The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1886-12-20
A Lay Sermon.
To the LIGHT

To the LIGHT:
CHARITY 10 the end OF the command
ment"-"ihe fulfilling OF the law"
The near approach OF the close OF the
year In 1896, renders retrospectiOn and
differentiation q serious duty The
record we have made, In 1886, will soon
be completed and Its blurs and blots and
omissions and vacant pages Will remain
to testify against us at the day OF final
Judgment. Whether men or women be-
long to church or not, does not signify
a particle, unless they sincerely en-.
deavOr to live up TO the standard set up
by Christ; since the church cannot save
men from the consequences OF sin. Men
will be tried as individuals and for their
individual sins; and the only effect be-
ing connected with the church militant
will have, will be to aggravate their
guilt in case they have wilfully disre-
garded their duty and trampled con-
science under foot. 1t IL a fatal mistake
which many fall into. to suppose that
merely belonging to a church will suffice
to wait them into heaven, regardless OF
their personal unrighteousness. This
10 a deiusion that finds no support In the
Scriptures; for, 1t Is distinctly announced
that "without holiness no man shall
see the Lord" This doctrine is NOT at
all popular and few recognize its truth.
1t is SO much more comfortable for men
and women to rely upon their church
to take them to heaven than 1t In to prac-
tice the duties Of religion that they are
prone to delude themselves into the be-
| lief that the church is able to save them.
or course. persons labOring under this
delusiOn are not likely to practice much
self-denial. to turn a deaf ear to the
Establishments of the world and the Sc
ductiOns OF pleasure, to endeavor TO eX-
| tirpate selfishness out OF their hearts,
and to be industrious In performing
good works" and squaring their con
duct by the golden rule" Personal
holiness is what the Scriptures demand,
and this cannot be attained without
hungrying and thirsting for 1t. and
striving for Ii, with all ones strength.
The spirit of wOrldliness has infected far
too many protested Christians, and the
consequence Is that the line OF
demarcation between non.professors
and professors is dim and faint.
AS Robert Hall said, 1--WE throw mites
into the treasury of the sanctuary, and
heap ingOts on the shrine of Moloch y
Church fairs, church suppers and din
ners are the instruments for raising
funds for church purposes-a condition
OF things not at all complimentary to the
members of the churches, since, il they
gave to their ministers and churches, MS
literally as their means admitted of,
they would be under no necessity OF
having recourse TO fairs, dinners and
suppers to splice out scanty subscrip-
lions and donations. The compulsory
payment Of tithes. or the tenth Of ones
crops and incomes, does not obtain In
the United States, but its legal abolish
ment has not exonerated protested
Christians from the duty Of giving lib
orally to the treasury Of the sanctuary.
How many church members give n
tenth Of their income to the cause Of re.
llgionp
The saying of Robert Hall, unhappily
contains too large measure Of truth
ave throw mites into the treasury oil
the sanctuary, and heap ingots on the
shrine Of MOloch." We expend so much
on dress and the qualification Of ouI
pride and taste that we have little LEFT
to give to the cause OF religion and t.
devote to works Of charity. 1t is more
important that we should have new ant
stylish bOnnets and oloaks than that thu
poor widow living around the cornel
should have meat and bread for hersel
and children, and load Of wood to keel
them warm. And the male members o
the church must make contributions I,
! the saloons, must smoke oigars, and