The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-08-06

"And every one that heareth these say.
ings of Mine and doeth them not shall b
likened unto foolish man which built his
house upon the sand."-Matt. 7: A.
Salvation comes by faith and faith by
hearing, but there are some very faithful
hearers who will never know salvation;
thev hear, but do not heed. The parable
OF the two builders. on the rock and on the
sand; is the application OF the SERMON on
can anticipate those people, even OF this
day, who are 90 occupied with admirins
that wonderful discourse that they have
no time to put it into practice. Applica'
ton is the best evidence Of appreciation.
Admiration will not insure salvation.
There are many who say. "All the relision
I need il in the Sermon on the Mount"
That is as though one should say, "All the
food need il in the larder." and then they
should lock the door and throw the key
away. No man needs to worry about an4
more religion until he has exhausted thae
contained in this sermon. But he might a
Book Of the Dead as in this Sermon on the
Mount IL he never takes it out and puts 10
into practice. He who builds his hopes on
his aesthetic capacity for admiring the say.
ines Of Jesus 10 building them on the sand
What God wants is not men and women
who can nod their heads in agreement with
the preachers sentiments or sit with d
rapt expression Of sympathetic appreciatiou
OF the sermon on their faces and 90 home
saving. What lovely discourse!"
He wants men and women who express
their appreciation Of the beauties OF truth
by their application Of its duties.
Operations count more with God than
opinions. Work is true worship. At thu
last you will not be asked your estimate o.
the logical. oratoricai and sentimental quail.
tiles Of Christ's great sermon. The Meae
Architect will not ask your opinion OF His
designs and plans: He will want to see tho
house you have built according to those
plans or otherwise. The man who does no
more than admire the plans that God has
drawn builds no more than . house OF air
on the sands OF his imagination. What has
he to show? It will not do them to say,
Lord. was always one OF the first TO
saw. Lord. Lord. and to express my admir-.
viii ask for the building erected BY your
obedience. -,
No man knows what any truth Is worth
till he sets it to work. Your doctrine you
must demonstrate. Prove it by living and
the world will take chances on its logic.
The truths that Christ smoke are Gods de.
sign and plan for the edifiee Of true living.
You can bring twenty people to accept
these plans by erecting the structure OF
your own life squarely and exactly upon
them before You could make one single
;oal accept them BY your admiration and
lrggpepts for them. .-r'>>1aA
What God wants and this world needs u
Christianity that has grown m out Of ad-
miration into emulation. A Christianity
that does more than sing about love and
piety. that shows them; that not only pro-
hounds principles. but also practices them.
The church has been too long like the lad
who thinks he has solved the problem Of
perpetual motion. too proud Of the theory
to stoop to prove it.: she must build no
more on the sands OF sentimental admira-
lion OF truth. but on the rock Of real appli-
ion.-Henry F. Cope. in Rams Horn.