The daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1889-1890, 1890-03-04

is nu God at all and that the univei q
runs itself, or that there may be a grea
First Cause, but that he cannot b.
known, or that il there be God abov'
He takes no notice Of the doings Of men
or that If there be a personal God He Il
too good and too mcrcifuI to hold us tc
account for our deeds. All Of these pop
ular theories are very useful to the CO.
Of this world in binding the minds o.
those that believe not and he uses them
with deadly effect while his dupes are al
unconscious Of his sovereignty over them
This servitude unconscious though it bt
and certain as it is Of everlasting dis,
grace. and eternal separation from God
is a destructive mark Of "the man of the
world"
HIS ONLY ESCAPE
from it is in the service of Christ for
there Is no middle ground and all mel,
are under either the god OF this world or
the Lord God Of heaven and earth. This
ofitself is enough to brand worldliness as
something more than that harmless
thing which it is often thought to be.
1t is disloyalty to the One True God. it is
idolatry in that it worships another
than He, it is iniquity because it is service
to the evil one, it is death because it con.
signs to the regions Of eternal darkness.
The world has too
ITS OWN Law.
The church of Christ is admonished.
BE not conformed to this world;" Rom.
1879. "Aforetimc We walked according
to the course Of this world. The
spirit that now worketh in the children
Of disobedience;" Eph. 2:.2. These and
similar passages imply law or rule
which is peculiar in that it belongs to the
world and compliance with it is visor.
ously exacted Of every worldling. while
defiance Of it is ground enough for per-
secution. 1t is a common delusion that
the world IS lenient and even lax in it's
judgments than which there is no greater
mistake. 1t is lax concerning all other
avs save Gods; but it is fsedly intol.
Grant where its own are concerned, and
takes it's revenge. II not in the coarse
methods OF bodily persecution. then in
,ther more subtle ways which are
qually effective.
This law has various forms of expires.
sion. One that is to be so common as to
he almost the general law itself requires
one to shape his course by
THE SPIRIT OF THE TINES"
in which he lives, to be progressive.
which means to accommodate himself to
the prevailing tendencies, to float with
the current of popular opinion and to re.
spond to the demands Of that great va.
riety Of things which are said to be "in
the air" 1t matters not how the spirit
II the age conflicts with his convictions
,r violates the most sacred sentiments
Of his heart. he is a "mossback" II he re.
'ists. Another is.
WHEN IN ROME, DO AS ROMANS no,
which means, adapt yourself to the
views and practices Of the people you are
with; if your surroundings are reverent
md devout it is foolish and even worse
tor you to be otherwise; but IL your com.
panions are gay and lively it is equally
foolish for YOU to be serious. So that a
man instead Of having character Of his
own with definite purpose before him,
is only mirror in which he rejects the
moods of the men and women he meets.
NOTHING SUCCEEDS LIKE SUCCESS"
and success in any department wins
worldly applause. 1t may be real success
as in riches or honor. but success in the
more amusements is equally lauded and
the prize tennis player or the leading
oarsman in boat crew are objects Of
popular admiration, as well as the man
pf wealth or Of influence. But alas for
him who is failure even IL it be an hon.
est failure. He is thrust aside as Of no
interest. and the eager throng rushes on
to lay its tribute at the feet of success.
"BE NOT RIGHTEOUS ovERhucH"
is OF special weight because 1t is a quota.
ton from scripture, even though it be
distorted from its true meaning. Hold
your religious views but don't intrude
them. above all don't make them bar
to good frllo wship" is n favorite applica.
tion. OF Christian consistency the world
is intolerant to the last degree and 1t ex.
ults in every violation thereof.
The strict observance Of religious duty
Is discountcnanced on the ground oi
Christian liberty and freedom Of con-
ciencc, and in this the world has the as
sistancc Of some who fondly imagine that
they are among the people of'God. bu,
whose voices Ginning in with the voice o.
the world shows that they are heartily
in sympathy.
These laws bind all classes Of men o
the world. They powerfully influence
many so.callcd Christians who are sup
posed to have come out of the world.
The above Is merely a synopsis Of thu
sermon delivered, as jottcd down by ou
reporter, and regret we have not spac'
to publish the sermon complete.
A smelling Works Trust.