The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-06-01
Roth GOD AND MAMM0N.
The Pitiable Condition OF Those Who
Waiver Like the Waves OF
the Sea.
Eev. Mr.. Bell breaches q Strong
Sermon on the Evils Of
Hypocrisy.
A Call to All to Leave this tanks OF Wsv-
ererS and Follow
Christ.

Christ.
The Rev. w. s. Bell, Congregational sup
erintendent OF mi ssions, preached for Rev.
ID. B. Price OF the M. Il. church, south,
yesterday morning. The following Ia a
synopsis of the sermon.
Tn text was, HE that waverth is like n
wave of this sea, driven by the wind and
tossed" James 1y6.
Among other things, Mr.. Bell said: A
number Of years ago 1t was my privilege for
the trst time to stand on the shores of the
Atlantic ocean, and, as / suppose ID the ex-
perience of nearly everyone under
similar circumstances, the scene made
a lasting impression upon me. Ih day
was n comparatively calm one, but there was
no rest in that vast expanse which lay
stretched before me. One by one the waves
came splashing at my feet and then re-
treated, each only to be followed by an
other, and so on in endless succession,
giving perhaps as complete a picture of un-
rest as could be found anywhere In the uni
verse. The Apostle james was accustomed
to such scenes. He had sailed his little
fishing craft over the Sea of Galilee, not
only when it was comparatively
calm, but when it was dashed
to fury by the winds sweeping down
from Mount Lebanon on the north. He,
therefore, we'll knew the force Of the figure
he was using when he said che that waver
eth is like a wave of the sea, driven by the
wind and tossed" And yet he sees fit to use
1T as representing a certain class of men. In
Tho ,rb ->u~o - !. L~A- ALo-
described az Undetermined men, those
who have two minds, or rather two conflict
ing classes of motives in one mind. The
wave by the forco of wind is driven upon
the sloping beach; by the power of CRAWL
tatlon it is drawn back again, only to be
followed by d repetition of the same process,
and thus the PARTICLES of water while not NOV
ing very far in either direction, are continn-
ally swaying to and fro. And thus it was
in the minds of those of whom the apostle
speaks. One set of motives being presented,
a partial discussion ia made to adopt q
certain course, then there comes another
set OF motives, and a hesitency is produced;
soon q tendency is seen to 60 in the other
direction, and thus che that wavereth ia
like a wave of the sea-"
Now this class of men did not become ex-
tinct with the times of the apostles. They
oAo lOAAlu III ldlko uIuD6Ib tD UUG DEOSGuG
day, and some of them live in cur beautiful
CITY OF Helena. They are those whose minds
are never made up on any subjeot-who are
popularity known as being ION tho fence.'
They are those who claim to be temperance
men, and yet are afraid to throw themselves
into any movement for reform; those who
claim to be patriots, and yet at the crack of
the party whip will march up to the polls
and vote for mon whom they know to be
unfit for office; those whom the Saviour de-
scribes as trying, to serve both God and
mammon, and hence with whom when
principle and business interests como in
conflict, principle goes to the wall. They
are those who are continually trying to
trim their sails to catch the wind of public
opinion. One scarcely knows whether such
are most to be pitied or blamed. Certainly
their condition is n pitiable one, and is in
the farthest degree removed from true hap
piness. lie who, shutting his eyes to the
pathway of duty, and stopping his ears to
the call of truth. plunges headlong into sin,
is in n more enjoyable. although not SO safe
a condition as the one who knows and
sees the right, and yet in opposition to the
constant warnings of conscience, gives way
to the wrong.
More than $500 years ago the old patri-
arch Jacob gathered his twelve sons about
him that he might give them his dying
blessing and with prophetic insight reveal
something of what lay before them in the
future. The words addressed to the eldest
we're: Reuben. unstable as water, thou
shalt not excel" There have been many
still holds good. And yet much of the
wagering from known principles of recti-
tude comes from motives of so-called pol
lcv. The temperance man thinks if he
Keeps his temperance principles in the
background he will gain additional custom
for HIS store or greater success in his pro-
f%ession; the professor OF religion thinks he
will have more friends if his religious views
are kept quiet; the minister sometimes
thinks best to touch lightly on the evils of
the times that his bread and butter may be
more sure. There may be a gain for the
time being. Our Saviour declares of the
hyrocr!te who prays in the streets to be
seen of men, "lhey have their reward.n
But taking life as a whole the words still
remain true, UNSTABLE as water thou shalt
not excel"
Perhaps the text applies to no class of
men more than to those who are the, in
some degree unwilling slaves of their own
lusts or carnal appetites. Their alternate
SHINING and repenting, their making of SOL
emn pledges for the future which give way
in the presence of temptation make their
condition pitiable, indeed.
Another class to whom these words ftly
apply are those who are hating between two
opinions on the subject of religion. There
are such in evory community. The spirit
OF GOD Is striving at the heart; some pass
y u Dbl llbulo VI VIII JLOuBuG from u
sermon has lodged in the heart M cannot
be rooted ont. Perhaps in order to quell
the still, small voice a deeper plunge is
made into the cares or pleasures of the
world, but in quiet hour it makes itself
heard, calling to repentance and faith. All
may be calm without, with nothing to indi-
cate the tempest within, while in the breast
IS n commotion like that which frequently
goes on i'll the bowels of the earth, while all
Is tranquil about you. If one such is here
to-day you know by experience tho truth of
the saying He that wave 9th is like a wave
OF tho sea, driven by the wind and tossed
There was another incident connected
with the sea which was doubtless firmly
liked IN the mind of the apostle. After a
day of incessant toll upon the shores of
Gallilee the Saviour, desiring rest, COM
mands His disciples to row Him to the
other sid of the lake. Soon He falls
asleep. While in mid-sea a storm arises
and in q moment a hurricane is upon them.
They cry, Lord, save us. we perish"
Awakened by their cries, He arises and
with the sympathy of II man, and the
majesty of a God, He rebukes the waves
and there i'd n great calm. Only by this
same voice can the tempest raised IN the
heart by conviction be stllled. We are
helpless-God alone can succor. Faith in
Christ is the only thing which gives peace
to the convicted sinner.
To be Christ's is to be Christlike. And
just 30 far as We grow into His likeness