Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-03-05
FALSE PROPHETS.

lit is an amazing complication; but the
case is familiar in the diagnosis of sin. We
find it everywhere about us. We find false
Christs and false prophets; we find schemes
inconsistent with the principles of the Cos
pei recommended under the name of Chris
tian; we find corruptions of the Gospel,
bolstered up as of the very essence thereof.
We find men and women yielding to their
passions and breaking the commandments
and defying the law, and yet saying that
they are keeping the spirit of the law, or
that the commandment does not apply to
them, or that circumstances are altered and
that the thing is right, or that we know
God better now aud have higher and clearer
perceptions of His will. The most disgust
ing and profane violations of that will are
declared to be not only right, but the out
come of more perfect knowledge and a
more religious spirit.
"This awful rubbish is perhaps spoken
this wise because they have lost the power
to see. That is Gods Judgment on dlsloy-
atty to Him. Let some strong and unholy
desire become thy master, yield to it, give
up contention and sleep thy sleep, for the
spirit shall strive with Tree no more. 1t is
the sign Of thy doom. God ceases to con-
tend with men when men finally determine
that they will not hear or obey God.
MORAL CONFUSION.
sMoral confusion is notable disease of
our day. 1t is the result of several causes.
1t comes of the decline of faith in superna-
tural things; of the substitution of worldly
philosophy for religious principle, Of the
passionate desire for temporary and mum.
dane pleasure. Whenever moral questions
are involved there is moral confusion. On
each side we hear the proclamation OF
divergent opinions; black and white are
confused, ard right and wrong and evil and
good.
"Must it ever be thus. Must things go
on from bad to worse? Is there NO way to
check the mischief in society and to save
our own conscience from its contamination
AS to the world outside, the Church must
do her office without partiality and with out
fear. 1t is her solemn charge and function
to keep up the standard of truth aud moral.
ity, to appeal steadily and continually to
the public conscience, and never to leave
society without living witness to what is
right and expedient, and to keep the land
marks plain and clear 80 that men may see
if they will.
"Then, as for ourselves, nothing can save
US out rlgfu OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES, Slftlng OF
motives, resOlute determination that or
will shall be made and kept subject to
Gods will, whether we like it or not.
OBEY THE LAW.
"The lie which the heart is continually
telling itself is this, that thing cannot be
true unless it looks true to us: that nothing
can be necessary for our salvation unless we
think it necessary, or wrong unless we
think that it is wrong. The one absolutely
futile and good for nothing reason for do
ing any act is that we wish to 90 it and
that we like to do it; no man has right to
like to do or want to do anything against a
law which forbids him to do it. We need
then first strict consciousness.
"And next we want loving acquiescence
in Gods will. We want to do Gods will
always because it is Gods will, and we
want to love to do it for that same cause
We want to be rid of Balaam in the Church
and in our households, and of the Balaam
spirit in our souls. We want true prophets
in the Church, who will tell us the will of
the Lord We want true hearts and con-
sciences to hear and obey. God help us to
lay this dolorous lesson to IT souls, and to
avoid that path of the false prophet, which
it correctly described in the saying:-'There
is a way that seemeth right to man, but the
end thereof is DEATH !"