Mexico weekly ledger., 1889-05-23
A GRACEFUL TALK.
The Sermon of M. Y. Duncan, De
l1vered at Union, Brimful
Of Good Things.

stance, was as follows:
Beware least any man spoil you through phil
osophy and vain deceit, after the traditions OF
men. after the rudiments of this world and not
of Christ. Col. 2 IS.
Greece was the cradle of philoso-
ply. Plato was it's grandest master
and critics have said in modern
times, that with all our boast of
learning, that the greatest philoso-
pliers including the renowned
Bacon have not gone a hairs
breadth beyond the reasonings and
discoveries of Plato. Human phil
osophy has to do with this life,
hence under the inspiration of the
Holy Spirit Paul could clearly sea
that it was only empty and a de-
ception. Hence to the polished
Greeks of Corinth he could truth
fully say: 81 determined to know
nothing among you save Jesus
Christ and him crucifed."
The vain and empty displays Of
earth are often misleading, and it
vas against such insiduous infuen-
ces that all inspiration would guard
u.s.. Another fruitful source of all
evil to our race is the baneful Gus
tom of following, with a blind zeal,
the dictates of tradition. The world
is full of men who walk in the ways
of tradition, without any higher
authority for doing so than custom.
This is done in the face of the fact
that Jesus and the Apostles have
clearly and fully defined the path
along which every pilgrim should
walk in his journey through life.
In the same category with tradi-
ton is he who walks after the rudi-
ments of this world. RudIments
are fundamentals. In arithmetic
we have fundamental rules on
which the whole course of mathe-
MATES depends. Whatever compli-
cations the higher mathematics may
involve, all have to be solved by
these elementary rules of addition,
subtraction, multiplication and di-
vision. They must be worked cut
by the fundamental schemes which
earthly wisdom supplies. Against
this the inspired teacher gives US
his most emphatic protest and
warns US to avoid their seductive
charms. After all these solemn ad-
monitions against deception from
philosophy, vain deceit, traditions
of men, the rudiments ofthe world,
then negatively he tells us what we
must choose and after whom we
must walk; which, in effect, is the
strongest affirmation, walk after
Christ.
On dark night you take a Ian.
tern IN your hand to 60 on some ur-
gent and important errand. A mar
row plank spans a muddy, deep
and dangerous chasm. By the aid
of this lantern that just tells you
two things, where to 60 and where
not to go, you find your way. This
silent monitor guides you safely
over the point of danger and all is
well. Just so does Paul tell us
where to go and where not to go,
Over that deep chasm, with lantern
in hand, you can not afford to take
any chances as to where you will
plant your feet. The irrevocable
law of personal safety, guided by
common sense, forbids any such
rash conduct. You accept the point
as settled and from such arbitra,
ment there is no appeal. Helples;
and dependent we stand as pll
grims in the whirling vortex of life
while the constantly revolving
years bear us on to age and certain
death; without any power to retracs
our steps or travel the same way
again. The errors of to-da,
can never be recalled as W,
make each days record SO i
must stand. In part, We ma,
atone for it, but it can never b
erased. But what is 1t to follow
Christ Here a vast field open
out, the golden rule is a grand sum
mary of our conduct one towar'
another. "Whatseever we woul'
that men should do to you do y,
even so to them" 1t may b
startling but nevertheless we re
gard itas true that there is not al
individual in any church that fol
lows Christ. Certainly there
no congregation that does Sc
as a whole. Clothed in flesh a
we are, with surrounding TEN
tations, we must ever be on tn
alert to ward off every approach Q
8 sin. In many respects men com
up to the standard of the goldel
rule, but in hundreds and thous
ands of cases they act towards eac
other as though no such rule ha
ever been written. Mans selfish
ness predominates to such a degre
that he loses sight of all futur
, rewards and promises, casts then
from him for the time being an
. seeks only the qualification of
. temporary lust. We may fin
= some further information as to GU
5 conduct in life by reading a pa,
OF Matthew, % chapter, where tn
Savior comes attended by the Hol
, Angels and all nations are assen