The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-01-19
EVIL INFLUENCES.
Sermon by the Rev. ]. u. Muller
at Emory NJ. E. Church.

The Rev. j.. H. Muller preached an In
te-esting sermon last evening in the
Emory Methodist Church ON influences
on the wrong side.p His text was from
| Kings. xiv. 10. "Jeroboam who did sin
and who made Israel to SIM" Mr.. Muller
said in part
when Solomon died. oboam, his
son, succeeded him as king, but ten
tribes declared h Q must redress griev-
ances before they would recog nize him.
He answered that he would lay ON bur-
dens rather than take them off. The re-
s alt was they revolted aud made Jero-
the Kingdom of Israel, and the remnant
left to Rehoboam, the Kingdom of
Judea. The Jewish people, though di-
vided politically. were still one in relig-
ION. Jeroboam feared il his subject is
continued to unite with the people of
Judea In worship they would tire OF po-
litieal division and reunite politically
again. He took pains to cause a separa-
ton in religion. He told them 1t was too
much rcable to go up to Jerusalem and
said 4 Will range places TO worship Je-
hoyah within your own territory. He
created a shrine at the northern and
southern end of his kingdom and at each
snr1ne placed the golden image of IA bull
to be emblem of J~ehovah's power.
"His idea wa to change The method OF
worshipping Jehovah and accustom his
people TO ceremonies different from those
at Jerusalem. The law of Moses forbade
image worship; this was a semi-idolatrous
innovation mud the priests aud LeviUes in
his domain frowned on the whole arrange
ment.
HE D NEW PRIEsrs.
"Jeroboam expelled them aud called
men out of all tribes to be priests. Hav-
ing now given his people a different
method of worship and a different priest
hood, he also gave them a different series
OF religious festivals. In all this he seems
s~agaciOus, for he made religion which
theatened to be a cause of reunion be-
tween his people and the kingdom of
Judea a wall of sep ration. But he was
recreant to his duty personally, and made
the nation break its covenant with Je-
hovah. Debasing the religion of his peo-
pie, he debased them in every way. He
became the cause OF ~dislQyalty to Jehovah
in all the kings succeeding him. Famil.
iarizing his people with image worship at
Jehovah's shrine he prepared them to be-
come devottees of Baal. So he did sin
and made Israel to sin,
ellis memory is gibbeted in Scripture.
He never has honorable mention. He is
never distinguished as we might expect
the first king OF a new state to be, but is
held up as the man who tool his people
off the right road and started them on the
wrong. The text leads me TO speak of
human influence causing wickedness.
First, any man may exert a bad iDfiu-
ence on others; may effect them in refer
ence to all sorts OF things, may effect
them in reference to morals and religion,
may effect them beneficially or may effect
them hurtfuily. One man nay place a
stumbling block or occasion 10 offend in
his brothers way, and may cause him TO
sin.
INDIRECT BAL INFLUENCE.
Second, q man may nave a bad infiu-
ence indirectly and through the media
ton of agents and Instruments He may
sit at home, concoct mischief. think IL
out and be the engineer OF evil doug u
never dirty his hands with it directly.
He starts "A scheme and gets his agents
going and he touches others aud so he
stirs up numbers aud misIeads and de-
btuches them. A nan may exert evil in
fuence by movements he inaugurates
institutions. he found anG customs he
creates
Third, a nan may nave a bad iniu-
ence without desiring or TO
nave iL. Rarely does one go into a Para
disc OF innocence aud goodness as Satan
went into Eden lust to cause w~ickedness.
Often when q man corrupts his fellows he
docs it not be Sc he wants 10 make
them bdu, uub De ituse ne WISHES tHen 10
serve his purpos; Most frequently when
evil Influence Is exerted u does not
realze what he is about and misleads or
prompts MIN without being conscious of
what ne is doing. We make men sin
through heedlessness
HOW 70 INJURE A MANS FAITH.
Fourth, | notice some features in hui
man life on which we may operate injuri-
ously. We may destroy faith. A mans
belief determines his life. His creed
mouids his character and conduct. He
exerts a bad influence who argues skepti-
cally, picks flaws in the BiDle. in the
Church ana in Christianity, riddles the
creed of q man aud robs him of his faith.
de persuades the yoyager out GU the
deep 10 throw away his compass aud
DRIFT wherever winds aud currents ma
car.y him. He is a proiciens promoter
of evil.
Next to the man VINO robs a faith |
place him who causes his fellow man 10
adopt an imperfect faith; he does not get
the ybyager TO throw his com Ass over
board. .ou ne doctors the couup4ss 80 thai
IL Is not r-lisbls. He does not aunihiiaie
religious belief bat lie gets his fellow