Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-12-16

duty is plain. Our hope of the fulfill
ment of Gods promises is contingent
upon our subordination to His will
He tells us to follow Him. He does
not say. follow church, doctrine, priest,
or preacher, but follow me-" the per-
son. The church will wake up some
day to realize that there is more in
these words than is recognized to-day.
If Jesus were here to-day, He would
visit the sick and help the poor, and all
of us may take notes of ourselves at
this juncture, and see if we are follow
ing Him. Well might He talk of crosses
and self-denial, He who gave up His
precious life for us.
Il stated last Sunday" continued the
preacher, that the so-called polite So
ciety, good society, is not Christian.
Society does not invite Jesus. 1t goes
where Jesus is not expected. Have you
ever heard of the society people of
Wheeling inviting some good minister
to open a progressive euchre party with
prayer? Have you ever heard of them
inviting minister to offer up prayer
before a dance? Have you ever heard
of them asking a minister to open with
prayer some production in the theatre?
Why have they not done it? Because
society has not lost its self-respect. If
society were flagrantly infidel they
would do that. The night before Harry
Hayward was hung, he said: This is
the last supper A refined criminal
would not have said that. l am glad to
know that society is too refined to trife
wit nil
the God of humanity. Ii society goes
where Christ does not, it does not follow
Christ, and therefore is not Christian.
"The fact is, the greatest enemy OF
Christ in America is polite society.
Christ was crucified by church mem
bers. They said they would not have
man who made such conditions and
demands. And so polite society. when
Jesus calls them to give up their God
less pleasures, fold their arms, and say
no sir, and they stand as a solid wall
in the way of God.
If all this is true, where is society
going? Not to heaven. l want to say
as tenderly as l know how, to the So
ciety people of Wheeling, as you love
your souls, take up your cross, give
Jesus your hearts, and follow Him.
But some will say, Dr. Riker, do you
want TO rob us of al our pleasures.
Suppose | would answer yes? Was not
Christ's life pathway of thorns from
the cradle to the grave, and he saws.
follow me?" But on the other hand.
He has said to His disciples, MY joy |
give to you" You society people who
think you are having a good time. are
like a blind man in an art gallery.
You might regale yourself with the per-
fume OF some fragrant flower, but all
the beauties of the canvass, and the
sculptured art, are dead. to you. You
are like deaf man at a concert. You
see the orchestra, see the mouths open
and shut, but the crowd is there for
music, and there is no music for your
ears. When you put your lives in
ChristS hands, He awakens your spir-
itual senses, and as you behold the
glories of Christ, there comes a joy to
your soul which is foretaste of the
joys to come. Society pleasures are
like dead sea fruit They are bright
10 the eyes, but turn to ashes on the
lips. You are following a will-o'-the-
wisp that will lead you to the boys and
fens, but never to Christ. l beg you
TO surrender to Christ, and enter into
the joys of the Lord"