The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1894-08-03

60 your DOuy WIN weapons, you WOulC
meet me with weapons, and it would
be sword stroke for sword stroke and
wound for wound, and blood for blood,
but if l come and knock at the door of
your house you open it and give me
the best seat in your parlof. If I should
come at you today with ap argument,
you would answer me with an argu.
ment; if with sarcasm, you would ans
swer me with sarcasm, blow for blow,
stroke for stroke, but when come and
knock at the door OF your heart you
open it and say, Come in, my brother,
and tell me all you know about Christ
and heaven. "
Listen to two or three questions: Are
you as happy as you used to be when
you believed in the truth of the Chris
tian religion? Would you like to have
your children travel on in the road in
which you are now travelling? You had
a relative who professed to be Chris
tian and was thoroughly consistent, liv-
ing and dying in the faith of the Cos
pei Would you not like to live the
same quiet life and die the same peace
full death? I received letter sent me
by one who has rejected the Christian
religion 1t says: II am old enough to
know that the joys and pleasures of life
are evanescent and to realize the fact
that it must be comfortable in old age
to believe in something relative to the
future and to have faith in some sys-
tenn that proposes to save. I am free to
confess that l would be happier if l
could exercise the simple and beautiful
faith that is possessed by many whom l
know. l am not willingly out of the
church or out of the faith. My state of
uncertainty is one of unrest Sometimes
I doubt my immortality and look upon
the deathbed as the closing scene after
which there is nothing. What shall /
do that have not done?" All, skepti-
cism is dark and doleful land! Let
me say that this Bible is either true or
false If it be false, we areSs well off
as you; if it be true, then which of us
is safer? eaEss' u. ss. .ssrssers -"u'4ss.a---
A Line Drawn.
Let me also ask whether your trouble
has not been that you COMPOUNDED Chris
tianity with the inconsistent character
of some who profess it. You are a law
yer. In your profession there are mean
and dishonest men. Is that anything
against the law? You are doctor.
There are unskilled and contemplate
men in your profession. Is that any
thing against medicine? You are mer-
chant There are thieves and defrauders
in your business. Is that anything
against merchandise Behold then, the
of charging upon Christiani
ty the wickedness of its disciples.
We admit some of the charges against
those who profess religion. Some of the
most gigantic swindles of the present
day have been carried on by members
of the church. There are men in the
churches who would not be trusted for
SIS without good collateral security.
They leave their business dishonesties
in the vestibule of the church as they
go in and sit at the communion. Hav-
ing concluded the sacrament, they get
up, wipe the wine from their lips, go
out and take up their sins where they
let off. To serve the devil is their regu-
lar work; to serve God. a sort of play
spell. With a Sunday sponge they ex
pect to wipe off from their business slate
all the past weeks Inconsistencies. You
have no more right to take such mans
life as a specimen of religion than you
nave to take the twisted irons and split
5imbers that lie ON the beach at Coney
Island as a specimen of an American
ship. 1t is time that we drew line be-
5ween religion and the frailties of those
who profess it.
Hindrances to Piety.
Again, there may be some of you |
who, in the attempt after a Christian |
life, will have to run against powerful |
passions and appetites. Perhaps it is a
disposition to anger that you have to
,ontend against, and perhaps, while in
, very serious mood, you hear of some
hing that makes you feel that you must
wear or die / know of a Christian |
nan who was once so exasperated that
le said to a mean customer, II cannot
wear dG yOu myself, Iot all q lhcil-
,er of the church, but if you will go
Town stairs my partner in business will
wear at you. All your good resolu-
ions heretofore have been torn to tat
ers by explosions of temper. Now, there
s no harm in getting mad if you only
ret mad at sin. You need to bride and
addle these hot breathed passions, and
With them ride down injustice and
wrong. There are thousand things in
he world that we ought to be mad at.
There is no harm in getting redhot if
'ou only bring to the forge that which
leeds hammering. A man who has no
'ower of righteous indignation is an inn
'ecile. But be sure it is righteous in
lignation and not a petulancy that
'lurs and unravels and depletes the soul
There is large class of persons in
nidlife who have still in them appe-
ties that were aroused in early man
ood, at time when they prided them
elves ON being little fast, ''high
ivers, " free and easy" hail fellows
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