The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-07-17
A Healthy Sign.

A majority of the ministers OF the gospel In
the City Of Charleston are awakening TO G
deep sense of the great responsibility which
rests upon them In preaching the precepts o
a practical religion and impressing the les
sons of personal morality. At recen
meeting Of the preachers of that city they
adopted the following resolutions:
"That we proclaim our adherence Of mur
der, adultery and all deeds of violence which
defile the land with blood and violate the laws
Of God and man."
Strange to say. yet it is true, that some O.
the brethren Of the press seem disposed te
censure the preachers for their resolution.
According to our way Of thinking it is
most cheering sign.
From the earliest history of the town, the
preachers at Due West proclaimed their alb
horence," not only Of murder and adultery,
but Of all the sins, and urged their hearers to
a faithful observance of all the claws Of God
and man." The effectiveness of that preach
ing, from DIR. Ebenezer Pressly down to the
present day, is known and felt wherever Due
West is known.
II the preachers will not only preach against
murder, adultery and all deeds OF Violence
but will tpreach a faithful observance Of al
the laws, they will not only do immense good
to their fellow-men, but will advance the Re-
deemer's Kingdom.
This country has long since tired of vision
ary theological theories as to how the AL
mighty conducts His business in the other
and better world. In attempting Of late years
to lift the veil and to reveal the hidden mys-
teries Of Him whose pavilion is darkness
the practical business Of impressing healthy
moral sentiment among their f1ocks has been
too much neglected, and the duty OF impart-
ing or impressinga religion OF principle which
is based upon an intelligent conviction OF
right and wrong, has been too often laid aside
to give place to fanciful pictures Of the judg.
ment and the eternal pleasures of the Ruler
OF the Universe. We hear too much Of the
world to come, and not enough Of the neces-
atty for proper preparation for the life In
that world.
Some OF US need to be taught the way
tothe eternal city. Practical lessons in prop
or living are more useful than fables concern
inS heavenly recognition, or anything else
which the Almighty chose not to reveal to US.
Some Of us need to be taught religion Of
principle which will teach US to do the right,
because it is right, and not because Of fear OF
selfish hope ofreward. When such principles
are instiiled into our hearts, and when we are
taught In love and humility to be followers o1
Hira who first loved US, we will have fewer
"dssds Of murder and violence" 1t will not
then be even necessary for preachers Of the
gospel to proclaim the fact, by solemn resolu'
tion, Of their "abhorrence" Of sin. Their daily
lives will prove the fact, and their Sunday
preaching will have due and proper restraint
upon all such OF our fellow citizens as come
within their influence.
II the preachers intend hereafter 10 devote
their lives to the preaching Of the gospel, in.
stead of delivering something else from their
pulpits, good is In store for US. Let every
preacher In the land, who may have strayed
from the right road, take courage and form
new resolutions, even as the Charleston
preachers have done,