The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-03-11
o1SUNDAY TH0UGHTSDe
AON5S
MORALS - MANNERS
BY 4 CLERG YMAN.

In one of those comforting and beauti-
full psalms which have been the delight OF
he church OF ali ages, David declares
that lit is good 10 draw near God"
Maniiestly so. IT'S even more privilege
than il is q duty for man to resemble and
companion with his maker. And this is
what the phrase means.
Now, there are two ways in which we
may draw near God-walk with Him as
Enoch did. One Of these is by the even
tenor Of holy life. The other is in
solemn acts OF devotion. The first OF these
two ways is the desire of every religious
heart, life "hid with Christ in GOD,
and illustrated by that metaphor OF script
ure, The path of the just is as a shining
light, which shineth more and
more unto the perfect day" As the first
faint twi light OF morning is a ray and
prophet OF the radiance which at the
meridian foods the earth with sunshine,
so the beginnings OF holiness in a human
soul are a degree OF that celestial n ture
which shall one day dominate the char
acter and are related to heavenly per
lection az morning Is TO noon.
Now, il is Us helps to this holy life that
solemn acts Of devotion are ordained. In
this lies their value. Bible teachings,
hours of meditation, seas ms Of conmun-
ion with God, occasions OF worship In the
house of the Lori-these are means of
grace and ot growth IN the knowledge OF
God. They are indispensable in the
Christian life. The neglect OF these
means is 20 the believer what the neglect
Of the seed tme would be 10 a farmer
whosa autumn would witness an empty
barn and an unprovided table. Therefore
let the Christian who wishes TO draw
near God be dill gent and prayeriul In the
use Of the appointed means. III the
passions never keep Lent there is all the
more reason for its observance by the
spirit.
The fact and prevalence OF profanity
should seem to be striking proof of the
existence of the devil and of his power
over man. For this is form OF evil
which the human mind can hardly
conceive of as originating unaided-
Other Gins are easily accounted for. Cow
etousness would push one to steal or pas
sion 10 fight and kill, or fear 10 lie, or de-
PRAYED appetite to drink. But profanity
this is absolutely, absurdly useless, and
offers no concentrating advantage. lis an
exotic on earth imported from the realm
Of darkness. 1t must be a suggestion from
the arch enemy who siirs the fires OF the
Dit and shouts the internal chorus OF hate
with malignant glee and kind OF des-
pairing hope, when men are won TO
q - lie ~. n
breath. 'Tie hard to say whether profan-
ity is more wicked or foolish. Is it not
both in supreme degree?
The vote, q fortnight since, in the Brit
ish house OF commons on the disestablish-
ment of the state church in Wales, was
significant. 1t was the handwriting on
the wall. Here it is: For disestablish-
ment, 2O3; against, 235. That is to say, in
parliament owned body and soul and
absolutely dominated by the conservative
party, and with an immense majority,
there was only a majority of thirty-two
against the separation of church and state
in Wales.
Calico was right: E pur 81 muore-the
world does move. The idea of making men
re igious by statute, and forcing men to
support a church they hate, begins To be
recognized for what it is-the essence OF
unreason, a school of atheism; Dean
Swift's extraction of sunbeams from Gu
cumhers. The overwhelming majority
of Welchmen are non-conformIsts. II
hev could decide the question tine
state church would disappear like
a nightmare when the sleeper awakes.
Well as it is. disestablishment is assured.
And not only in Wales but in England.
For the church in Wales is a part of the
church Of England-unlike the late Irish
episcopal church, which was separate or
ganiz ,tion. The destruction of the Welsh
| establishment logically involves that O.
the English church. They are like the
late Siamese twins, Chang and Eng, united
bv a vital ligament. The death of one
means the demise of both. This was re-
cosnized in the debate preceding the vote
| above mentioned, and disestablishment
in Wales was opposed by the powers that
be on the distinct ground that 1t would
| involve the English church. Neverthe-
| less. the adverse majority was only thirty
two. Hence il is fair to conclude that
| only about that number OF British solons
stand between the spirit of the age
AID the medieval Inconsistency OF
! church and state. AT the next
| election the thirty-two will probably be
elected 10 stay at home-or be sent to join
ex Senator ingalls,, up Salt river. to lament
with him the Introduction into politics OF
the decslogue and the golden rue.
Some Christians maintain dual stand
ard. They acknowledge the divine au-
thority OF the moral code. They concede
| that the law of the Lord is perfect" They