The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-06-05
With THE HELENA PREACHERS.
PULPIT IDEAS THAT WERE ADVANCED YESTERDAY.
THE CHINESE QUESTION AND OTHER TOPICS OF THE TIMES.

fsrsnt idsa thsn that which u represents In
the mythical serpent lore Of nations other
than the Hebrew. The dragon, indeed, In
alwHys malsvolsntj but 40 4 rule the SEP
rent . not Abhorred NJ tho impcrsonntion
OF evil. but h0norsd, n often worshipsd;
now. ~ the symbol Of Nsculapius. the pro-
man, aad make them whole; ae.in g ia
god Of wisdom. Sometimes ths serpent II
Gesn 20 be taken ~ shs emblem Of eternity;
q othsr times - the IAtron Of knowledge.
Chaldsana Chinese. g ecks. Phmnicians.
n~abyloniena. .Egyptians. Indians. have
cs.asion becauss Il IL siauous srao. Or sho
mysterious Interchange Of IT. coloS - II
noisslsssly giidss IN the sunliRht, or the
strange. unintsTprstabls speech OF its bril-
liant eye. and conferred around II . serpent
culture. Most often regarded ~ the I'M
only among natives Of the lowest savage
typs that the serpent II feared 40 an evil
god and appsassd By cruel sacrifices. The
scriptures employ the serpent Al q figure in
. manner altogether unlike these mythical
savaRss. Our Lord In one Instance recog-
nisss one quality Which seems By general
Of the serpent: ''Bs - therefore wise % SER
penSs." hc charges the twelve, but hs
plainly insimatss that the serpent's 10 .
wisdom ussd for dsstruotivs ends. whom hs
qualities bic admonttion BY the addition;
hut harmless ~ doves" OF the cup re-.
deslna 20 many b the flashing brilli.nsy
vsFinss. oh! how bitterly and truly warns
Ne: IA The last u biteth like 4 serpent and
Stingsth like an adder"
Now the serpent vas more subtle than
eny beast Of the feld." He appears ~ q
s.mpts.. ais :ustlesy sugnsns. bis
q things srs. there should 30 slis warming
TO beware Of sin. 10 beware Of tTansgress-
Ina amy divine law. TO beware OF liss, TO be-
ware Of the temptation TO any wrong. how
evsr sntiotnRly Or plausibly the solicitation
appears. given 10 the race Il the very be-
mach ~ experience. bus here h tnis
graphic narrative Of the ten ptation and
fall Of Adam . an exhibition the nature Of
Temptation which might serve - q caution
sven before experience has fairly begun its
lessons. Above svsry thing else II sdmon-
ties rs to look out for temptation because
which Il appears. The especially dangerous
element Of temptation IL its subtlsty. Ale.
cory. fact OF figures. how true this story of
the hrsS fall ID to the fall OF every man or
woman since. The serpent 10 represented
20 speaking to Eve first. 10 II necessary to
mind was done by vocal utteranoe2 Are
there not other methods Of expressing
thought than BY audible speech? Sublim-
tty. hatred, trust. oynicism. purity. base
ness; the whole range OF qualities which
enters into the composition of all charao.
tiers. have you not seen them delineated In
the fixed aspect Ut oountenancss or exhib-
tied in srsakiug movements Of the body2
And b suggestions might not DO started
BY the undulatina motions of q serpent?
What beams Of thought set in motion by
the charm OF his Rlittering eyes? What
WA this solicitation in the garden? Some
thing good proposed; the tres OF knowledge;
2 method Of becoming wise: q step by which
they may suddenly become like God; not I
demand upon them to do some hideous.
base thing. but a pleasant rational act.
-themsslves IN the mine. but to rise up into
the ether. II is not until long afterwards
that they find that their attempt at the for
hidden lands them in the dust. The
temptation wal really. If ono may use the
expression. an upward fall.
A man deludes himself with tho reso!u-
ton to do much. whom he becomes sick, for
charity. for the dissemination of the Cos
pei. for the support Of the church. He will
build an orpbannge, or u school, or a hos
pital. or q memorial church. and with this
specious promise he palliates the isreRu-
lsrities OF his business methods. his many
~falsohoodA his frequent unfairness. ID 1t
not the aim OF every man who has q con-
science at oil to make the wrong he does
app ear to himself to be right?
Do not ronson over the subtl ties Of the
tempter: do not try to explain the sinfulness
Of any sin away; do not hesitate, and 90 be
lost. Keep your view Of evil unbiased by
n sophistical explanations. Right! II il
right to do IT and wrong to do anything
else but right. There IL no mid course be-
tween obsdisnce md transRrsss,on.