The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1885-03-11
UNDER WHICH KING?


"For Demas hath forsaken me, hav-
ing loved this present world" That
is the rock on which so many young
converts (not truly such) split. "Hav-
ing loved this present world" There
is an uncommon striving in this age
and generation to effect a reconcilia-
ton between the Church and the
World. This is true among the young
especially. Barriers have been violent
ly broken down that were sedulously
guarded in the days of our fathers
This is done on the plea that the claims
and habits of society are such as to de
mand a certain conformity of all who
This is question for each one to de-
eide for himself where there is no posi-
tive inhibition on the part of the
Church, for the Church must deal
chiefly in general principles rather
than in the particulars of conduct.
But it had as well be understood at
the first by the new recruit in Christs
service, if he would not "pierce him
self through with many sorrows" that
this is an undertaking which tolerates
no temporising it is not a trivial leap
across a petty rivulet; it is passage
from death unto life, and great chasm
yawns between the two territories
that are dominated respectively by the
Prince of the Power of the Air and the
Spirit of Christ.
We think it is a mistake to fiatt,
the young convert, who has fed for
refuge to lay hold on the hope set be
fore him." with career of softness
and selfindulgence. The Apostles do
not thus describe the Christian life
Says Paul to Timothy" What perse-
cutions 1 endured-yea, and all who
live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer
persecution" Christ himself did not
propose to stretch his converts on
"dowery beds of ease" "Suffer the
dead" he told them, " to bury their
dead" No man having put his hand
to the plough, and looking back, is fit
for the kingdom of God" cone thing
thou lacllest," he said to the young
man. but that young man had high
social position, and was accustomed to
many worldly enjoyments, and he
went away sorrowful-he could not
give up that.
"In the world" said our Lord, in
those wonderful discourses recorded in
the fourth evangelist, Gin the world,
we shall have trbulation," and he add
ed, but be of good cheer"-do not be
disheartened about it-"I have over
come the world"
The young convert, we have said,
has passed from death unto life he is
81 new creature" is this light thing?
His life is hid with Christ in Cod:
is this so? If so, is the proper place
for him the atmosphere of Vanity
Fair-and "the pomps and vanities of
this wicked world?
The young convert claims to have
been the subject of REGENERATION;
when he is old, he ought to be able to
claim that he has experienced the
Transforming touches of SANCTIFICA-
TON. "Be yo holy in all manner
of conversation" "Without which
no man shall see the Lord" This
is the character of the kingdom of
Christ. Will the young Christian
achieve this disposition Of mind in the
wild current Of social dissipation?
We must go back to the times of the
apostles to know how the Christians Of
that day held themselves on this qucs-
ton. There were thousands in Rome
who had adopted the new religion.
Did they break with the world Read
the Pauline epistes, and the writings
Of the Apostolic fathers. and Of the
fathers of the last half OF the second
century. So guarded were the Chris
tians of that day, that C@cilius, a hea-
then character in the dialogue Of MIMI
cius Felix, Roman lawyer, converted