The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-04-11

2. Greed for gain is also a hindering
cause.-Men have no time to devote to
religion, to cultivate their spiritual
energies. They drive themselves
under a lash all the week, and when
Sunday comes they say they need rest.
They tell the truth. The human body
is easily run down and that
men should rest is Deces-
sity ; but l question whether there
are not better ways of resting
than loadng on Sunday, standing
around the street corners, or scheming
aud working out plans for the coming
week. The Sabbath vas made for
man, but man finds it is best improved
when used for the glory of God.
Men forget tbis-yea. they forget
God. An old man asked a traveller,
Ibid you meet a boy 10 a cart up
the road ? a boy With a hoe and rake in
a cart?' "a boy with light hair,
aud a short memory 2" rejoined the
traveller. "Well don't know about the
short memory" 20 yes, met him"
"How do you know be had a short
memory 2" "By the fact that he had
forgotten the commandment which says.
Remember the Sabbath day to keep it
holy" There are many of this kind,
and every man who forgets to honor the
Sabbath is drifting away from God.
3. Sometimes the outsiders speak
CONTEMPORARY of the church people.
and say that they think themselves
extra nice aud decent, aud accuse them
Of holding themselves above the average
man. I don't know how this feeling
came about. but l do know that
true church people are compelled to be
decent people. and they are not in the
church because they are decent, but are
decent often because they are 10 the
church. This however, is only a refuge
behind which a man hides who is unwill-
ing to do his duty to God and to him
self
4 A hard life and close, stinted living
is also in the way.-Narrow circum-
stances tend to make,a narrow map 1t
is easier to pray on a cushion than oa
the bare, cold floor. Hardships bardeu
the soul, and if we find one whose
thoughts are contracted and desires
shallow, we should pity more than con-
tenn. 1t is easy to tell men what they
should do. and not SO easy to do. the
same under similar conditions. | knew
a mar whose religious life was criticised
by some, and yet I feel sure that not one
in a hundred would have had any reli.
gion at all if placed exactly in his
circumstances. To win this element Of
the people for God, the church must
first help the body, and then seek after
the soul. The heart of Gods people
should often 60 out after that great
multitude whom Gray 6tly described
when he said
''Chill penury depressed their noble rage,
And froze the genial current OF the SOUL"
An investigation will show that among
this class the majority are to be found
who are drifting away from the church
and the charities of men, while they
relieve the wants of The body, 60 far 10
softeniog and saving the soul. If the
church desires-really desires-to save
men from hell, more must he done to
save them from starvation.
5 Church enemies are found also
among those who we're once members
and have been excluded. The
excluded man is more than apt
to think be has been unfairly
dealt with. and this feeling grows
iuto bitterness against the whole
organization. Some of these persons
are playing the part of traitor, and seem
to 6od pleasure in creating a dislike for
the church 10 the minds Of others.
They pretend to be able to give away
the secrets of the church, as if there