The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-06-25
THE RIGHT WAY,
Or the Gospel Applied to Intercourse Be-
tween individuals and Naions.
BY REV. JOSEPH 4. COLLIER.
(Continued.)

". Perhaps the most formidable
objection to the gospel method, is the
difficulties Dhich attend its practice.
Some of these have been alluded to.
The chief one, however, and that
which lies at the foundation of all the
rest, is the opposition it encounters in
our own bosoms. 1t may be said with
truth, 1.-The duties urged upon us run
directly counter to our natural DISPOSE
tions. Whether it be our fault or our
misfortune, we are born into the world
with certain propensities which clamor
earnestly for qualification. Such are
anger, resentment. and the desire OF
resisting evil; and to act contrary to
them would be to revolutionize every
instinct and impulse of our nature"
But consider,
I. Of What religious duty mag not
the SAME thing be Saids The impeni-
tent may object, with equal business,
that repentance is very hard and the
unbeliever, that faith in Christ is un-
natural to him, and exceedingly diff
cult to attainment. Every sinner may
urge, with truth, that his heart is
strongly averse to loving and serving
God. Of what path of revealed duty
do not timid pilgrims say, "There are
lions in the way?" He who stops to
count the cost of religious life, will
find many "hill Difficulty" interven-
ing between him and the celestial city.
Yet thousands of Christians have
bravely surmounted them all and the
whole church militant is made up of
those who are graphing with and con-
uuering difficulties as vast as any that
oppose our obedience to those precepts.
Let us place them upon level with
many other duties, such as love to
God, repentance, faith, holiness; and
ask, will not the objection apply equal
ly to them? Must not the objector, 10
be consistent, give up all religion, and
refuse to obey any Of the divine pre-
cepts?
2. Great as may he the difficulties
in the way, experience has shoaOn that
they mag be oUcrconlc. Every reader
can probably call to mind some trophy
of divine grace, in whom the most re-
sentful dispositions have been rooted
out, and q heart Of love and forgive
ness implanted in their stead. Saul,
the fierce, impetuous prosecutor,
''breathing out threatenings and
slaughter against the disciples of the
Lord,n was afterwards enabled to say,
"Being reviled, we bless being perse-
cuted, we suffer it; being DETAINED, we
entreat." Compare Acts 8 Il, and
Cor. 4 :12, 13. The dying prayer of
Christlike Stephen was, Lord, lay not
this sin to their Charge" Acts 60.
It is said that James the less, who suf-
fered q martyrdom similar to that OF
IS1erheu. prayed for his murderers
amid a shower of stones which the, the,
cast At him, until tne of them <Deat ou
his brains with a fuller's club. The
history of the church of God, and es
pecially that of the Christian martyrs
furnishes numberless other instance:
of the practical fulflment of the pre-
cents, "Love your enemies, bless then
that curse YOU" etc. They therefore
have been obeyed ; and what should
prevent their fultilment by every
Christian
This objection, however plausible ii
the mouth of the ungodly, comes with
an ill grace from the Christian. For
does it not argue a sad want of conf
} dence in that almighty Power from
whence he processes to derive all his
sufficiency? 1t reveals, too, a glarine
inconsistency of religious practice fol
it virtually assumes that while divine
grace can strengthen for some kinds OF
duty, there are others for which it is
inadequate or that while it can ena
BILE us to repent and believe, it cannot
enable us to love our enemies, and for
give injuries. What wonder is it, il
those who thus practically distrust
their Maker, should be left to feel theil
weakness, and be overcome by those
difficulties which they do not rightly
seek to subdue? Let them, however
lean upon that arm which is stretched
out for their assistance, and the obsta
cles will vanish from this, as they dc
from every other path of duty.