St. Landry democrat., 1890-03-22
Worldliness.

George F. Piper, in Western Recorder.
OF the many difficulties of to day which
arise to hinder the advancement of the
cause of Christ few equal and none sur
pass in power that of worldliness. So
many of the Christian people ignore the
command-"Come out from among them,
and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and
touch not the unclean thing; and l will
receive you and will be Father unto you,
saith the Lord Almighty"-and why have
they forgotten Gods commando Are they
still in tie darkness as to what He requires
of them? Do they realize that whatsoever
man soeth that shall he also reapi What
a different world it would be did the
Christian people stand firm upon the foun-
dalton that Christ has laid. How many
heart aches would be avoided, how many
souls redeemed from ruin, if the Christian
had the courage to say no when the world
would lead him astray. So many of our
young Christians of to-day compromise
their standing, not only in Gods sight and
in the Christians sight, but even in the
sight of the irreligious, by loaning their
presence at public ball or to cheer the
company which surround a card table
Consider, friend, is that adhering to Gods
command? Does that assure you that God
will be father to your 'Come out from
among them" are Gods words. No COM
promise in them. He that is not for me is
against me. Is it not presuming in US to
believe that we may take the world with
one hand and God with the other? Do we
find in His Word any one instance where
such an action upon the part of his chosen
people was UNPUBLISHED? Notwithstanding
His intence love for the children of Israel
which led Him to exclaim: cali day long
have l stretched out my hand to you" yet
when they became ensnared by the things
of this world Gods displeasure always
rested upon them. If He dealt thus with
those whom He was visibly guiding day
by day, shall we who have the knowledge
of His desires written upon the feshy tab
let's of our hearts hope to escape the marks
of His displeasure7 Is the responsibility
resting upon US any less than that which
rested upon his children of old.
Are there not some souls all around us
fast going to ruin9 Eye are the salt of
the earth but if the salt have lost his
SAVIOR wherewith shall it be salted? 1t is
henceforth good for nothing but to be cast
out and trodden under the foot of men"
Let US have care, Christian, lest we
tempt the Lord too far and so repeatedly
associate ourselves with the world in its
pleasures that we lose our SAVIOR as Chris
tians, for the reward of such is plain and
positive.
But not alone is it the young Christian
that departs from the path of duty. Would
God it were, for then might the younger
be constrained to follow the example of
tho older. But Satan's means are not ex-
hausted on the young, nor yet, It's sad to
say, are they wasted on the old.
Sad as may be the knowledge that
worldliness is countenanced by the indi-
vidual Christian, yet far more sad is it to
know that many 1--WE may even dare to say
of our churches of to-day are suffering
from the same sin. How many of our city
churches not only permit but endorse their
members attending and participating in
the public dance, attending the theater,
etc? Christians, does this make it right
Shall mans DEGREES excel those of God ?
Listen sWhat concord hath God with
Belial7 Is it not p1ain7 What thing in
common has the church of Christ with the
dance and theater3 Do they add piety to
the church, Do they add charity? Do
they promote brotherly love? Do they
impress the world that in order to serve
God accsptably you must come out from
among themf Nay, verify, but on the
contrary they have tendency to take she
from off the hill of Zion and place
it where the brand of sin may stain it with
impunity
Christian. ask yourself the question :
May we expect Gods blessing when we
leave the path of duty?
The wo1d of God speaks plainly here so |
we cannot err. No, friend, il we would |