The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-02-19
RIGHTEOUS WARNINGS.
The Causes, Consequences and Preventives
Of Apostacy-shall Not the Judge of
All the Earth do Right.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

Oh all the earth 90 right: This QueS-
ton is asked by Abraham when God re-
veals to him his purpose to destroy the
city Of Sodom. 1.-The men of Sodom
We're wicked and sinners Def ore the
Lord exceedingly" But there were
some good people there also, relati' rs
and friends of Abraham. Surely, thought
the patriarch, the righteous and the
wicked will not be indlscrimlnately de-
stroyed. 'Shall not the Judge of all
the earth do right?"
y similar query is started in the minds
OF good people at the present day
when they see ~iniquity Astounding in
the midst Of them. Blu: to Abraham
and to US there comes the answer echo
ing down the corridors of history,
righteousness and judgment are the
habltatlon of his throne" The Judge
Of all the earth does right.
First, by exercising patience toward
the wrong-doer. Men often misinter-
pref this and hastily conclude that be.
cause sentence against an evil work is
not executed speedily therefore God
has abdlcated the throne of the uni
verse. Never will this be. Let men
remember that our God is "slow to an
GER; that his long suffering has the sal.
walton OF sinners as its object; that he is
mot wiling that any should perish but
that all should come to repentance"
q Pet. b.
The Judge OF all the earth does right;
secondly, in staying the execution of he
penalty in answer to the prayers of his
people. Abraham appealed reverently
and earnestly for Sodom. "Peradven
ture there be fifty righteous Within the
city, wilt thou not spare the place for
the fifty righteous that are thereln?"
Bolder and more confident he became
until he obtained tire Divine consent TO
spare Sodom If ten good people could be
found IN it. microscopy prayer reaches
the ear of God and stays the hand CT
judgment. True Christians are de-
scrlbed rs the salt OF the earth" There
Is a proservatlve quality in the genuine
article which all men are prompt to
recognize. john Calvin was driven
from Geneva IN 1913 because his morals
were too rigid for the city authorities.
But these same magistrates were glad to
invite him to return in 1911 and make
his permanent residence mon them.
The presence Of the wheat often saves
the tares that grow amongst it. But,
thirdly, the Judge Of all the earth does
right IN lnt1lctlng punishment upon the
lncorrigibly wicked. "God's spirit will
not always strive with men," Patience at
length ceases to be- Il virtue. The over
throw OF SOdOm was sharp, swift, fright
lu!. Says another, Goods vengeance is
Just as awful as his loving kindness is
great" Practical points:
|. The only right, wise. safe course
for the individual is to respect and obey
the laws Of God. To indulge knowingly
IN SIN Is to tolerate am iucipent Sodom
in The heart.
:. Worse, tenfold, is it for the GOV
ernmen OF IL community to knowingly
permit the violation of divine and human
law and wink at %evil-doIng in any shape.
1t Is dlsgracefuI, it IS demoralizing, it is
deadly.
NJ. r. CHURCII.
Morning subject: "Apostasy." Text.
john G;G7.
Many had turned away from following
Christ, and he turns to the twelve and
asks, Twill ye also go away?' There
seems to De drawn from our text. and
context, the possibility, popularity and
ineXcnsableness of turning away from
CHRIST. But without ~eIucidatlng> these
points We will pass TO consider:
|. The causes. With these dlsrjp}es
Il >eemS to have beer the doctrInis
CIrIst taught that occaslOued their
stumbling. lie taught his divinity.
spoke Of the death he mast ACCOMPLISH,
OF his resurrection, and finally Of hIs AS
censlon, and "frOm that time many Of
bus disciples went back, and walked no
more with him." Doctrines tina, they
could not understand, they refused to
believe. There are many like them to.
day. Then, too, Christ who knew their