The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1890-08-13
WHEN THE CHURCH rs
BLIND TO DUTY, GOD
FINDS HELP OUTSIDE,
BUT WOETO THOSE
WHO FAIL.
Critical World Periods Is
Impossib e" is an Eternal
Observation-Disclosures to
Duty the Cause of Fail
ura Through All
Ages.
From the New York Voice

REV D. O. Kelley Is the Prohibition party can
dldate FIR Governor In Tennessee. After acceptln
the nomination he was informed that he coal
nJt continue as pastor Of his church at Gallsli
unless he retired from the Prohibition candidacy
His conviction OF duty Was so strong that
choose TO relinqulsh his church, and this 10 hl
farewell sermon last sundly,to his hoct.l
K blind guides sCho strain on
The gnqt and sWaliiOw the camel
Matt. xiii: "a. ReU. Version
JESUS Of Nazareth had, by quota
ton from the Hebrew Scriptures, 81
puzzled his orthodox questioners as II
silence them, "Neither burst AM
uan from that day forth ask him
any more questions" Impregnablt
in hi, position of authority, he turn;
10 the best church representative oI
his day and in the midst OF the mos
fe .rfuI denuncistions which ever fel
from bis lips, u;ters the words o. our
text.
His accusation is that, satisfied with
routine duties, they fail 10 rise 10 the
highest duty Of the day. He doe
not underrale the minor duties; sl
reported by Luke he addei these
ought you to have done, and not Il
leave the other undone."
Gods plan has ever been patiently
to lead our race through years o.
training, aud patient tuition to make
Us fit 10 meet and overcome some
nav and potent obstacle In the way
Of the upward advance OF the race
When this patience and training hal
failed Of its purpose, AMI the hour
of trial has come TO q church unready
TO perceive TO call or too self-seeking
to heed it, then prophets in the old
and the Son 10 the New DIspensatior
draw the picture Of curse and disss'
ter, full OF heart aches, and ultimate
ruin.
GCd holds TO hs purpose, and when
the mai or church on whom he hal
offered the honor proves recreaat, hc
lids help from without; but woe bs
10 those who have shown blindness
aud uuiilness. "Behuld your house
is left unto you desolate" is the di.
yinely drawn picture Of every such
life, whether it be individual oi
church.
The call the Master makes is thai
We measure up TO the grandest lie
mands Of the duty ofto.day. To sinh
such duties into dtglect in the obser'
vance Of routine is to become blind
and hypocritical. To refuse TO meeI
demands Of this high class, Is 10 br.ns
upon Us the maledictions which baye
fallen upon those WHO have similarly
faiIed 10 oil critical periods Of tht
past, multiplied by the number o.
thee failures. IL is not q question
70 be asked by US whether success Il
or 10 not possible TO uS, II the need u
humanity be evident; If the method
of action by which relief may be at'
tAiped be clearly revealed, the las
excuse for inactivity 10 removed snt
the call to action trumpet toned. II
u the part Of God 10 make apparent
the duty o. the hour, il Is his part Il
point out the line Of action; this done
Il We prove unworthy Of the crisis, Il
Us comes the curse. tue fatal disaster
GUd neyeT fills to show the demand
Of the hour when that demand u
greatest. He does not fail in proYl'
dence 10 point 10 the remedy.
| Let Us give . few moments Il
critical world periods. Freedom va
the need Of the Israelite IN Egypt
70 cross the Red Sea was the ON,
method of accomplishment; the peo
pie cleayed 70 peace and plenty
| Gods voice called 70 action; Nose
accented that yoict; miracle opene:
The way; the pillow Of cloud . {
| fire directed the footsteps. Th'
miracle and cloud alike had beoI
,aluelcss, had political prefermen
possessed higher attraction for Nose
than the call Of duty. lie had th'
crown Of Egypt, or the freedom o
his people, as The alternatiVe-case o
duty. Ease always says Of q ttan
Iscendent duty, "It 10 Impossible
Moses frame as the lawgiver Of th
world sets lie seal upon this eterna
] lfalsenood.