Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-01-27

mon sense they put in that one direction.
and they succeed. But how seldom It Is
true in the matter OF seeking alter 0odI
While no man expects to accomplish xny-
thing for this world without concensra-
tion and enthusiasm how many are there
expecting after q while to get into the
kingdom Of God without the use OF any
such means.
Again, remark: We want more common
sense In the building up and enlargtng OF
our Christian character. There are men
who have for forty years been running the
Christian race, and they haven't run
quarter of milei No business man would
be willing to have his investments unac-
cumulative. If you invest dollar you ex-
pect that dollar to come home bringing an
other dollar on its back. What would you
think OF man who should invest $40 900
in a monetary institution, then go OH for
five years, make Lao inquiry IN regard TO
the investment, then come back, step up to
the cashier of the institution and say:
"Have you kept those S1O,0 safely that
lodged with your" but asking no question
about interest or dividend? Why, you say,
THAT is not common sense" Neither Is 1t,
but that is the way we act In matters OF the
soul. We make q far more important In
soul. It is accumulative? Are we growing
In grace? Are we getting better? Are we
getting worse? God declares many divi-
dends, but we do not collect them; we do
not want them. Oh, that in this matter of
accumulation we we're as wise In the mat
ters of the soul : we are In the matters OF
the world!
How little common sense in the reading
of the Scripturesl We get any other book,
and we open 1t, and We say, 'Now what
does this book mean to teach me? 1t Is a
book on astronomy; it will teach me as
l. l. L. y1Nlt nnI
omy; 1t will teach me political economy.
Taking up this Bible, do we ask ourselves
what it means to teach? 1t means to do
just one thing, get the world converted and
get US all to heaven. That Is what 1t pro-
poses to do. But instead Of that we go
into the Bible as botanists to pick flowers,
or we go as pugilists to get something to
fight other Christians with, or we go as
logicians trying to sharpen our mental
faculties for better argument, and we do
not like this about the Bible and we do not
like that, and we do not like the other
thing.
How little we use common sense in
prayerl We say, "Oh. Lord, give methis,"
and ooh, Lord, give me that" and "Oh,
Lord, give me something else" and we do
not expect to get 1t, or getting it, we do
not know we have 1t. We have no anxiety
about it. We do not watch and wait for its
coming. AS a merchant, you telegraph or
you write to some other city for bill Of
goods. You say, 'Send me by such ex-
press, or by such a steamer, or by such q
rail-train.'' The day arrives. You send
your wagon to the depot or to the wharf.
The goods do not come. You Immediately
telegraph, "What is the matter with those
goods? We haven't received them. Send
them right away. We want them now. or
we don't want them at all" And you keep
writing, and you keep telegraphing, and
keep sending your wagon to the depot,
or to the express office, or to the wharf,
until you get the goods. In matters OF
religion we are not so wise as that. We
ask certain things to be sent from heaven.
We do not know whether they come or not.
We have not any special anxiety as to
whether they come or not. We may get
them and we may not get them. Instead OF
Mt Z o'clock in the morning saying, "Have
/ got that blessing2" ut IL O'Clock, noon
day, asking, "Have I got that blessing?"
at 7 O'Clock in the evening saying. Have
received that blessing?" and not getting It,
pleading, pleading-begging, begging
asking, asking until you get 1t. Now, my
brethren, is not that common sense? If we
ask thing from God, who has sworn by
His eternal throne that He will do that
which we ask is 1t not common sense that
we should watch and wait until we get 1t?
But remark again: We want more COM
mon sense in doing good. oh, how many
people there are who want to do good, and
they are dead failures! Why is it? They
do not exercise the same tact, the same in
ganuity. the same strategem, the same
common sense in the work of Christ that
they do in worldly things. Otherwise they
would succeed in this direction as we'll as
they succeed in the other. There are many
men who have an arrogant way with them,
although they may not feel arrogant in
their soul. Or they have patronizing
way. They talk to n man Of the world in q
manner which seems to say: "Dont you
wish you were as good as I am? Why,
have to look clear down before I can see
you, YOU are so far beneath me-" That
manner always disgusts. always drives
men from the kingdom Of Jesus Christ, in
stead of bringing them in.
Suppose some business man in whose
skill you had perfect confidence should
tell you that tomorrow. Monday morning,
between II and IL o'clock, you could by
certain financial transaction make $4,000,
but that on Tuesday perhaps you might
make it, but there would not be any posi-
tiveness about it, and on Wednesday there
would not be so much, and Thursday less,
Friday less, and so on less and less-when
would you attendto the matter? Why, your
common sense would dictate, "Imme-
diately, will attend to that matter, be-
tween IL and 12 O'Clock tomorrow, Mon
day morning, for then can surely &C.
complish it, but on Tuesday I may not,
and on Wednesday there is less prospect
and less and less, and I will attend
to it tomorrow. Now. let us bring
our common sense in this matter
of religion. Here are the hopes OF
the Gospel. We may get them now. To.
morrow We may get them. Next day we
may and we may not. The prospect lese
and less and less and less. The only sure
time now-now. would not talk to you
in this way if did not know that Christ
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