The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-12-26

hope to become dutiful children IN doing &C
ceptabe work 1ur our lIea, emily Father. =,
HELPING TRUE BELIEVERS.
Because il helps the true believer on to per.
tecIlon, and he thereby aligns himsalf on th
slide of The Lord.
CoMFnRTrSG ASSURANCE.
Because OF the com forling assurance which
Comes from the consciousness. OF M honest
effort To discharge a religious obligation.
DENYING THE LORD. ,
Eecause to remain ont OF the church Is Ia
deny ones Lord and Saviour. when We should
openly profess our faith before men.
BY remaining out of the church we deny
our saviour.
SHOWING OUR FAITH.
Because by Joining the church, we show
where we put our faith. and the true oeilever
shows In his daily life, the christianity In MS
soul.
from mercenary reasons, and who, like the
policeman, must wear badge Oh their coat
or proclaim IL from the houset ops.
Their actions never suggest, or give hint
Az to their piety or church mbership
TIE WAY MEN SHOULD BE JUDGED.
Every man should be judged by the highest
standard. ,
Maybe YOU hold up your hands In holy
horror at the idea of such Il measurement.
| II So your horror and your fear are well
! founded.
There are comparatively few who can stand
| the test.
| fer long prayers in public. but II takes man
the highest type Of man-lo be honest.
Honest in thought-honest in speech-hon'
est In action.
Honesty Is the basic principle OF all true re-
ligion, and OF every worthy effort. so 10
| speak honesty Is the foundation stone upon
which every good edifice is built. Without
honesty there Is no truth. Without truth
there is no true and sincere religion III lhcre
| he no true and sincere religion. there Is no
true and living God.
The presumption is, that heaven itself Is
constructed on a theory Of honesty.
n IL we're not SO, does anybody suppose
| that pearls would have been put In the gales
or that the streets would have been paved
If l6e average church member were 10 get
there IL would not be three months until the
pearly gates would be robbed, and the last
pa wing stone on the golden streets would oe
There are church members whom we would
| not trust with a little silver, 10 say nothing
of tempting them with great great auanti Ties o'
pearls and golden paving bricks.
! Turn lot of dishonest church members
loose in heaven and it would be impossible tn
employ enough policemen TO protect the gold
streets and ,hs 9nIg IgeaTIy ga,eS co,em
plated allowing dishonest men to enter the
! kingdom OF heaven.
The hypocrit may bring aims to the church
and he may lay stolen gifts on lhe al'ar oi the
For doing so he may receive praise from bis
brethren, but the world knows thief
Any able bodied man who cannot secure
II 10 dollars a store,
draw his membership.
The world has found him out.
No man can long sustain good place In the
sight Of men who does not pay his debts, and
vel our good and pious preachers have very
little TO say of sin that Will certainly under'
mine and break down the best character In
the world
STEALING UNDER THE GUIsE OF con.
TRACT.
Many most excellent and we'll meaning
men may dare the dangers OF commerce. anu,
from no Intentional fault OF theirs, become
deeply involved, and yet preserve their good
name and their character for integrity; but
dinary expenses has no right to church MEM
While he may not be a vulgar every day
thief he may be shrewd enough TO steal his
neighbor's goods or money under the guise OF
n contract.
The moral wrong Is perfectly plain.
The thief in this instance, has not only
abused the confidence OF trusting neighoor,
but has added 10 theft that other debasfng
crime-lying.
When man cannot stand before men
| when his word Is not good for mess OF pot
tage-then he has no right to assume 10 be
sanctified child of the Father.
|: II q man is not honest. he has nc right TO
claim the name Of Christian.
; A Christian is the perfect mana well
rounded character-and every member who
does not observe the rules OF common honesty
detracts from the church by his presence In
the church.
He must provide things honestly In Inc
sight of ali men, or else he should not assume
10 come into the holy sanctuary eon entering
which even good men should take of their
shoes.