Los Angeles herald., 1892-05-02

ing. which pa6tOrS ana commandments
alike practice, and wink at in business
transactions, in politics, in their con-
tact with sinners, with unbelievers and
with enemies.
They may aspire, pray for and assume
something better than this daily aver
age, but the aspiration is vain, the
prayer sham and the assumption a lie.
Christ proclaimed no exceptional
clause" in the application of the golden
rule, and He re.enforced and fortified
its meaning by commanding us to love
our enemies. To love ones neighbor ae
ones self, means our neighbor not only
| in the church but in "Samaria." The
religion that fails to touch every point
and degree in the compass OF our ex-
cymbal," no matter whether at that
point or degree stands friend or an
enemy, or whether we find our neigh.
bor" in peace or ia war, in financial
prosperity or calamity, at the commu-
MON table, among mortgage and loan
bandits, or even among thieves such az
infest the road all the way from the
real estate exchange and country bank,
to the stock gamblers and wreckers oi
Wall street.
This may sound like severe doctrine,
but it ie just what Christ meant, il He
meant anything, when He said: "On
these two commands hang all the law
and the prophets" say nothing in
this connection about love to God, be-
cause the only possible way to get at
that side of the dual law is not through
lip praise and professions, but through
our every day relations to our fellow
man.
There is no hocus pocus secret avenue
of escape from the human phase and
exactions of the law, and he who does
not accept and square his life by it,
while he sees it staring him in the face
every time he opens his Bible, is in no
wise prepared to meet "Christ in the
Clouds" or anywhere else, no matter
how we'll protected by ecclesiastical
mail and armor he may fancy himself.
Let those who are talking most elo-
quently of His immediate personal
coming-many of whom are in the habit
of, ''voting" people into heaven or per-
dition on mere form or technicality-
stand up now and vote on this question.
and then, when the last precinct is heard
from, ask where they themselves are,
and if, after all, they are in much of a
hurry to see the Son of Man coming ION
clouds OF glory seated" to judge the
world according to deeds done in the
body"
Alas, there ia a long season of ripen-
ing necessary to the salvation of Chris
tians before they are ready for the king
of reapers.
do not mention outsiders, for accord
ing to generally professed, if not gem
orally accepted dogma, they are already
claimed, though believe Christ him
self made exceptions in the case of the
boy who said, II 60 not" but went, and
in favor of those who are true to the
golden rule, and who are essentially His
men, though they do not proclaim or
know it till He surprises them with the
welcome and unexpected tidings at the
last day.
Understand do not write this in q
caviling spirit, but a. an honest be-
lever and seeker along the line Of truth.
work not against, but with Christians
and reformers of all lshades. The longer
I live the more firmly believe in the
Nazarine, not only as historical figure,
but as the divine man and great central,
personal, regenerating force, outside of
whose rules for moral and spiritual life
and actions there is no permanent rest,
peace, joy or home for the aspiring soul.
But l believing the church-in it's
representative ecapacity-needs prodding
rather thar praising and fattering,
while its acknowledged pulpit leaders
with the exception of Bishop Hunting
ton, Lyman Abbott and few others,
who are denounced az Socialists" be-
cause they try to live Christ-continue
to act as "silent partners" with men
who have made wholesale gambling and
bribery more honorable and respect
able," in the eyes OF the world, than
"honest poverty" or earnest effort in
the direction of political and social re-
form. The trouble is that Mammon,
while throttling the masses with one
hand, is, with the other, stopping the
mouths OF our gospel ministers and law
makers with bread and sweetmeats. IL
A few years ago secret circular went
forth, duly signed by the secretary ol
the American Bankers association, ad.
vising the subsidizing of the religious
and agricultural press.
| About year ago millionaire dele
gate to general convention of one O.
our great denominations-when the
question arose touching the proper sup
port of the clergy-said to the ministers
"We will take care of you."
And why? Is it because Mammor
has been converted and loves Chris
any more than it did 1900 years ago
Or is this newly developed affection fol
revenue only; or, like that of Constan
tine, for temporal power and conquest
"Elias must first come" But if hi
should come now and call things BY
their right names, the Herodias of ou
''first society"-who dances befor'
Herod-would demand his head on .
charger and-fguratively, if not literally
speaking-the ''head" would be forth
coming. The -millenialists must re
member that sacred, no less than pro
fame history, repeats itself.
They need not look for the secon(
coming of the Son of Man until Johr
the Baptiet first prepares the way ant
makes His paths straight. And jue
now the paths which saint and SHINE
alike are walking are about as crooked
as political bribery and ecclesiastical
usury and real estate deviltry can maxi
them.