The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1902-12-18


The Call to Separation.
"I' always think there is something
wrong with a man when he begins to run
down the world remarked a Christian
who was more noted for the correctness
OF his manner and attire than for his spir-
ltuality This worlds pretty good place
to live. and the man who is always harping
on its evils has missed having good time.
you may depend upon it,"
separation implies a union. 1t may be
that the human heart is so closely united
to the world that it fails to see the evil,
and therefore blinds its eve to warning af-
ter warning against it found in every book
of the Bible.
Christ" says the Apostle Paul 'has re.
deemed us from this present evil world"
and in another place, "Demas hath for
saken me, having loved this present evil
world"
Worldlness is the attractive power pos
sessed by that which is here over against
that which is far away yonder; by some
thing which is present tangible, visible,
as over against that which is unseen. 1t
gains its force by offering something now
instead of something hereafter. The first
article in the creed OF the world is "take
to-day and let tomorrow care of itself. 3"
1t was the tyranny of the present that rem
dered Demas the worldly man and led him
to forsake his Saviour. II is the advantage
OF the present, the pleasure of to-day, that
leads a believer to be unequally yoked
with an unbeliever,. whether in business,
IN amusement or in that closest of all
earthly relationships. marriage. Even the
immediate future OF this earthly life is
sometimes forgotten in the JOY of the i'm
mediate present
Paul, in his forceful, clear logic goes on
to reason: What is to be the sequel of
so unequal partnership? What can you
fAp tat. =
business is not ruled by the law of God
but has an eye to the gains to be won
through short measure and light weight,
with a grinding of his employees, how are
you, bound by your partnership to uphold
him. to hold to your principles OF honesty
and charity? You will presently find
Yourself, II you attempt it. in the. same
case with the captives of Samaria, of
whom it is said: They feared the Lord and
served their own gods"
Oh, the bitterness of walking hand in
hand, bound by unbreakable ties to one
who does not love the God we love. If
we do not love the Lord then of course
there Is no great anguish, and conscience.
separated from the influence Of the Spirit.
is soon. lulled to sleep.
In clear, sharp words of warning Paul
speaks sternly: 'Come out! Be separated
Touch not"
More gently comes Che pleading of John.
wlstfl, longing: "If any man love the
things of this world, the love of the Father
is not III him
There is enough to make the pulses thrill
and the heart throb with wonder and JOY
in the reward that shall be ours for separ-
ating ourselves. eye shall be NV sons and
daughters, saith the Lord Almighty" and
He that doeth the will of God abideth
forever"
Note that the doing of the will of God.
tbo
where in the Bible considered a possible
thing, though everywhere in life we find
Christians who are trying daily to live this
paradox. "Ie cannot serve God and NAM
mon."
And 1t matters not what the worldiness
may be, whether amusements. intellectual
pursuits. money getting, intemperance:
whatever we put in the place OF God.
whatever has power TO turn our thoughts
away from Him, from that we are to sep
arate ourselves
"We are to have no compromising CON
nection with anything in the world which
is alien to God. Let lis be as loving and
conciliatory as we please but as long as
the world is what it is. the Christian life
can only maintain itself in an attitude OF
protest. There will always be people to
whom the Christian has to say Mo- 1t is
recognized at once where the young are
concerned; people are careful of the friends
their children make. and schoolmaster
will dismiss ineXorably, not only a bad
habit, but a bad hoy from the school. It
ought to he recognized Just as easily in ma
turity as in childhood; there are men and
women, as well as boys and girls. who dis
tinctly represent evil, and whose society
is to be declined To protest against them.
to repel them. to resent their life and con-
duct as morally offensive, is a Christian
duty; it is the first step toward evanqeliz-
10 ha. 10,