The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-08-25

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science under the plea of inability to
reform himself because his father was a
| bad man before him, which would be
| equal to saying that it would not be his
fault if he were transformed into a devil
| that If--''eternaly lost" God would be
| too blame.
Jesus Christ. in all His discources, COM
bats this mistake. He says: Come,
choose ye repent: believe, strive, ask,
knock" Man is Il free agent, yet he IS
held as an accountable being, and it is
made very clear that If any man perish
he will perish through his own fault.
No man." says great writer. ''can
choose his own parents, but he can choose
his own environment that is, he can
choose whether he makes his life miser-
able. or whether he makes it happy. for
his liberty of action is never interfered
with, providing he keeps within the
meaning of the law of the land.
Men who wish and wait to throw off an
evil habit are destitute of any settled
principles and they make fatal mistake
If they think that heredity relieves them
from individual responsibility. Let them
free themselves from all inherited inbred
foes, by accepting the grace of God, and
becoming conQuerors over self.
Again, individual responsibility is nee
essary in the matters of home life. that
our manner and conduct be such as will
lead the young into contempt of reli-
gion. which is easily done if they see no
trace of its power in the spirit and con-
duct of their elders. There is no better
way of effectng their spiritual ruin than
by leading them TO conclude that we are
either rank hypocrites or that there is
no reality In our religion.
An athlete, when training for a con-
test leads a temperate life, and masters
himself in all things. in order to bring
his body into subsection for the purpose
required. So the Christian works out his
own salvation with fear and trembling
running that he may win"-Paul says,
"Ye see your calling train for it,
When you have forgiveness. you have
rest of soul, and you look believingly on
the cruciied Saviour, and the exercise
of faith will give solidity to your charac-
ter and strength to your life and victory
in the day of trial.
i see men here today who doubtless are
noble eXamples-mon, who in the very
whirl of noisy commerce never lose sight
of individual responsibility. They are
like the trusty pilot who. though his
eyes are on the stars, he keeps his hand
on the helm. Such men have the assur-
surance of Gods power, which is secured
to them by reliance on the promises of
His word and the indwellng of the Spirit
of Christ.
THE SECOND PRINCIPLE.
shall now call your attention to the
second principle in my text, The abso-
lutte need of private Judgment Judge
ye what l say" 80 many men," said
Lord Bacon. 80 many opinions" There
are many religions in the world. and each
claiming to be the best, IL not the only
true one, and as our Bible teaches us
that our belief or practice in this life
nn yt.nnt doc 10 n In Nxrif I, I,,, II
ness or misery in the life to come, 1t is
of the deepest Importance to know which
is the right one; and as God is truth, 1t is
the duty of all to seek tie truth and to
hold fast to it.
Bishop Butler, when emerging from
boyhood to manhood resolved to make
the search for truth the business of his
life. Buffers resolution may be emu
lated by MS with pleasure and very great
benefit, because, to exercise the reason
ing power given us is the duty of every
man.
Every man should Judge for himself
from a professed regard to the Scripture
exclusive of any other influence, as their
only rule of faith. consistent with the
true spirit of the Gospe! and accept no
evidence but that found In the word of
God.
There are many people in the church,
who have no real conception of the re-
ligion they profess. Their trust is in out
ward ordinances. They are sober people,
virtuous and just, attend every service,
join heartily i'm all that Is going on
They hurry home from the sanctuary.
conscientiously believing that they have
performed all that is required of them.
On the road they meet an intellectual
highwayman who recklessly levels the
pistol of logic at their heads and they
become helpless, not because they had
no reasoning power, but, because they
never exercised that power-they never
judge for themselves. Such conduct gives
but a slight, II any evidence at all, of
the excelleney of their faith or its reality
There is another reason why private
judgment is essential, and that reason is |
because the whole system of revealed |
religion is examined and misapprehended |
as well concerted system of falsehood- |
that the world created itself. and man |
left at large to blunder his way through |
life without any given law or revela- |
tion. Many of the philosophic aims are |
to imagine facts and surpressing great :