The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-03-06
RELIGIOUS POINTERS.
What Christians Character Should Be
and How His Character May and
Should Have Influence for
Good.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

ones life an open letter. Text: First
Corinthians, III 2, "Ye are inaifestly de-
clared to be the epistle of Christ minis
tered by us, written not with ink but
with the spirit of the living God; not in
tables OF stone, but in feshy tables OF
the heart"
The Corinthian church was divided up
into factions by the pernicious influence
of some Jewish teachers who dogged the
apostle wherever he went and tried to
undermine his influence. Besides, the
church had shown disposition to wink
ut the fiagrantly immoral life OF one Of
it's members, which disposition Paul had
censured by recommending the excom-
munication OF the unworthy member.
Some OF the members had also found
fault with the great preacher because he
was not eloquent" as they defined elo-
qnence. These considerations made it .
delicate and difficult task for ST. Paul
to visit this church or even to write to
them from distance. But be did both.
In his letter he does not think he needs
any letters OF recommendation as other
would-be apostles, for "Ye are our epis-
tle." For with all their faults the body
of the Corinthian church were still loyal
to the Savior and the virtues and graces
of the Christian abounded in their lives.
"Ye are our epistle," said st. Paul to
them, "known and read of all men. The
world will know the truth and feel the
power of Cbrist's religion If they know
and feel these things at abby reading
your lives and your characters. BY this
means also will my authority as minis
ter of Christ be vindicated. Christ has
written his truth in your hearts IN let
tiers OF living light. This truth should
be legible to all with whom you associ-
ate, illumining their pathways, guiding,
cheering, warning them.
l. Every true Christians life and
walk is letter designed to be read by
all. The bible is full of this truth. "Ye
are my witnesses" saith the Lord.
Christians are to be the light of the
world the salt OF the earth.
2. This letter is written by the Holy
Ghost upon the heart. This is what
gives the Christian power and makes his
life truly eloquent. A sign upon build
ing down street is not painted upon the
outside, it is incorporated in the solid
fabric OF the wall, because the bricks
making up the letters Of the sign differ
in color from those surrounding them.
When Christianity is thus incarnate in
the lives of all professed believers, col
oring through and through all their So
cial, professional, political and business
relations, the world will accept it be-
cause they will admit it's genuineness
and the divineness of its origin.
An old Quaker lady was once asked,
"How shall we reach the full-blooded
Indian with the gospel?" She replied,
"Send after him full-blooded
Christian"
NJ. e. CHURCH.
Morning subject: "How to have the
strongest influence for good" Texts:
Romans xIv:7 and Philip Iv:9 A tiny
pebble dropped into q lake, will cause a
ripple which will extend to the remotest
shore. A fern or lichen win impress
itself upon geologic specimen 80 as to
become Ineligible for ages, or aeons.
If this is true in the vegetable and
mineral kingdoms, think you there is not
snch thing as influence among man
kind?
Society is like innumerabls entwined
circles, with an individual as center Of
each. The object Of every Christian
should be to do the most possible good;
to extend the widest, best and most
lasting influence. How can he do it?
/. He must have distinct unim-
peachable character. Our influence is
is not what we preach or teach, or pro-
fess, but what we are. 1t is character
that imprssses, and character like dies,
must be clearly delineated and distinct,
to make their impressions. Not like the
ever changing chameleon, that is affected
by light and darkness, and by every
thing with which it comes in contact,
but having convictions, make them
known, and be true to them though the
heavens fall. Apply the tests OF prayer,
scripture and common sense and follow
their leadings. 1t is possible to live
above reproach. There Paul must have
been to have said, Those things, which
ye have both learned, and received, and
heard, and seen in me, do"
2. 1t 10 necessary to give careful OBJ
servance to certain new testament pre-
cepts. "All things are lawful for me,
but all things are not expedient." We
must not only ask "will it do harm?''
"but will it do goodw Not only to me,
but to my ''weak brother" We must
not only consider thing in itself, but
the company it keeps, from whence it