San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1885-07-30

directly rs its reward, aud secures no iinmu-
nifty from sickness. bereavement and death,
yet there is nothing which so certainly So
cures q steady growth OF prosperity in q
community rs the virtues which II engen-
ders and sustaius. Certainly Goodness Is
profitable, shaving promise of the life that
now is, and of that which is TO come.
But what promises does Godlincss furnish
for the life that now is 2 Search the Scrip.
lures, and you will find scarcely want OF
our nature, certainly nothing that Is really
necessary, is without n specific promise that
God will supply and remember that all
tho promises of God in Him are yea and
amen". Does religion promise us food and
raiment? Read that beautiful passage in
the Gospels where our Savior bids us con-
slider tho ravens and behold tho lilies, and
reason that il God doth feed and clothe
them, how much more will ho provide for
Ills, who are greater by far in the scale of be-
ing. Is one afflicted? The sweet psalmist
of Israel gives words of comfort. God is
our refuge and strength, very present help
in trouble" Ps., xLvr1. Or yet stronger
still is the. word Of comfort God gives thro
his servant, Paul: 81 will never leave
thee, nor forsako thee."-Heb., xIm5. Is
one feeble through tho burden Of years
The promise of support is not wanting =
And even to your old ago l am he. and
oven 10 hoar hairs will / carry you; l have
made and will bear; even | will carry,
and will deliver you. Us, xLyI;4. And
when, following upon the footsteps of old
age, death comes, still the promise comes:
"When thou passest through the wators,
will be with thee; and through the rivers,
they shall not overflow thee; when thou
walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be
burned; neither shall the flame lsindle upon
heels, xLnI:2 We might thus go ON
and fiud that there is nothing that a man
really needs in this life which IS not prom
ised by religion; and it is remarkable to see
how these promises have been fulfilled.
David, near the close of q long life, bore
this emphatic testimony; 81 have been
young, and now am old; yet have I not
seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed
begging bread. xxxvu;25
or the beggars that come TO our doors, to
how few of these can we give n cup of cold
water feeling that we are giving it to dis
ciple Think of this--havo you ever seen u
true Christian beggar? You may go thro'
the almshouses of our land, and doubt
whether you will find single one of the in
mates who has given evidence Of unmistak-
able piety during his course of life. They
have been brought to their pauper state by
vice. and not by religion. True pety sends
none to the almshouse, and il would have
saved the great mass of those who are there
from ever needing the charity Of their fol-
lows. Goodness is indeed profitable unto
all things"
So far we have seen how Godlinoss is
profitable in reference TO mans interests in
this life. Now let us see what advantage 1T
hath in the life to come. Atheism would
blot out the existence of the creator, God,
aud have us believe that all the wonderful
works of nature are the product OF blind
chance. Infdelity would tear from us, not
God, but His revealed will, and leave US in
utter darkness concerning our future state.
It is Godliness or religion, alone, which
promises happiness in eternal life. Atheism
or infidelity makes no promise OF future
happiness. Their business is to take away
all the comforts which religion gives, and
leave men to 90 to dark eternity, with no
promise or hope of eternal Joy. Here ls
the way the matter stands: Ii inhdelity IL
true, the believer has nothing to lose. LII
inidelity is false, then whore shall the I'M
godly and sinner appear! SO we see that
whether Atheism and Infdelity are true or
false, the Cody lose nothing, and have ev-
erything to gain. I ask, then. Is not the
text true, viz that Godliness is profitable
unto all things? In times like those, when
q wave of infdelity seems passing over our
land, cannot refrain word OF warning,
lest any of any of you be deceived, and led
to make shipwreck of your souls. Men are
not wanting who are seeking to tear from
you that hope which you have as ON anchor
of the soul, and set you afoat upon the
storm driven ocean of life, to be eternally
wrecked, sooner or later upon tho rock
bound shore. o, beseech you, hold fast
to the faith once delivered unto the saints,
and live Cody!
/ would call your attention to another
thought. by which / shall hope to show
that Godliness is profitable, both here and
hereafter.
II is known to you all, that an idea pre-
walls among men that though Godliness is
good thing, it is not essential TO future
happiness Such people have nothing to say
against religion, but they do not recognize
il as "the one thing needful" SO long as
they live honest upright lives, they are sat
is6ed. They persistently substitute ethics
for religion. Perhaps there is just such a
man here to-day-one who loves his family
and provides for them in every particular
we'll who is an excellent citizen and good
neighbor Having oil these characteristics
he feels as though nothing is wanting and
God will certainly save him with an eyerlast-
ing salvation. Now such man is the NOR
alist. Come, Let Us reason togetheT
Duty grows out Of relation. Your wife is
related in one way 10 you. your friend In an
other. and 50 on. From these different re-
lations arise different duties. In the full
fllmeut Of these duties you expect to claim
heaven as your reward. But suppose these
relations and consequent duties cease at
death. as they most certainly do; what VIII
10 your plea in the court Of heaven where
only Goiliness preyaisg This duty you
failed 10 recognize and fulfill while on earth
and Il is the only one that exists in heaven
All other relations have been dissolved and
only Godliness remains and in that you are
wanting! : All my friend, 'Godliess
alone s. profitable in all things, having pro
mise Of the life that now Is and that which
i 20 come" Il l. the beginning and the end
Of Christian life. Jile happiness which II
furnishes Is perfect, wanting nothing
When the spirit Of God has touched tle
hsart there f0us into Il a stream Of haPpi-
which l. inerhaustible. ] have no doubt that
IL Il the real convic;ion Of even man, that
n he ever becomes certainly kAppy, be VII
bs Christian: and I presume that . .
The honest belief of everyone tEA; the true
aBd consistent Chrisfian j. the most happy
of men. And Jet with this conviction men
seek ersvrfhing else rather than religion and
In the Ts1rsuit q baublss which they knoE
caunot coufer happiness. they defer relig1o1
-sIs only certain sour5s q harPiDess A.
s-,v ti1ss-to ti,s last Psriod q LIE, CT re-
let if aliogsther-
CzsdiEusss fs Troftstis. &c, fer the-sln
ssws f-5 tr1s hrrfinaas. Blessed are t1sy