The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-07-24
CHRISTIAN CONSCIOUSNESS.

With all that hns been said upon this sub
iect, there is much in the popular sentiment
that indicates q want Of it on the part Of
many who bear the Christian name as re-
vealed in the line Of DR.. Anderson's article
in the Religious Herald Of May %. upon
Church lotteries There is a lack OF con-
sciousness of that which is unchristian. A
need of more discriminating Christian cul
Sure. There is manifest too little 'for
Christ's sake" and too much allowed for the
sake Of the pecuniary gain, and for the en-.
joyment Of sensual pleasures. The banquets
for raising funds for benevolent objects, the
entertainments for missionary purposes the
balls for city missions, the various things
suggestive of the lottery, all call for dis
eliminating tween that which is Christian
and that which is not lest the Christian, or
the Christian church be placed in an entirely
false position. At best, one is liable to be
placed in doubt in regard to his duty.
DR.. Washington GLADDEN., in his work up
on "Applied to Christianity" represents the
philosIphy of the church in the past upon
popular amusements, to have been largely
embraced in the advice Of Douglas Jerrold to-
those about to marry, Don't" But we
should not therefore flee to the opposite e2-
trelne without discrimination.
Henry Ward Baecher. whom no one will
accuse of being over scrupulous or too re-
st'ictive, either in principle orpractcs says,
I'm all cases where men are in doubt and
perplexity as to what is right and what is
b st, as to what you may do and what you
may not dc-be sure to give the greater advan-
tage to the moral element. II you make a
mistake, let it be on the right side. It is
be: ter that man should not avail himself Of
liberties that he might take, than that he
should avail himself Of advantages that he
should rot take. 1t is better for man to be
too careful and scrupulous, thau for him to
be beunscrupulous and careless. Men that look
at everything simply in the light OF their
own interests, grow narrow, mean and
foolish, and at last come to stand in their
own light"
Again he says q man who is attempting
to live Christian life on one side and
worldly life on the other, is like sick man
who has made up his mind that what the
doctor says is all folly, and that, since he
d. es not like the regimen and the medicine,
he will do that which is most agreeable TO
him. When the physician and nurse are
out, he steals into the pantry and loads his
stomach with things that aggravate the dis
ease.
The suggestion of DR.. Bushnell, to the
young lady inquiring as to the propriety Of
indulging in amusements about which peo-
Tle d ffered, that lie was sorry her mind was
Will illdG' cI. IL WOulu 10 ldl
better not to want them, but to be deslrous
of far HIGHER sources Of enjoyment. 1t
would settle at once many questions Of
doubt.
There is a place for amusement in life, but
it is as means not as an end.
1t is way Of refreshing the mind and in
vigorating the strength: but when enter
tainment is the principal thing sought, when
in the pursuit the mind is enfeebled, and the
health injured, it becomes perversion and
waste of being, degrading and ruinoua