The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-04-04


Jesus Christ to save me; l cannot say
in view OF this, 81 hereby engage"
may on other grounds sign total
abstenance pledge. Suppose the
pledge thus worded, "Brains for all
the world, and all the world for
brains. Believing in the power of
brains to save me, / hereby engage
to totally abstain from all intoxicat.
ing liquors as a beverage"
/ would not sign such pledge.
People might talk of influence. So
would I. People would say I had
committed myself to the doctrine of
brains. With the belief that brain
saves no man, l could not do it.
When we substitute brains we see the
doctrine it declares. If we were to
say that all signers of that pledge
had, over their own signatures de-
clared their belief in the power of
the Lord Jesus Christ to save them,
would it not read like portions of
recent newspaper article relative to
the paved streets, gas lights and
water supply of this far famed city
If l did not believe the gentlemen
who are here laboring believed the
pledge as l do and would, and do
aim to SO explain it, / would not have
referred to it tonight. But they do,
and l speak with them as feel with
them. | wonld to God every inhabi-
tant OF this city-who has reached
the years of moral accountability
would sign it. l would have no hest
fancy in appending it to the covenant
of this church, and making it an
organic part of our church VOWS.
But l would have it SO clearly ex-
planned that every signature would
represent the intelligent conception
of its unity and import.
For an unbeliever in the saving
power Of Jesus Christ to sign that
pledge, is to do an act Of thought
lessness, and so far without meaning;
or it is to say, "that is the unessential
phase, and matters not how seen or
treated. The fact of abstenance is
paramount. Belief in the saving
power of the Lord Jesus an unessen-
tial." If It's said it should not be so
stated, because it is not seen when
signed, we say that is not to the
point. 1t must be seen correctly, to
be signed intelligently. 1t is as true
in pledge signing, as in liquor drink
ing, "Whatsoever a man soweth THAT
shall he also reap" If he sows
thoughtlessness he will reap unthought
if not indifference toward his most
sacred VOWS. If intelligently signed
it is declared act of FAITH in the
personal Lord Jesus Christ. And
this not general but personal mat
ter.
believing in the power of the
Lord Jesus Christ to save me-" If
the ground Of my belief proves UNI
warranted, the engagement to per-
form is (morally) removed. If the
ground of it is correct, l should
trust it. In this case the Lord Jesus
Christ. And that trust cannot be
mere ASSENT to the DoCTRINAL propo-
sition, but ACTION, in ACCORD WITH
THE GROUND, or the PERSON. If it is
brains, must do as brains say. If
Christ, l must do as Christ says.
The philosophy of all temperance
work is to use the expulsive force of
a new power. Every pledge means
that, and the PREMISE of every pledge
is the DECLARATION OF THAT POWER.
We may write them as we will. Be-
lieving it costs too much, Injuries my
health, etc., l hereby agree. Intelli-
gence demands that what we accept
as that power shall be understood,
and all attempts squared to it, or if a
person to HIM. If you sign the
pledge We use for the text, INTELLl
GENTLY. you do a CHRISTIAN act.
Do you wonder thanked God for
the coming of these men when |
read that PLEDGE? Little care l how
demonstrative they are, or how much
excitement they create. Bring it up
to the white heat of enthusiasm, tell
stories of sorrow and woe, Of hearts,
homes and fortunes crushed and