The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-02-04

equal sumS TO . peheVotent OBJECT, out
from totally different motives. One
gives to do good, and would DO just as
| willing to give as not, If he knew that
no other living person would give. The
other gives for the credit Of 1t, and to
quiet his conscience, or bee luse he
hopes to purchase the favor OF God
e They may be equally self denying
in many things. Ssif-deny ing is not
confined to true saints. LOOK at tho
sacrifices and self denials Of the Mo
hammedans, going on their pilgrimage
to Mecca. Look at the heatnen throw
ing themselves under the car Of Jugger.
naut. Look at the poor, ignorant
Papists, going up and down over tho
sharp stones on their bare knees till
they stream with blood. A protestant
congregation will not contend that
there is any religion in that. But, is
there not self denial? The true Chris
tan denies himself for the sake of
doing more good to others. He is more
set on this than on his own indulgence
or his own interest The deceived per.
son may go equal lengths, but from
purely selfish motives.
II Look ut two mothers; the one
has four or Ave children; she cares
for them; she will sit up all night
with tho child who is sick; she
will work to provide for these children,
and She does it through duty-s.e is a
stop mother. Now look at ths other,
true mother She has four or five
children as the other one has, she cares
for them; she works and labors to pro-
vide for their wants; she will sit up all
night with the child who is sick; it is no
pain to her; it does not worry her; she
does not do 1T from duty, but she does 1t
from love. Why the difference? They
are her own children her offspring.
In all these cases the motives Of ono
class are directly over against the other.
The difference lies in the choice of diff
ferent ends. One chooses his own IL ter.
est; the other chooses Gods interest as
his Chief end. For person to pretend
that both OF these classes are aiming at
the same end, is TO say that an i'm peni-
tent sinner is just as benevolent as O
real Christian, or that Christian is not
benevolent like God, but is only seeking
his own happiness and seeking it in
religion rather than in the world.
And mere is the proper place to
answer inquiry, which is often m ade:
III these two classes of persons may be
alike in so many particulars, how are
we to know our real character. or to tell
TO which class we belong? We know
that the heart is deceitful above all
things, and desperately wicked, and
how are we to know whether we love
God and holiness for their own sake, or
whether we are seeking the favor OF
God, and aiming at heaven for our own
brnefit?" l answer,
l. If we are truly benevolent. it will
appear in our daily transactions This
character, if real, will show itself in
our business If any where. II selfish
ness rules our conduct there, as sure as
God reignS we are truly selfish. II in
our dealings with men we are selfish,
we are SO in our dealings with God
For who loveth not his brother whom
he hath seen, how can he love God.
whom he hath not SEEM" Religion is
not merely love to God, but love to man
also. And If our daily transac lions
show US to be selfish, we are unconverted
or else benevolence is not essential to
religion, and man can be religious
without loving his neighbor as him self.
=. III you are disinterested in religion,
religious duties will not be a task to
you. You will not go about religion as
tho laboring man goes to his toll, for
the sake of living. The laboring man
takes pleasure in his labor, for it is
not for its own sake. he would not do
1T if he could help It, In it's wn nature
it is task, and II he takes any pleas
ure in it it Is for it's anticipated results,
the support and comfort of his family,
or the increase OF his property.
Precisely such is the state OF some
persons In regard to religion. They go
to it as the sick man takes his medi-
cine, because they desire it's effects,
and they know they must have it or
perish 1t is task that they never
would do for its own sake Suppose
men love labor, as a child loves play
They would do 1t all day long and never
be tired OF doing it, without any other
lnducement than the pleasure in doing
1T. So it Is in religion, where il is
loved for it's own sake. there is no
voorhees, in it,
3. II selfshness is the prevailing
sometimes one form and sometimes
| another. For instance: If it is time
| OF general GOODNESS in the church, real
converts will still enjoy their own
| secret communion with God, although
there may not be so much doing to at
tract notice in public; but the deceived
| person will then invariably be found
driving after the world. Now let the
true Christian rise up and make a noise
and speak their joys aloud, so that
religion begins to be talked OF again,
and perhaps the deceived professor will
soon begin to hustle about and appear
to be even more jealous than the true
Christian He is impelled by his con E.
victions and not affections. When there
is no public interest he feels no convic
ton, but when the church awakes he is
convicted and compelled to stir about to
keep his conscience quiet 1t is only
selfishness in another form
4. II you are selfish, your enjoyment
in religion will depend mainly on the
strength of YOUR homes of heaven and