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

seem to know that with all this the
lives of the generality OF profes sing
Christians are almost as different from
the standard OF Jesus Chris. as light is
from darkness.
B. They make distinction between
those requirements OF God thai are
strongly enforced by public sentiment
ana muse ina are not thus guarded.
They arc very rupulous In observing
such requirement, Us public sentiment
distinctly favors, while they easily set at
aougn6 those winch public sentiment
doas not EMO. CO. You nave illustrstions
o. ILLS on every side. | mention the
temperance reformation. How many
t0ere are VINO yieid 10 pn olic sentimentin
This matter what The .never would yield
To Cd or man A. first they waited to
see how il wou turn. They resisted
giving up ardent spirits. But when that
oecame popular. and they found they
cou do we'll win, ol her d, coholic stimu
l.nts, they gave it up. But they ore
deter mined 10 yield no farther than
public sentiment drives them, They
sho1 that 1t is not their object, in join
ing the temperance society, to carry OUT
the reform, so as to clay the monster In
emperance; but their object is to main
tain good character. They "love the
pratse of men more than the praise of
Col"
See how many individuals there are
who keep the Sabbath, not because they
love Gcd, but because it IL respec tai le
This is manifest, because they keep it
while they are among their acquaint-
ances, or where they are known. But
when they get where they ara not
known, or where 1t will not be public
Disgrace, you will find them travellir G
on the Sabbath.
All those sins that are reprobated by
public opinion this class Of persons alb
stain from, bus they do other things just
rs bad which are not thus frowned on
They do those duties which are enforced
by public opinion, but not those that are
less enforced They will not stay away
from public worship on the Sabbath, be-
cause they could not main sain any repu
tation for religion at oil if they did
But they neglect thugs that are just as
perem ptorily enioined in the word Of
God When an individual habisually
disobeYs any command OF God, knowing
1T to be such, it is just as certain as his
soul lives, that the obedience he appears
to render, is not from regard Of Gods
authority, or love 10 God, but from other
motives He does not in fac., obey any
command OF God The aposslo has
settled this uestion. whatsoever" says
ne, shall Keep the whole law, and
offend In one point, Is guilty Of all :"
tina. is, does not truly keep any one pre-
cspt Of the law. Obedience TO Gods
commands Inc plies an obedient state o.
heart, and therefore noshing is obedi
ence that does not imply u supreme re-
gard to the authority Of God Now, ii
mans aeart b. right, then Whatever G I'd
enJoins he regards as OF more import
anco than lnything else. And If a man
regard anything else OF superior weight
TO Gods authority, that is his idol
Whatever we supremely regard-that Is
our god; whether il DO repu ca ton, or
comfort, or richee, or honor, or Whatever
1T IL that we regard supremely. that Is
the god of our hearts. Whatever mans
reason may be for .habitually neglecting
anything which he knows to be the COM
mand OF God, or that ne sees TO ba re-
CURED to promote the kingdom OF Christ,
there is demonstration absolute that
he regards that as supreme. There is
nothing acceptable to God in any OF his
services. Rest assured, all his religion
IL The religion of public sentiment. II
ne neglects anything required by the
law OF God, because he can PASS along In
neglect, and public sentiments does not
enJoln 1t; or IL he does other things in
consistent with the law Of God, merely
because public opinion does req uire it, IL
Is simple mater Of fact, tuas it Is
pubic sentiment to which he yields
obedience, i'll all his conduct, and not
regard to the glory OF God.
now is 1t with you, beloved? Do you
ia ia oltnaiiy neglect any requirement of
GCuI because it is not SUSTAINED and on.
forced 10y public sentiment? II YOU are
professor OF religion, /. ia to be pre-.
sumed you do not neglect any REQUIRE.
ment that Is strongly urged by public |
sentiment But, how Is IL with others
10 you not habisually neglect some
uutles Do you not live in some prac.
lces reputable among men. that you
Emo" TO be contrary to the law of God /