Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1897-07-23
CLEANSING
ONES WAY.

hand. millions in stocks ard bonds
VIII not equal in worth the removal
Of one Jagged stone from neighbor's
way, all the rank of office and social
position Is insignificant, this word
being Witness, by he side of his in
strumcntality in making one vice
od:Ous IN his community. Here am
!, Lord, anil TIE chjlIJen HOu gacest
me- - Tie German myth which APP
pears IN so many forms contains the
essence of the truth. The humble
soul who approaches the gate of
Heaven is met aud welcomed in. by
the redeemed spirit Of some one he
had helped on earth.
But. wherewithal shall a young
man cleanse his way? The answer
is, by taking heed thereto according
90 tiny word. Now, | hold that the
'Nvay' in question Is not by any
means that essentially religions life
only to which some would probably
restrict the teaching, but unqnestiOn-
ably, it means our entire relationship
to God and man. TO take heed to
ones way according to Gods word,
Is to bring ones whole conduct, as
professional, social, individual, and
christian man, as father, brother,
husband, neighbor, friend. compan-
ion. employer or employed as youth,
man or hoary head up to the gauge
of Gods law, to make it the God
graded highway Of all life. We are
too willing to recognize Cots word
which is applicable to Sunday life
but which must be left outside the
Office door eve can be religiously exact
in paying God the tithe of our meaus
provided we can use the nine tenths
rs 'ce please; we garble and twist
his Cci.y ,cOrd of God into self
interpreted special code or sliding
scale of righteousness, which forbidS
Us to 90 certain things because il
has happened to mention them. and
+ permits as to engage III multitude
Of questionable things because it has
notln letter forbidden them
This is no law-book such as a hu.
man legislature draws up with its
4 cdicts and provisoS, lis eXtenuating
eli cumstauces and its dead letter.
( conflicting cnactments and scale of
criminahty. No, the law to which
We are to give heed is an alert CON
science, 01r0kenedudeed by the prob
ings of this Bible, but trained in our
e intact with men. by our researches
into the realmes of knowledge, by
. our successes and failures rs respon-
slble agents The law which | am 10
heed does not prescribe my fashion
oi dress or tell me how many Jewels
| may wear on my person, but il
strictly lorbids my becoming an occa.
sion of stumbling to my brother il
ocs not forbid my amusing myself
with this or that pastime, but it de
uiauds that abstain from even the
app, arance OF evil; and when it does
say thou shalt not steal, thou shalt
not kill. thou shalt not commit adul
ter, il knows no distinction Of petit
larceny and grand larceny, of pecula
ton, fraud, theft and robbery, and its
penalty is as severe for inchastity OF
Thought or tongue as for open turpi
tude of life.
This. then, is the doctrine AL
revelation shows me how / am relat
ed to God and what claims INV
brother man has upon me; my guide
to living in accordance with that
responsibility is conscience quick
ened by this word and by my init
macy with God; cleansing my way
as youth, or as developed mar
is maintaining that conscience void
OF offenSe before God and man"
1 would not advise the young
man to form h06itS, good or bad
Habits are like ruts in the road
announcement, Enthusiastically, and
wearing to ones self, and full of risk
for those who follow us. Rather,
have within yOu G0ing alarm, a
delicate monitor, that enlightened
conscience of which [ speak, which
will respond to every whispered
inquiry, and adjust itself to every
eXigency. Character is not bun
die of habits as some one has as
serted, but an organized growth
every branch and stem and leaf and
flower and fruit of which has beer