Arizona republican., 1899-06-04

pression, playing with" that is used
 here. I have no doubt that it alludes
 to the kind of dallying which comes from the word Delilah, and means u
 subtle, sensuous, tempting influence
 working upon the passions of men. But
 I am equally sure that it has in it also
 something that is far more subtle.
 think it relates to that perpetual invi- | tation to compromise matters, which grows cut of the very clCse contact be- | tween the church and the world, be- l tween the Christian man and the man ] that merely lives for the things of thc l earth.
 l l am ready to grant that it is a diff | cult line to draw. All lines are diff cult to draw. You may make it like l the equatorial line, as it is so difficult ! to distinguish; but somehow there ought to be a distinct line of demar- cation between the child of the flesh and the 'fehild of promise" If you go back, where I wish we went good deal oftener than we dc, to the careful study of the church's teaching in the catechism, you will find the distinction
 and the discrimination. The devil is
 to be absolutely renOunced and all his works, while the flesh is only to be re-
 nounced where it's desires are sinful.
 All it's rightful desires may be enjoyed.
 And when it comes to deal with renun-
 ciatlon in it's relation to the world, it
 is the ''pOmps and vanities of the
 wicked world that are condemned.
 That is, renunciatiOn, so far as it re-
 lates to the world, reduires not giving
 up the world entirely. It does not say
 that Isaac must net play with Ishmael.
 But it demands that renunciation of
 hfry h1f oh, fo1x
 earth earthy. It picks out its vain
 glory, its extravagances, its shams, it's superficial satisfactions.
 ! beg you to think a little bit of this
 It is a very serious matter Som etimes fcltn a desire to win it and thereby lift 1t to higher levels and things, we are
 thrown off our guard. The contact which the Christian man ilas with the world, is what we call society. We are in 1t, we are of it, but surely not that we may be dragged down to it's level, surely net that we may compromise our faith and our morality by conform ing to it's standards. This would be to let the darkness ''c0mprehend" the light, the dough deaden the yeast, the corrupt mass steal the savor from the salt.
 You can apply this teaching easily Take the question of the observance of the LCrd's day. It is very easy, when the world comes with it's subtle and se- ductive voice. There is no harm in such thing as this. it is a mere gath | ering together of a few friendly peo- 1 pie for Sunday evening dinner; don't | go back to the old Sabbatical notions | that make Sunday dreary," and then | we yield. Just as we yield perpetualiY | to the voice that whispers easy thingsI l It Is a parody on religious reality to find our people, frequenting what the newspapers call ''lenten lunche0ns' md ''lenten entertainments, and all his sort of thing, as though, calling t by a name Of self-denial, the self indulgence was taken out of the thing
 A large part of the purpose of the Christian Sunday is that it is separ- tied and withdrawn from the occupa- icns of the other days of the week; hat it ought in part to be used both or the rest and refreshment of the physical man, and consecrated to the worship Of God. Here the line can Ee Irawn; and it is to be drawn plainly etween the day of rest and recreation, nd day that makes labor and trou- 'le and toll for servants; or day that the opera for an oratorio on sunday evening.
 More serious still in certain ways is UT danger in regard to that other per lanent institution, of marriage I be ieve that the cOrrUptness of modern cciety is due in the very largest de- Tee to the fact that, instead of taking he plain and positive stand that di- -Orce, save for the one cause, is an ncOnceivable outrage upon the sanct- ty of marriage, the facility of divorce Oday is leading under false pretenceS irtually to a tolerated polygamy. And 1 saac plays with Ishmael in this mal- CT, when Christian men and women ecogniZe the people who contract un- 1 ply unions, until the sense of sanctity hat belongs to the married estate has cen destroyed. It is the surrender f the liberty wherewith God has made $ free, for the inheritance of the son the bOndWoman.
 Carry out the thought in it's differ Tt lines of personal application; and ear in mind that the danger of today not that the world is going to pcrse- Ite you and me with fagot and stake, Ut that the world is doing it's best 10 ake us forget and forego the courage cur convictions, to play with Us and fife with us, until it can take us way from the high and holy stand rds Of what ought to be the Christian 1nversatiOn and the heavenly citizen lip of Christian men and women.