The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1895-09-29

applause of mon. The men thst gave
up ardent spirits because public, opin-
ion rendered it necessary, will give up
vino also, whenever q public sentiment
sufficiently powerful shall demand H.;
and not till thon.
/ II. They are more anxious to know
what are the opinions of mon about
them, than to know what is Gods opin-
ion OF them.
|; II one OF this class is o minister, and
breaches sermon, he Is more anxious
to know what the people thought of 1t,
thsn TO know what God thought of it.
And Ii he makes anything like failure,
the disgrace of 1t with men outs him
ten times more than the thought that
he has dishonored God, or hindered the |
salvation OF souls. just 80 with an |
elder. or q member of the church, of |
this class. Ii he prays in meeting. or
exhorts, he Ia more concerned to know |
what Is thought Of IL, than TO know how |
God ts pleased. Brother, is this you? |
III such . one has some secret sin |
found out. he is vastly more distressed
about 1t because he is disaraced than !
because God Is dishonored Or IL he
fall into open sin, when he comes to BIO |
met with 1t, he cares as much again
about the disgrace as about the sin OF it.
They are more anxious about their
appearance in the evea of the world
than In the eyes OF God. Females of
this character are vastly more anxious,
| when they go to church, how the body
shall appear in the eyes OF men, than
| how the heart shall appear in the eyes
| OF esod. Such one will be all the
week engaged in getting everything in
order, 80 as to make her person appear
to advantage, and perhaps will not
spend half an hour in her closet, to pre-
| hp nd
his courts. Every body can see, at q
glance, what this religion is, the mo-
ment 1t Is held up to Wow. Nobody il
at loss to say what that mans OF that
woman's name is-it Is hypocrite. They
| will go into the house OF God with their
hearts dark as midnight, while every
thing in their external appearance Ia
comedy and decent. They must appear
we'll In the eyes of men, no matter how
that part is on which God fiXee his eve.
The heart may be dark, and disordered,
and polluted, and they care not, SO long
as the eye OF man detects no blemish.
IL. They refuse to confess their sins
| in the manner which the law of God
requires, less they should lose their
reputation among men.
II they are required to make confess.
sion OF more than they think consistent
with their reputation, they ara more
anxious how it will affect their char
acter, than to know whether God ia
satisfied.
Search your hearts, you that have
made confessions, and see which most
Affects your minds, the question what
| GOD thought OF IL, Or what men thought
| OF 1T. Have you refused TO confess what
| you knew God required, because IL
would hurt your reputation among men?
will not God judge your hearts? Only
be- honest now and let it be answered.
l3 They will yield to custom what
they know to be injurious to the cause
OF religion, and to the welfare of man
kind.
IA. They are often ASHAMED" to do
their duty, and so much ashamed thst
they will not do 1t. =
Now when person Is SO much
ashamed to do what God requires as not
to do It, 1t Is plain that his own reputa
ton is his idol. How many do you find
who are ashamed to acknowledge Jesus
Christ, ashamed to prove sin in high
places or low places, ashamed to speak
out when religion is assailed II they
supremely regard God, could they ever
be ashamed OF doing their duty? Sup
pose mans wife were eliminated,
would he be ashamed to defend his
wife? BY no means. II his children
were abused, would he be ashamed TO
take their part? Not IL he loved them;
II would not be shame that would deter
him from defending his wife or children
II man was friendly to the admins
tration of the government of his coun-
try, and heard il eliminated. would he
be ashamed to defend it? He might
not think 1t expedient to speak, for
other reasons; but II he was t5ue friend
to the government, he would not be
eh cd ~ hnh
| where.
Now such persons as + am speaking of,
will not take decided ground when they
are among the enemies OF truth. where
they would be subject to reproach for
doing it. They are very bold for the
truth when among its friends, and will
make great display OF their courage
But when put to the trial, they will sell
the Lord Jesus Christ, or deny him be-
fore his enemies, and put him to open
shame, rather than rebuke wickedness,
or speak out in this cause among HE
| enemies.
&c. They are opposed to all encroach.
mems On their self-indulgence, by ad-
vancing light on practical subjects
They are much disturbed by every
new proposal that drs US on their purses
| or bres in upon their habitual self
indulgence. And you may talk as much,
and preach as much In favor OF 1t as you
please, there is only one way to reach
this kind Of people, and this is by Gre
ating new public sentiment. When
! you have brought over, by the power of
benevolence and conscience, sufficient
number in the community to create
| public sentiment in Its favor. then they
| will adopt your new proposals, and not
before.
II. They are always distressed nt