The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-09-29
A Debt-Paying Religion.
BY REV D q. FUTILE.

just at this time our coCotTy neeos
religion that will make man pay
his debts. Shouting don't settle old
potes aud accounts With God aud man
Cash mp We want to pouoce right
on a fellow asd pot him out Of church
if he goes to ball, or theatre, or gets
on a drunk, but never say word to
the pious scamp who never pays his
debts. Preachers aud people who
never pay their debts are doing the
Church more harm than dance aud
dranakrds-shere are more OF them 10
tue Church. Reader, am [ getting
close to you? Then lay down the paper
and go and pay up, aud then you can
read on with ease
And doD's you stop paying because
the s.s.asute of limitation" excuses
the open account you made for your
bread and meat Gods Law knoWa no
such statute. You pay It 10 cash, or
God will make you pay it 10 fre and
birthstone. God knows no such ex'
cuse from psyiog as Homestead s1-
enp.iou." you raise sha. excuse TO
keep from paying your debts. and ycu
can stop singing. when can read
Inv titles clear to mansions 10 the
s''-yon've got nope ep there
You may say: II would pay if |
could. How hard bave you trleds
Ie trying. at this moment, could you
say: II have done all in my power!'
Have you tried to save q little each
week or month for debts7 Are you
spending no money for things to eat
and wear that ycu could not do With
oas? How much do you spend per
year for cigars and tobacco! ! Make
your calculation. Put the amount to
your debts. Do you .eat daiDties and
luxuries? /? Palmer diet would keep you
from making doctors's bill that you
won't pay. and bring up bank accounts.
Do you s.rnt about Nth an umbrella
over your head. while your creditor
walks 10 the broiling sun? Don't you
cut shjoes 10 hired turnouts maybe
they are not paid for) when you might
walk. aud use the money to make your
creditor smile A palmer suit would
be more becoming till you can pay for
those worn out last season. When ex-
pepses no. necessary for the feeding
and clothing of the body are cut off and
applied to the payment Of debts, then
Jou will grow 10 favor With God. aud
not till then does God excuse you.
Repentance on this point must be OF
that godly sort that needeth got to be
repented Of. Reader, we're you sorry
that you had not paid your debts
when you made profession Of
religion? If you we're rot that
Is just why you have not got
a debt paying religion True repent
ance has retroactive as we'll as pro
specsive effect ,oo the life of the be-
liever. He will as far as possible make
good his past wrongs Many new coo-
verts sing, Jesus paid it all, I'll to
Him lowe" No such thing! Jesus
did not pay it all; neither do you owe
it all to Him. II the week before you
we're converted you owed ten dollars
and you we're able to pay it. and you
.owe tbat neiehbor ten dollars yet,
Jesus did not pay that for you. If you
doD': pay that debt it will meet you at
your judgment just as sure as you are
a sinner II is Gean in you to expect
Jesus ,c pay debts for You that ycu
can pay yourself. If you have a
Christian heart in you. tbiok how
moch Jesus paid for you that ycu
never could have me, at Gods lar CT
icfsxible justice Soue people 'hiok
thar the cleansing stream of Jesus's
blood washed Sinai away acd / delnged
the Law No sucb thing Jesus
came not to destroy. but to fulfill and
gave grace ,ha, We through Hin might
fulfill. Jesus everywhere entorces tue
Com uapdments as the rule Of life
At the close Of our great revival at
Fifth Street Church two years ago, a
puuber of young men cane to me to
know is they ought to 60 ard pay
bills that they had made at barrooms
for vhiskey. &c. told them to lowe
them nothing y 'tlet not your good
be evil spoken ot''-give the devil bis
dues Ali Of those young men. save
one OF two, went aud paid up those
bad debts, and have bad no more.
Tboae who could not see that it was
their duty to pay those debts, have
returned to their old paths, aud their
second state is worse than the Grst
Then let the whole Church pray for
a revival of the debt paying religion