Nevada County picayune., 1890-05-14

1 Human nature mas been tue Satbc in all ages. All men are naturally inclined to worship false Gods. Every man is an idolater who does not worship the true and the living God But idol worship does not sat isfy either the conscience or the heart. There comes q time in the history of every man when convic- tion of the truth is fastened upon his innermost being, and when the claims of the true God are presented in con- vincing array before his mind. That l time had come in the history of Israel, the people to whom these startling words were addressed by the prophet Elijah, Many of them, in fact, the great masses of them, had fallen into gross idolatry, and Baal had numerous devotees among the chosen people. But the people then, as they do to-day, halted be- tween two opinions.
 To bring them to decisive settle ment of the question he instituted most rigid and searching test by which the claims of the true God were fully authenticated. To this end he ordered the king of Israel, Ahab to summon all Israel to Mount Carmel, as we'll as the eight hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the groves, in order that the question might be authoritatively settled as to who was the true God. An altar was prepared by his direction, on which a bullock cut in pieces was laid by these false prophets, and they called on their God to consume the offering by fire, for the God that should answer by fire was the 1 true God. The consuming of the sacrifice by fire from heaven was the crucial test to expose the false and avouch the true God. They con tinued to call on Baal until noon, and even until the time of offering the evening sacrifice, but there was neither voice nor answer to their pc titions.
 Then Elijah, one against eight hundred and fifty, called upon all the people to come near unto him, that they might see clearly the result; af- ter which he took twelve stones and prepared the altar of the Lord that was broken down, and placed bull lock cut in pieces thereon. To re- move all doubt twelve barrels of water were then poured upon the sacrifice and the wood, until 1t ran down and filled q trench that was round about. All his preparations being completed, Elijah then calls upon the God of Abraham and Isaac and Israel to answer by fire, that the people of Israel might know he was the true God, and that their hearts might he turned back to the worship of him. The answer came immediately, and fire descended from heaven consuming the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, the dust, and even licked up the water in the trench round about. The people were so overpowercd by this sudden and overwhelming demonstration of the truth that they fell on their faces and cried, the Lord he is the God.
 Now, every man has this demon- stration made to his mind and con science at some time or other, and when this demonstration is made then
 
 the hour for decision has arrived. There is no longer any excuse for in decision-the last vestige of doubt has been removed. They who halt between two opinions after conyic- ton of the truth, are holding the truth in unrighteousness and offer ing violence to theIr judgment and conscience, The shores of time are strewn with the wrecks of indecls- ion. This is the reef upon which untold multitudes are wrecked, and go down to rise no more. Even in worldly affairs the man who is un- steady and vacillating is sure to make failure. Really, T man ought to be on one side or the other. He ought either to serve God or Baal. Although there is no solid or enduring happiness outside of the service of God, yet there is more sat isfaction to the confirmed and decid- ed nlidel than to him who is halting between two opinions. The former gets more satisfaction from the world. while the latter derives none from God or the world. How long shall thls state of indecision continue {!