Nevada County picayune., 1890-03-12

SUdtllS anu hN Sit"S PCSN of nature, Shakespeare, was so much impressed with this truth that he de- clared the whole world to be stage and that men and women were ac- tors and players. The world de- ceives us, society deceives us, ap- pearances deceive us, and we de- ceive ourselves. The wine glass, with it's enticing red color, the flash and glitter of wealth, the syren songs and smiles of beauty, the admiration and plaudits of the populace, have deceived thousands to their destruc- tion. It has truly been said that ex- perience is a dear school, but fools will not learn in any other. Experi- ence teaches us to place but little re- liance on appearances, to distrust the suggestions of our own hearts, and to be governed by law and testimony in the conduct of our lives; and yet how few there are who are proiited by lessons from these sources. 1t Is sad to reflect upon our liability to de- ception along all lines of life but es- pecally is this true when we remem- Der how liable we are to be deceived in reference to matters of moral and spiritual concernment.
 The text embodies a command to resist and overcome these deceptive agencies, thereby demonstrating con clusively that we are under no neces- sity of being deceived. Now, how are we to avoid deception? How are we to know that we are not deceived; or, if deceived, how can we under ceivc ourself? The answer Is, by the application of the touchstone of dl- vine truth, by submitting ourselves to the tests which the inspired word prescribes in all such cases. Such are the following: If any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of His. "-'As many as are led by the spirit, they are the sons of God. - If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. "-''lf ye love me, keep my command ments, and many other of like im- port, all of which, if faithfully and honestly applied, will uncover and disclose our true spiritual condition. If man is deceived as to the best methods of farming, mercp pandising, or running newspaper, or any other business, his loss at most is but tenn poral in it's nature, and confined to this world: but if he is deceived con corning the things winch make for his everlasting peace and happiness, his loss will be incalculable and eter- nal in its duration. Hence the necessity of the admonitory warning, be not deceived; and we have the further assurance that God is not mocked-he knows exactly where we stand, he guages our real moral status every moment of our lives by an infalhble standard, and can not be swerved from the intleXible laws of right and justice by the falla- ces and Receptions of man.
 In order to strengthen the caution against self deception, our attention is forcibly directed to the analogous operation of law in the physical world: "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" Now it IS evident that if man sows wheat, he shall reap wheat, and the same IS true of any other good seed; and the converse IS equally true, that if he sows thistles or thorns he will reap a harvest of thistles and thorns. So in the moral world, he that sows to the flesh, or animal nature, shall reap corruption, that is, decay, death, de- struction; while he that soweth to the spirit shall reap life everlasting. It will be observed that there are on ly two kinds of sowing, one to the flesh and the other to the spirit; one issuing in corruption and death, and the other in everlasting life. Live according to the senses Of the lower nature and death is the inevitable re- suit live according to the dictates of the spirit or higher nature, and the promise is the unspeakable gift of eternal life. In religion, the laws of the natural world are transferred to a higher plane, but they are es- sentally the same laws. The man who persistently and habitually vio- lates the physical laws of his health and well-being, just as surely invites and insures an early death as the man who obeys these laws has the promise of long and useful life.
 All law is memorable, and in the spiritural world the penalty for its violation is death. Happily for the human family an adequate and suita- ble provision has been made, by which all who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ shall not perish but shall have everlasting life. Christ has become our substitute, has en. dured the bangs of death in our place, and now all who accept him as their Savior are redeemed from the power of death, and saved with the power of an endless life.
 Reader, are you following the null ttudc to do eul, drifting with the current, vainly soacing yourself with the hope that all is well? If so, let me admonish you, be not deceived in the most important matter that con- cerns you, But return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon VOu. and unto our God, for he will