The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-03-30

Rev. Sheridan Baker, in Friends Expositor.
1t is no uncommon thing to hear
members of churches acknowledge
that they habitually do what they
know they ought not to do, and leave
undone what they know they ought
to do. and at the same time profess
the Christian faith and hope. They
do not. it is true, profess the highest
type of piety, rather wish to be I'M
derstood as disclaiming that, but,
nevertheless, claim a gracious state
and comfortable assurance of the
Divine favor. They seem to assume
that the churches teach, and that it
must be universally allowed, that
professors of religion are at liberty
to choose certain forms of self-indul-
gence not too gross, provided they do
not profess more than they practice,
and avoid all pretensions TO the
higher phases of spiritual life. They
assume, also, that there are scriptural
provisions for weak believers to re-
main weak. and a set of laws and
precepts adapted to their self-chosen
weakness. allowing them certain
licenses which are denied those who
choose a closer walk with God.
Neither of these assumptions has
any foundation in fact. and both are
paralyZing the energies and sapping
spiritual life from all the churches.
There is not church in Christen-
dom to-day that can be properly said
to teach such errors. True. some
teach that believers, because of disa-
bilities entailed by the fall, and not
removed this side of death by re.
demptive provisions, must sin in
thought, word, and deed, during life,
but not that they may choose ana
practice wrong-doing at any time OF
in any thing. And all churches,
however scriptural their systems OF
belief, teach that the purest Chris
tians will unwittingly, at times, de.
part from the rule of absolute right
, and that such departures need the
atoneinent; but they all insist in
their creeds, in their religious litera
ture, and from their pulpits. thai
their members must refuse the wrong
and choose the right, however una
vailing some of them suppose such
refusal and choice must prove ir
reaching a state and life Of holiness
in this world. The errorists in ques
ton, however, practice certain form:
of wrong-doing which they acknowl
edge are not necessitated by unavoid
able disability, but what they think
they have right to choose, provided
they profess no higher state of grace
They acknowledge that entirely
sanctified believers must not indulge
in these practices because of theil
profession. but as they make no such
profession, the practices are compa.
IlOio WIN SullotIdu CIIdIdCteT III
them. Even college professor. not
long since, excused himself before the
Faculty for some hasty words, on the
ground that he made no profession OF
holiness, though holding the parch-
ments of an ordained minister of the
gospel.
A beautiful and expressive state.
ment of true religious faith is found
in DIR. Wheedon's comments on the
sixth chapter of Romans. 1.-THE
Christian faith" says he, sin its very
essence and act, is an utter abandon
ment of sin, and a most entire and
perfect self-surrender to holiness
that is, self-surrender to Christ,
who is the complete embodiment of
perfect goodness" The person, there
fore, who does not practice IAN utter
abandonment of SIM" does not pos
sess the "Christian faith" at all. Nor
can he claim it until he adds to ian
utter abandonment of SIM" "a most
entire and perfect self.surrender to
holiness" This Is no 0ver-statement
of truth for no penitent ever reach.
ed the experience of pardon, until
his abandonment of sin was utter"
and his self.surrender to holiness or
Christ was finest entire and perfect"
Here, Lord, [ give myself to thee,"
an expression embodying this utter
remuneration" and "self.surrender, I"
has become stereotyped in the
Church's instruction to penitents !;
and gracious state must be retained
upon the same conditions. Now the
mass of church. members to day do
not claim that they have utterly
abandoned sin in every form, and
they take some pains to disclaim a
"most entire and perfect self:surren-
der to holiness" They have made
the doctrines, precepts, and examples
of the New Testament church, "of
none effect through their tradition"
or substituting their own notions for