Nevada County picayune., 1889-08-28

stretch himself it and the covering is narrower than that he can wrap himself in h.'-l lSaIh xviii, 20.
 False religions, as well as false religious hopes built thereon, are perhaps as numerous now as in any part of the worlds history. Even in so-called Christian lands, funda- mental and fatal errors in doctrine abound to fearful extent. In fact idolatry of a more refined type IS just as prevalent in civilized lands, as the grosser forms of it are Tn heathen countries. Fetichism, voo- dooism, and devil worship have their counterparts amid the churches and altars of enlightened christendom.
 Of all the numerous crecds and religions which abound, none will stand the test but Christianity The doctrine and effects, especially the latter, constitute the touchstone of truth or falsehood: By their fruits shall ye know them" Judged by this infallible standard, mormon ism, Mahommedism, Buddhism, Brahmnism, Confucianism, and all other isms not based on the Bible, topple to the ground as utterly un- worthy our confidence and suffrage. And even among professed Christi ans, whose creed is uneXceptionable, if the life and conduct do not agree with their professions, it will be found that their hopes are built on sandy foundation: Not every man that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom; buthe that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven"
 Some people think it is immateIial what one believes, so he is sincere, forgetting that as man thinketh in his heart so is he. and that no man s works will rise higher than his faith. Really, it is of vital importance what one believes; for nothing good can come out of a radically defective faith. It is difficult to overestimate the influence of faith upon the life. The heather mother who throws her child into the Ganges, or under the ponderous wheels of juggernaut, thinks she is propitiating the wrath of her gods; but the Christian mother, imbued with the faith of the Gospel, would shrink with horror from such desecration of her maternal instincts.
 As man is a religious animal, that is, inclined to lavish his supreme affection upon some object or other, so every one is engaged in the con- struction of religious bed upon which he may find spiritual ease, and where he may cover himself securely from all disquieting fears of the future; but, unless this bed and its covering are made according to the Gospel pattern, it will be found from sad experience that the one Is too short and the other too narrow to meet the demands of our spiritual nature. All hopes of everlasting life based on other than scriptural grounds, will perish at the giving up of the ghost. The Moralist, the | Universalist and Unitarian. unless they trust in the Lamb of God for salvation, will share with the wicked the loss of that everlasting life which is promised only to those who con form to Gods plan of saving sinners. Men may hew out spiritual cisterns for themselves, but they hold none of the water of life; the may sew the fig leaves of their own righteousness to hide their moral nakedness, but they will not avail in the searching light of that day when the secrets of all hearts shall be manifest.
 We are all liable to deception; our own hearts often deceive us; even our friends hatter our pride, and Hull us into a state of serene cOmplacency 1; hence the supreme importance of guarding against the decetful illu- sions of false religious hopes, and of fortyfying the mind with the solid and inspiring hope of the Gospel, "which is an anchor to the soul both sure and steadfast.
 This world Is all a iccting show,
 For mans illusion given;
 The smiles of joy, the tears of woe Dcceitfu shrine, dcceittul flow There's nothing true but heaven"