The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1894-05-18
PerilOus Times.
j. W. HAMILTON.

declared that in the last days perilous
times should come. He gave no less
than twenty marks by which those times
should be known. BY reading and care
fully considering these as they are given
in the third chapter of second Timothy
none need be deceived as to those days.
Hear them: For men shall be lovers of
their own selves, cOvetuous, boosters,
proud, blasphemers, disObedient to pa
rents, unthankful. uDhOly, without natu-
raj affection, trucebreakers, false ac-
cusers. incontirent, fierce, despisers of
those that are good, traitors. heady,
highmiaded, lovers of pleasures more
than lovers of God, having form of
godliness, but denying the power there
of: from such turn away"
There never was a time since the days
of Paul when all these characteristics
pertaining to the last days, as given by
the apostle, were more plainly visible
than at the present time. Everything of
which the apostle, speaks in the Scrip
ture quoted above has weil-nigh come to
perfect fulfillment in this nineteenth
century. Paul did not mean that this
state of things should exist alone in the
the ranks OF infidelity and skepticism.
He declared that it would exist among
those who call themselves Christians, as
signilied in the words: ''Having form
of goodness" Heaven help us, for We
certainly need help. to withstand such
awful influences.
Perilous times are these. The moral
atmosphere is impregnated with deadly
miasmitics. One can hardly take in a
pure draught of spiritual air. Indeed be
cannot unless he lives up in the mountain
where the air is ''pure. ETHEREAL" and it
is good thing that in spirit the soul can
dwell there. Who that has considered
things religiOusly, SOCIALLY ana pOliti-
cally as they now exist. does not feel that
it is almost like stemming the current of
Niagara to stem the tide Of all those
forces named by st. Paul: What a
mighty current of uugodliness for Gods
saints to row against. Notice a few of
the characters spoken of:
'sTraitors." men and women turning
traitor to the God whom they profess to
love, to their brethren, their vows which
they took upon themselves when they
entered the Christian ranks, to the truth
and the issues growing out Of the truth,
and still claiming to be loyal Christians
hating those who would seek to have
things 90 In the channel which the river
of true holiness has cut through the midst
of this fallen world. ''They hate him that
rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him
that speaketh uprightly. Amos $40.
"Heady, high-minded," pulled up in
themselves, not only because of their
particular church relations, but because
of their superior(C knowledge of things
classical, historical, etc. OF course this
class of individuals would not for one
moment have the world think that they
were heady or high minded. Yet their
every movement indicates high minded
ness. 1t is perilous matter to live in
the presence of such contagious in
fluences.
"Lovers of pleasures more than lovers
of God" When were the characteristics
of the perilous times Of the last DAYS
more clearly marked than at the present:
Behold the almest universal manifesto
lions of the love of pleasure more than
the love of God on the part of professed
Christians. Those who truly love the
Lord deny themselves, take up their
cross and follow him. None others love
the Lord, let their pretensions to love be
what they may. ''This is the love of
God, that we keep his commandments"
Il John 5 3. Behold the pleasure seek.
ing ministry and membership of the
churches. 1t would almost appear from
what is seen that the archives of hell
have been ransacked In order to find in
ventions wherewith to please the pro-
fessors of godliness. And bow fexrfully
they have succeeded in inventlng schemes
with which to satiate the craving of the
lovers Of pleasures. Thispieasure-lov.
ing multitude love fashion, style. pomp,
'smiuciug." gayety, pleasure. excursions,
league associations, suppsrs, festivals,
church fairs, secret societies, club rooms,
etc., more than they love God; more
than they leve the prayer and class meet
ing.
..Having . form Of godliness. but
denying the power thereof They
preach, pray and sing. but at the same
time deny the power Of God to save from
all sin and from the love Of the world.
What are they saved from: Are they
! not Is carnal - evers and do they not
walk Is men Of the world? Do hey ever
measure up to the moral standard Of
some morslIstsi L there any difsrsoce
between their ways and appearances and