The Newtown bee., 1895-03-15

I see it.
 This band of Christian disciples was attracting much attention just now in Jerusalem. The wonderful miracles wrought by the Apostles gained the fa- vor of the people against all the protes- tations of the mighty Sanhedrin. A brilliant future seemed opened to this new sect. Their pure and noble lives, too, doubly conspicuous by the surround ing looseness of morals, could not but win genuine admiration even from those not disposed to unite with the party.
 Now all this had it's effect upon Ananias and Sapphira. They belonged to family of good standing, respected in the community. When the current of popular favor was setting toward the Christian disciples, the reputation of their family demanded that they should look also that way. They joined the looking at only one side, the social posi- Jion it would bring them. When illus trious examples of benevolence were an everyday occurrence, Ananias and Sapphira, who were known in the church as well-to-do people, could not maintain their responsibility without exhibiting something of the same spirit. As first step they sold their land. But, no soon- CT was the money in their possession, 
 gan to reason:
 "WHAT WE ARE AIMING AT is a good name among these people. That we can gain just as well by giving portion of the proceeds as by giving all. Whats the use of robbing ourselves of everything?'' But they overreached themselves. They were not content to
 be known as generous equally with the others. They wanted their names to be on everyone's lips as the most generous givers of all. They gave a part, but they pretended to give all.
 Is this sin never repeated now? Re- peated? The question almost seems asked in derision. What is the most glaring sin of this age? Is it not hypoc- risy, pretending to be what we are not, claiming reputation for that to which we have not a shadow of right. Not
 one word would l say against every man appearing at tis very best, always putting the best foot forward, making himself stand in the very best light in everything he does, in word, making
 the most of himself always, everywhere.
 That is Christians duty and the duty of every man. We are on dress parade all the time and cannot afford to do a single thing that is mean. But there is wide distinction between that and pur- posely seeking in every way to go under
 false colors, to present masked front to the world.
 The little girl, taken from a large ten- l ement in New York City through the
 benevolence of the Fresh Air Fund to
 the house of plain farmer in the cen
 tral part of New York State, who, on
 the second day of her stay, informed the good housewife, quite unused to city ways, that at home she played upon a Steinway grand piano, which was after wards found to be toy piano of only five keys, this little girl has had imita-
 tors in many older people, who, at fashionable summer hotels, have
 magnified their plain unpretentious dwellings into palaces that would rival the abodes of Fifth avenue millionaires. l This idea of pretending to be more than | we really are is thought especially ap- | propriate for Christians to consider. There is a whole sermon wrapt up in the term which expresses our public act of enlisting in Christ's army, "profession of faith" We profess to be something and rightly so. We pretend to be and to do
 more than others, and rightly SO. | So we cannot profess complete consecra- l tion and keep back part of the price. We cannot join with the other members in a l sacred covenant to support the services ! LII OUu uOucG anu bhCu SiOHCSUty ElNC Gc | the Lord some paltry excuse for remain i ing st home, or let some fancied need of | ours stand in the way of our conscien- ! tious giving to the Lord fully in accor- ! dance with our means.
 WE CANNOT STAND
 upon the plane of loyalty to our Master, before whose Heavenly greatness all our | social differences in life are as anthills beside the Himalayas, and then unblush- ingly fail to recognize anyone who hap. pens to be inferior to us in wealth or ed | ucation or influence.
 ''And kept back part of the price, These two early disciples failed of be-
 coming true Christians, failed of thor.
 ough acceptance with God, aye, worse, infinitely worse than that, not only ut terly failed of their cherished scheme ot
 being in high repute as noble philanthro phists, but they-God forbid that we who are so little worthy should harshly judge, but, reading the narrative as il
 stands, how can we allow anything else!
 they completely failed of Heaven. And so, in all these long ages since, have
 multitudes failed of becoming Christians
 because they were guilty of this, bring, ing only part of the price. They open. l ly acknowledged the claims of Christian. | tbyS DCCduIC IubClC5bCu dUOut the interests of their soul, even sought
 an open profession of their faith; but just before this point was reached, like l Ananias, they drove a sharp business
 bargain and fell back. Yes, they would obey some of Gods laws; they would dc no murder, commit no theft, keep holily
 the Sabbath day, owe no man anything. yes, they would be excellent moral men,
 men of whom everyone speaks well, men
 everyone respects, men of irreproachab1e character: but, when it came to the com.
 mand, ''Give me thine heart," to the re. quirement of confessing Christ before
 mer, why, that was the part of the price of becoming Christian that they would
 not pay. They must keep that back.
 What sad reflection How many you
 and I can recall of those we once knew
 who were "almost persuaded" to be
 Christians, and would have been, had ii not been for just one thing! Ohi that
 vast army of noble young men, fine fel. l lows, fine specimens of physical man.
 hood, young men who would honor and
 benefit any cause they might champion
 who, in the midst of their earnest life,
 almost become Christian; but they are
 of an Investigating turn of mind, they count the cost Of the undertaking, they
 weigh the demands of Christ and say he asks too much. They will do all but
 this, bear the ridicule of former compan. l ions; show themselves Christians wher. ever they go, in the show as well as in the church; attend two services on Sum- day when the fine weather invites to the park; read the Bible daily when there are so many tempting novels and time for reading is so short tell their chums about their new resolve j-yes, they will give up all their old
 habits of living and do anything required of them but this, the part of the price of being a Christian they must keep back.