The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-08-28
BY LAURENS.

When q person tells me that he does
not 20 to church because the poor are
not welcome there, I cannot resist the
conclusion either that he has never
been, or that he is poor in other re-
spects than in lack of money. There
isa poverty of character, manliness,
PERCEPTION, far worse than any OF
purse.
When a church-member tells me
that he is going to the faith-cure pray
er-meeting instead of the church pray
er-meeting, can only utter Elisha's
prayer for his servant: II pray thee
o Lord, open his eyes, that he may
see.n He will be of little or no use to
church or world any more until that
happens.
When q woman tells nne that she
does not go to church any longer be-
cause sister there once critised her
poor clothes and dowdy bonnet, I
know that she is the unconscious vic
tim of pride, and thinks more of her
neighbours opinion Of her dress than
she does Of her duty to God and the
eternal welfare of her own soul.
When q man tells me that he is an
infidel, and then asks me for few
dollars to save him from starvation, I
answer by recommending him to the
charitable organizations founded and
maintained by infidels. And when
be replies, in bewilderment, that he
does not know of any, assure him
that he has uttered one of the strong
arguments against inidelity and fer
Christianity.
When a young man tells me that he
is too busy to read, I am prophet
enough to predict that he will never
fill the place of full.rounded man
in the world. No time for self-im-
provement means plenty of time for
self-impairment. One makes time ac-
cording to desire. So it runs the
world over-no time for books, time
for bouts, no time for truth, time for
tricks; no time for duty,l time for dev-
iltry; no time for useful service, time
for se1fishness, sin and ultimate SOUL
suicide.
When man tells me he is Christ
ian, but will not join the church be-
cause there are so many bad members
in it, I am convinced that he is not
Christian enough yet to give Satan
much uneasiness on his account.
When a minister writes an extra
fulsome puff about his great success in
his present pastorate, [ take it for
granted, with no questions asked, that
he is ready to leave it for a new one.
When stranger of certain seedy
stamp comes into prayer-meetlng and
takes O long and autobiographica! part
in it, am happily disappointed If ne
does not at its close Immediately pre-.
fer his request for sufficient small
change to get a lodging and breakfast
for brother in distress. The distress
is not all on his part; the doubtful
character is.
When q newspaper keeps praising it.
self, telling how invaluable it is to its
readers, and exhorting as to the
duty of taking such priceless boon,
T draw nv own differences as to the
length or shortness of its subscription
list. Nothing is more silent in this
line than success.
When a pastor tells me persistently
about his great work in his last field,
wonder what he is doing in the pre-
sent one, and lament that he appar-
emily lost so much power of achieve
ment by the change.
When u young Christian continu-
ally wants to know why it is wrong
for him to do this and that doubtful
thing, and if it may not be all right IN
case his conscience approves, ! am
sure it will end by his doing all OF the
desired things, right or wrong, con-
science or no. Moths play around the
light until they get fatally burnt.
When a brother is always apprehen-
sive lest some other brother prove un-
orthodox or denominationally too lib
eral, am bound to doubt that appre,.
hensive brothers. soundness, either OF
head or heart.
When an unconverted man tells me
he would like to have an argument
with me about Christianity, 1 know
that what he needs is not argument,
but the convicting touch of the Spirit
of God.
When boy under ten tells me that
he would rather be whipped than 60 to
church or Sunday-School, L lnstlne-
lively form an opinion of the home re-
ligion and government. Or, If know
these to be good, allow something.
for heretlity and attribute the rest OF
the blame to the preacher and teacher.