The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-08-07

you meanT' cried the Inadel. "only
this" replied the poor peasant, that
believing the Bible and acting upon t.
Is like having two strings to ones bow;
for II It Is not true, shall be better
man for having lived according to 1t
and 80 1t will be for my good in life
this Is one string to my bow and II It
should be true, It will be better for me
in the next llfe-that is another string,
and a pretty strong one it is. But, sir,
II you do not believe in the Bible and
on that account do not live as IT re-
qulres. you have not one string to your
bow"
Another fallacy is that the church at
large is doing but little good. And The
world would be as well on without it."
Another new discovery. How broad
must be the vision Of such a person rs
as the one that makes this declaration.
The church like other institutions
makes mistakes, and these mistakes
would stlll be made and probably in a
larger measure If these opponents were
her members. There may be hypocries
in the church and It would be strange
II there were none, seeing the church is
forced to do her work In communities
where dwell these opponents who never
build up but would tear down. The
hypocrite in the church is not as bad,
from one standpoint, as the hypocrite
out of the church. He confesses his
weakness while the one Of the outside
seldom or never confesses that he is
weak.
The Church's Courtesy.
Then the church, with all weakness,
never teaches dlscourtesy. She never
tries to disturb the faith OF the Chris
tan which some Of these opponents
take the liberty to do when the guests
OF Christians. These people often when
the guests of others. do acts of dlscour-
tesy along the line which would not be
tolerated in their own homes. The
church doing no good! What Of her
fruitfulness! What of the blossoming
rose Of real love to God! Where else
are seen with so much beauty the lily
of hope, the fioweret of humility and
that OF chlldlIke simplicity and pa
thence! Where else is such glory the
fruit Of Holy Spirit! II the church is
of little value who do the opponents
persist in living with in the shadow OF
her influence. And why not take to the
woods? To the church and her teach
lngs Of Christianity we owe all that is
good in our civilization, all that is true
and gentle In our laws. Enlarge your
vision and you will see the power Of
good in the church Of Christ.
The last fallacy is that every man is
a law unto himself. A universal and
invaluable standard OF right and wrong
is an absolute necessity to man.
Where is this standard to be found?
In ourselves. 1t is not what we think
and feel. This would make as many
standards as there are individuals, be-
cause no two human beings think and
feel exactly alike. It Is because men
do want to be subject unto God or any
law above themselves. that they Ques-
ton God. Bible miracles, good infu-
ences of Gods book, and the value OF
the church. They want to rule them
selves. They are carnally minded. ITO
be carnally minded is death; but to be
spiritually minded Is life and peace.
Because the carnn mind is enmity
against God; for It is not subject to the
law of God, neither indeed can be"
These men resist everything that in
frinEes on their so called llberties-lib-
critics to do as they please.
This is the source OF anarchlsm. This
spirit leads men to resist all authority
civil and divine. to depart from Christ,
and persuade themselves is possible,
that regular Christian duties such as
Bible study. daily prayers, church at
tendance, supporting the church moral
ly and financially, communion, fellow
ship with Gods people IL Christian
work, are out of date and unnecessary.
How foolish to run away from God.
whose law is perfect. Converting "the
SOUL" and (which puts into earthly,
corrupt, grovellng human nature a new
principle Of life, which quickens and
unfetters all the higher and finer facul-
ties, the human soul, and starts 1t on
career Of noblest service here and FITS 1t
for an immortality OF honor and bless
ing in the life to come"
May we be spiritually minded and
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