Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-01-28
Am Able sermon.

DR.. McChesney of tho Trinity Methodist
Episcopal church delivered to well filed
house very interesting discourse Sunday
evening. The main thought expressed
throughout the sermon was, who is that
shall be bettered with his own waysg The
backslideri The text was taken from Prov.
XIX, IA:
The backslider in heart shall be filed with
his own ways.
It isn't beet to be always preaching as
though the church were bacSsliders-but 1t
may well be doubted whether from the
apostolic age to this present hour any local
church of considerable numbers has been
found which doth not contain some back.
sliders either In heart OF in heart and life.
1t will not dishearten any loyal soul to
have this matter faithfully investigated.
The evidences may at least be mentioned
In part:
i. Loss of relish for Gods work.
2. Loss of relish for spiritual exercises
for prayer. private, social and family prayer.
3. Neglect of the means of grace.
4. DEPRECATED interest IN the matter of
personal progress In faith and holiness.
8. A preference for q social gathering
which reduces the religious element to q
minimum to one whore the religious element
IL prominent and intense.
The causes are all In the individual HIM
self. The occasions may rest outside of him
self, but the causes are within.
Some Of those causes are these; entertaining
the suggestions OF evil. Such suggestions
are not ours unless We adopt them. Tempta-
ton ID useless until we give IL our approba-
tion.
Another cause is want of implicit conf
dence In God. Peter lacked this and was
self-confdent and fell.
Another cause IL q lack of watchfulness
Another cause has been the acceptance Of
the theological fsllacy that 1t is impossible to
finally fall away.
II has proved perilous anodyns to many
souls. -
The scriptures set forth and perusal and
observation confirm the doctrine that there
are various degrees Of moral and spiritual de.
clension.
/. The loss Of first love, as in the case OF
the Church Of Ephesus.
.. Lukewsrmness, like the Laodicias.
8. Shipwreck Of faith. "twice dead ,placked
mp by the roots"
Every community has illustrations of each
of these degrees Of decsdence.
The consequences are startling. The text
mentions one of the least obvious: "He shall
be allied with his own ways" The true
Christian 10 filed, satisfied with Gods ways.
Nothing IL 20 enchanting to his thought ~
knowing and walking in Gods ways. One
Of the most alarming symptoms Of . back
slider II that he IL self-satiafed. He mistakes
carnal security for reposs. The loss Of divine
vitality involves the loss of discrimination In
reference to his. own state.
There IL that which can shake mans FALSE
sense of security. II time cannot. eternity
| can; II life cannot, death can. Even Its fore.
shadow can startle the man who has turned
aside from the path Of life. The one word
that John Randolph of Roanoke left behind
him was "Remorse." He had not known
God, and like many other politicians of later
days had let religion take care Of itself, and
when his spirit ear heard the danger signal
near the crossing of tho river all his self uf6
cheney vanished and he writhsd like one or
whose soul some startling disclosure fell.