idle spectator OF the
powers of darkness that are marshaling
their hosts. "He saith among the trump
its. ha. ha; and he smelleth the battle
ifar off, the thunder of the captains and
the shouting as the cohorts OF lnndel1-
~ and superstition and profanity aud
ntemperance and spiritual wickedness
10 hign places array themselves against
he Lord aud his anointed. Conscious.
hat, while the world has no ferces which
are able to cope with the corruptions OF
human nature and overcome them-nei-
her education. nor what is vaguely call
ID civilization nor forci0le repression
Dy law will eradicate sin. There Is Di-
vine power which has wrought, and 10
still working. by the supernatural grace
,f regeneration and the sanctifying
power of the indwelling Spirit and the
nstrumentality of the truth OF the Cos
pei, and which is pledged 10 the eternal
for the redemption of the race,
he Christian refuses every COMPROMISES
with sin and presses on In warfare of
inal and complete DETERMINATION. Such
. conservation of ourselves to God and