The record-union., 1895-01-21

mai; that he is IN no way responsible for
what he is in this world, no more than
for the color of his hair; or, as Emerson
has put 1T, ''men are what their mothers
made them'; or, as Voltaire has said,
Every thing is done by immutable laws
and our destiny is already recorded"
Let them believe that if there is God he
is not concerned about the affairs of men,
but, as the backsliden Hebrews put it,
lie will not do good, neither will he do
evil" Cast doubt upon the future state,
and on mans accountability to God, and
you prepare the way for the question as
to whether life is worth the living.
| With such disparaging views of God
and man, and the future life, 1t is not
strange that blatant intidels express sur
prise that "incurables, whose very breath
is a pang, and for whom the future has
only pain, should fear the merci ful touch
of DEATH"
Such views prepare the way for sui
cIdes, and whoever disregards his own
! lie Will not and cannot have high esti-
mate of the life of another. Hence the
| frequent homicides followed by suicides.
Voltaire understood thes necessary rela-
ton of belief to conduct, and il is said that
at one time when visiting friend began
talking atheism in the presence Of one of
his servants he was silenced with this re-
mark: Il don't want my throat cut to-
| night"
! There is no better test of the measure
| OF the civilization of any people than the
estimate they put upon human life. The
! lowest Darbarlsm is caDnibaliSn, which,
Bishop Taylor says, may be seen in some
parts OF the Dark Continent to-day.
Human flesh is sold III the market the
| same as any other meat. On the other
| hand the highest civilization viii be
! found where man is looked upon as the
work manShip, of God, created in His
N L. Srlir nd
moral nature a prophecy of the Goldman,
the Creator, III the creature; the Divine
in the human. therefore capable of know
ing and loving and enjoying God; en-
doWed with the power OF volitiOn, there
fore responsible and accountable to his
Creator, ana put into this world for pro-
batlon-for mission preparatory to the
| lite beyond.
With such view Of man and his reia-
tionship to God and the lite beyond, hu-
man life will be sacredly guarded. 70
smite down a being created in Gods
image would be the highest sacrilege.
Therefore the Lord said: "Whosoever
slayeth Cain vengeance shall be taken on
him seventold; and your blood of your
lives will require; at the hand of every
beast Will l require it, and at the hand Of
man,
Moreover, that One in whose hand are
the issues of life has given man his exist
OHSO iiOl 2 IOI d NlSG anu llODIo purpose.
| We glorify Him not only by doing, but
by suffering His will. Who but the One
who gave it can tell when this life should
! end? VINO dare assume the fearful re-
! sponsIblllty OF cutting short mans pro-
! baton?
| What is needed to-day to regulate soci-
ETY. is law and gospel. The one is of God,
the same as the other. Law Tor the pun
ishment of eviI-doers and the protection
OF society from the vicious and vile. But
law can never reform society. Therefore,
we need the gospel of love, with its great
remedial agencies through Christ, to save
men from sin and change their hearts and
| lives.
1t is not enough to send the policeman
with his CLUB, but the minister of grace
and mercy as well. The great Method
lsuc revival, says DIR. Cairns, saved
England from a bloody revolution such
as caused the streets OF Paris to flow with
human blood. Such a revival would go
| Tar toward regulating society to-day.
May the Lord hasten it in His time.