The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-08-03

q SAS 80 AAS~
pute it is a sin to not do when you
know what Is right, what is duty, wha.
it is to do good. 1t is surely a sin to
any one to know to do good and yet
faileth to do It,. There is no getting
around this. II We go back a few
verses We see more clearly what the
apostle is writing about in this part
Of his letter. He Is rebuking presump-
tion-a forgetfulness Of God. He says
there are those who are prone to say
what they are going to do as if they
had lease on life, had their days in
their own hands and could plan and
execute leaving God out of the count.
This complete denial Of an o~ver-ruling
Providence Is a sin without excuse.
They say, forgetting God: To-day or
tomorrow we will go into such a city,
and continue there a yea and buy
and sell, and get gain" Here God is
not considered, is not SO much as
thought Of. This is the way worldly
men talk. God is not once in all their
thought. We will do, we will 90, we
will get. Their will, their wishes are
sufficient, and God is dethroned. But
the apostle teaches better and wiser
than this. He says: Whereas We
know not what shall be on the NOR
row." Man appoints, God d~isappoints.
Man plans, God illustrates. For what
is your life? It is wen a vapor, that
appeareth for a little time, and then
vanisheth away" 1t is indeed unsta-
bic, uncertain, this thing you call life.
It is here today and gone tomorrow.
1t is the most uncertain Of all uncertain
things. How foolish then for a man to
talk of what he will do, what his plans
for the year or the next year are. For
thai We ought to say, If the Lord will,
we shall live, and do this, or that"
That is the language Of common n
as we'll as of humility and obedience.
1t recognizes Gods power, omnipres-
ence, providence. It is becoming in a
vanishing creature whose days are full
of uncertainty and whose life here may
cease at any moment. It should move
all men to remember God in this mat
ter of intention and determination
they should think within themselves
in every purpose or plan for the COM
ing day hat they may not live to see
the morrow much less the consumma-
ton Of plans. All should remember
God in every movement, and consider
thai each life ''is even a vapor, that ap-
,ooro+l For n HELL %ipoo onH thor xyo n
isheth away If men would have God
in all their thoughts they would not
be so sinful and unwise. They would
not be so defiant and self-resolved. For
protesting Christians to dare to offend
by forgetting God, and planning in a
spirit of neglect and independence is
without excuse and is full Of peril. The
apostle James says hat we all ought
to say:"If the Lord will, we shall live,
and do this, or that" This is the man.
ner of speech of dependence, Of loyalty,
of decOrum, Of trust. The Christian
may not neglect here. To do so is sin,
for he knows better, he knows what is
right, is becoming. He is guilty Of sin
~ NV oOAAi6 NO LAC ShONAN Nv
done. Those who do know and neglect
duty have the most to answer for.
Therefore to him that knoweth to do
good, and doeth it not, to him it is sim"
This is a little preachment not without
point. 1t is to warn against a failure
ID do what you now ought to be done
to remember God in all your ways.
It is to warn you not to rejoice in
your boastings; all such rejoicing is
evil."(verse 16.) It is a great offence
and sin against Gods doubly sinful
in their sin-for persons confident in
themselves, "to rejoice in their boast
ings," to glory in what they mean to
do feeling within the pride Of success
and the assurance of self-power to dc,
and all by their wisdom Inc strength
A such rejoicing is evil" Shun it.
Learn to do we'll. Say in all things,
eff God wilT' or eff God be pleased to
grant it," It is o and He alone who
can make all things work together for
our good. May He teach us to look to
Him in all things and for all blessings!