Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-04-10
tOriginal.]
TESTS OF RELIGION.

We are constantly liable to make mis-
take in SuppoSing that we can judge OF the
existence and amount of our religion by our
senses This is a sad misconception Of the
nature of religion. Religion is not mate
rial thing which can be seen, or heard, or
felt, or tasted or smelled. The same is true
of thought. We cannot see thought, nei-
ther can we hear it. The testsof religion are
not of such an absolute and unmistakable
character as are heeXistence of those things
which are Judged of by the natural senses.
We are absolutely certain that what we see
or feel has an actual existence. We cannot
arrive at the same certainty that we have
been born again. This attainment God new
er designed we should make in this world.
He has, in the economy of grace, so ordered
that while we remain in the flesh we must
live by faith and not by sight. In the exer-
else Of a morbid desire we often attempt
to make attainments whichare not possible.
We cannot go beyond revelation. We can
not discover by any one Of all of our five
senses that which has no material existence.
In nature there may be multitudes of beau
ties which our eyes are not capable of seeing.
Were our eyes differently constructed, it
would, no doubt, be possible to see those
things, which are now not seen and which
we are incapable of seeing. God, in the
Bible, has not revealed to us individually,
that we have been born again. Neither has
he promised that that fact shall be made
known to us by the Holy Spirit. Asno man
can be absolutely certain that any material
substance exists in creation which is not
cogniZable by the five senses, SO no man can
be absolutely certain Of anything in religion
which is not revealed in the Scriptures.
Now no revelation is made to any particular
individual that he or she is actually born
again. We are not required to believe that
we have been born again, but we are simply
commanded to believe in the Lord Jesus
Christ. God promises in case we believe in
Jesus Christ thathe will save us. tits, how
ever, true that God has given us many tests
by which we may Judge of ourreligion as to
its genuineness, and thus enable us to have
well-grounded hope that we have passed
from death into life. Each individual must
look up for himself these tests. They may
many dlsslmilar circumstances may attend
the application of these tests that they may
appear to be very different. In general
way, it may be remarked that religion is not
thing of external form and ceremonies, al
though these invariably accompany it, and
without these religion cannot exist True,
religion has its origin and seat in the soul,
not in the body. Hence, mere bodily exer-
else profteth little. Regeneration, or as it
is called IN the scriptures, 'Delng DOrn
again" is the direct and unassisted work of
Gods spirit. In regeneration the soul un-
dergoeS q great and radical change. The
mind is enlightened, the heart is softened,
and the will is subdued.
Regeneration is followed by faith and re-
pentance. These are followed by general
reformation of the life of the individual.
Humility is good test of the actual exis-
tence of true religion in the SOUL The Psalm
ist describes humility as broken and con-
trite spirit. In the natural heart there is a
large amount of pride which nothing but
the grace of God can destroy.
Another test of the existence of genuine
religion in our soul is willingness on our
part to make sacrifices for the cause Of Christ.
It is seldom that God calls upon his people
to make great sacrifices for the cause which
he has established on earth. Continually
however, we are required to make some
sacrifice. Each day we live and as long as
we live God requires us to make sacrifices
for his cause. In reality he has put the
propagation of the gospel largely under the
guidance and direction of the spirit, into
| the hands of men. Now one test of genu-
| inc religion is what we will do and what of
carnal comfort we will sacrifice to propa-
gate the gospel. This is severe test. Sc
we're in that it gives just ground to many of
US to call in question of the reality of our
religion. The feature of religion which we
dislike most of all is that it requires us to
! snand and be spent for Christ