The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1886-03-18
THEOLOGY.
Practical Preaching.

''The mind is its own place and in itself
Can make heaven OF hell, q hell of hea-
ven."
Mr.. EDITOR In the ethical
domain aud in all moral matters
and relations generally, very
fine line divides right from wrong;
and that which is sometimes call
ed wrong is so considered be-
cause Of the eXaseeraiion or false
application of a right principle.
II must be accepted rs true,
that anything not evil IN itself is
not injurious unless productive
OF evil results And therA are
some things which are not wrong
in themselves. are not produce
tive of evil results, but vet seem
wrong to, and are wrong for par.
,icnlar persons. And this rela-
tive evils brought into existence
by means OF the positive or social
relations of that particular per-
son. But while l would not say
one word 10 disparage Christian.
ity, nor yet would l seek a com.
promise between the church aud
the world. yet l do not wish 10
see anyihinguniustly condemned
only because il is worldly.
Society is the grandest privil-
eye one can ENJOY in the earth,
and ] cannot stretch nv cyNicism
10 such an extent as will enable
me- to say that society is all evil.
or, mostly evil; but rather I
would say that generally speak
ing, it is all good rs being one of
The great refining influences of
the nature Of mankind.
And there can be no better re.
commendaiion Of the moral fit.
ness Of any pasiime than that it
is sanctioned by the most refined
socieiy-,hat it is eminently fash.
ionable.
Why is this sos Because the
higher in the social train. the
stronger the moral character. and
fashion instead of beng "phan-
tom tyrant,' becomes the sealer
Of the measure of true worth of
social recreation.
There Is that same old element
in some natures to day. that
the pnritans who fleji 10
escape persecution to drive dis.
senters to the extremes that
dogmatic, cynical nature that
cannot discriminate between evil
and -gaiety, wrong and recrea
tion {; that psychological curiosity.
which permits no swerving from
the orthodoxical path Of prohity.
hut eXaggerates innocent interest
into that burning excitement of
lhe gamblers mind.
Such is the false position Of
Zero" when he sets ''Progressive
Euchre" on the same level with
gambling Certainly there are
some similar points. But let us
,nalyze. Take a series Of amnse-
nents arranged in a progression:
An old fashioned spelling
school; progressive enchre par
v; a game Of draw poker. We
nay factor this series thus -
Spelling school, (proving excel
ence for a prize.) Progressive
1nchre, (proving excellence for a
'rize.:) Draw Poker, (proving {
excellence for a prize. We ,
,lainly sect the similarity in the !,
hree terms. and this similarity
,etween the last two no doubt {
eads to the condemnation Of the
Progressive Euchre. But will i
he similarity between the first
nd last term condemn the first ? .
Where, then. must the limit Of
light be drawn +! This can only be G
learly determined by IA system
f theological reasoning; and as y
his is so plain l will not follow
through, but say that the limit
f right and wrong falls some
7here between ihe second aud
bird term, clearly placing a great
ilference between a Social game
{ Progressive Euchre and Gamb- q
ing. But as 10 applying the con- .
lnsion to particular persons. we
lay not always be right. for eve 4
v ones mind is a law unto him y
Elf, and "in itself can make a c
eaven of hell or hell of heaven. q
PECAVI.