Connecticut western news., 1890-06-25


 Jonathan Edwards, the good, and Pierrepont Edwards, the bad, belong to the same family Aaron Burr, the absolute, had a most excellent father. Dying yet immortal nearer, by the solemnity of the parental and filial and'conjugal relation, by the sacred ness of the family hearth, by the honor of the family name, by the memory of departed kindred, I point out this part ing of Ruth and Orpah.
 WHY PEOPLE REFUSE CHRIST.
 Again, this subject suggests to me two of the prominent reasons why peo- pie refuse the kingdom of Christ. There may have been many other reasons why Orpah left her sister and mother-in-law and went back home, but there were two reasons which I think were more prominent than the rest. She had been brought up in idolatries. She loved the heathen gods which her ancestors had worshiped, and though these blocks of wood and stone could not hear she thought they could hear, and though they could not see, she thought they could see, and though they could not feel, she thought they could feel. A new religion had been brought to her attention. She had married godly man. She must often have heard her mother-in-law talk of the God of Israel. She was so much shaken in her original belief that she concluded to leave her idolatries, but coming to the margin of the land of Bethlehem her determine ton failed her and speedily she returned to her gods.
 This is the very reason why multi tudes of persons never become Chris tians. They cannot bear to give up their gods. Business is the American Juggernaut that crushes more men than the great car of the Hindoos. To it they say their morning and evening prayers. A little of Christ's religion may creep into the Sabbath, but Mon day, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday are the days de- voted to this American idol. Every hour there is sacrifice on the altar. Home duties, health of body, manly strength and immortal affections must all burn in this holocaust. Men act as though they could take their bonds and mortgages and saws and trowels and axes and day books with them into the kingdom of heaven.
 There are many who have no unholy thirst for gold, yet who are devoting themselves to their worldly occupations with a ruinous intensity. Men of the stock exchange, men of the yardstick, men of the saw, men of the trowel, men of the day book, what will become of you, if unforgiven, in the great day when there are no houses to build, and no goods to sell, and no bargains to make2 It is possible to devote ones self even to a lawful calling until it be- comes sinful. There is no excuse on the earth or under the earth for the neglect of our deathless spirit. Lydia was a seller of purple, yet she did not allow her extensive occupation to keep her from becoming a Christian. Daniel was secretary of state and attorney general in the empire of Babylon, and yet three times day he found time to pray with his face toward Jerusalem. The man who has no time to attend to religion will have no time to enter heaven.
 THE WORSHIP OF MAMMoN.
 But there are others who, while their worldly occupation has no particular fascination over them, are entirely ab sorbed in the gains that come to that occupation. This is the worship of Mammon The ring of dollars and cents is the only itany they ever utter. Though in the last day the earth itself will not be worth a farthing, a heap of ashes scattered in the whirlwind, they are now giving their time and eternity for the acquisition of so much of it as you might at last hold in the hollow of one hand.
 1 The American Indian who gave enough land to make 8 state out of for string of beads made a princely bar gain compared with the speculation of that man who gains the whole world and loses his own soul. How much comfort do the men take who died un- forgiven ten years ago, leaving large fortunes to their heirs? Do thev ever come up to count the gold they hoard ed or walk through the mansions they built? Though. they could have bought an empire, they have not now as muct money as you have this moment ir your pocket. Solomon looked upon hi palace and the grounds surrounding it. pools trimmed with gold and circline roads along which at times rushed his fourteen hundred chariots, while under the outbranching sycamores and cedars walked the apes and peacocks whicI by the navy of Hiram had beer brought from Tarshish, and from the window curtains with embroidered golo and purple through which came ou1 the thrill of harps and psalteries min gling with the song of the waters.
 When Solomon saw that all these luxuries of sight and sound had beer purchased by his wealth he broke fortl in the exclamation, Money answerett all things.' But we cannot receive il as literal It cannot still the voice o: conscience. It cannot drown the sor rows of the soul. It cannot put bribe in the hand of death It cannot unlock the gate of heaven. The tower of Si loam fell and killed eighteen of it's ad mirers, but this idol, to whose worship the exchanges and banks and custom houses of the world have been dedi cated, will fall and crush to death it. thousands But cannot enumerate the idolatries to which men give them selves. They are kept by them from { religious life "Ye cannot serve Goo and Mammon," and the first thing tha1 l Christ 6o,nr 1uIaox, ho into fb<