The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1903-07-04

=, "~@~ steady hand "a
- turn straight
furrow. He must keep his eye on
the fixed point ahead, and he must
walk faithfully In the direction to
which that point led. The sturdy
farmer furnishes us with an illustra-
tion which eliminates the meaning
of our text. The world as an I'M
plowed field lies before us. IL we
would turn straight furrow, we
must fix our eye upon God, and walk
in the direction which the light which
proceeds from Him would indicate.
Followers OF God!" Walkers in the
light! A Heavenly vision to guide!
An earthly experience to test! The
Heavenly calling must not so cnrap-
ture the soul rs to make it forget
the earthly walk. The earthly walk
must not SO occupy the time and at
tention az to obscure the high call
ing OF God in Christ Jesus There is
danger in both directions. Scripture
which unfolds and emphasizes one
aspect Of life is too often sought out
and dwelt upon to the exclusion OF
those portions of Gods Word which
develop and enforce the equally i'm
portant relation of life in the other
direction. The Christian should never
sit in Heavenly places in Christ
Jesus" while his feet are Withdrawn
from contact with the world. Nei-
Their should he be n worldly minded
Christian, loving the world and the
things Of the world, with never n
vision Of his high calling and des-
tiny.
DOTH these types of Christians are
ID stumbling blocks to the unrc-
generate soul. The world points its
finger of contempt and reproach at
the Christian who is all immersed in
the earthly walk, whose life bellies
his profession. 1t turns with disgust
and Impotence from the Christian
who has grown 50 pious and Heaven
ly as to be out Of all practical touch
with the world and the worlds needs,
and who has lost all sense of per-
Sonal responsibility towards the
state and nation. 1t says OF one: "a
pretty Christian, surely! He is no
better than or different from the peo-
pie who make no profession" 1t says
Of the other: "Whcn n person gets
so much religion as to be too good
for the world, he ought to get out.
tie m-holier-than-thou sphere and
sewers all obligations of citizenship and
responsibility towards the govern
ment of state and nation is too ex-
elusive and sanctimonious to be SEN
sible or practical" And these two
Christian extremists become stumb-
ling blocks and hindrances to the
progress of the Gospel in the world.
WE have been led to select this
w topic and text for our Inde-
pendence day sermon, because the
tendency on every hand seems to be
n distinct separation in thought and
practice OF Christianity from public
u fairs and politics in its broadcast
sense. The world In its progress, and
civilization and political evolutions, Is
at tremendous pace. Life is
indeed strenuous. These are condi-
tons which the citizen must face. He
cannot frown or argue them down.
lie must accept the situation and adj
just himself to the swift movements
of the onrushing world. 1t will not
do to take the governor off the en-
CINE. IL you do the engine will race
To it's ruin. 10 will not do to check
il down and lock the steam In the
boiler for the increased pressure
which finds no vent will burst the
boiler and tear the engine to pieces
IL is so in regard to the affairs of
men. II the governing hand of God
is removed the. engine of political,
commercial and industrial life will go
racing on to certain ruin. If il were
do,B developments in the world the
pent-up power would work its own
Both extremes must be
avoided il the nations and peoples of
the world are to steer safe course.
The greatest peril which this nation
has to fear is the Indifference or
willful neglect of its Christian citi-
lens. We believe there is tendency
In this direction. The nation as
whole is losing its sense of God as
a governing and controlling factor
in the national life. This modern
lay materialism Is having it's narrow
Ing and blighting influence upon the
Christian and bringing him to believe
nat outside of the pale of religion
nan is able to walk, and think. and
plan alone.
DUT neither nations nor individuals
- can get away from God. Any at
empt to do so, any failure to recog-
nize His leading and guiding hand, Is
attended with disaster. Not only |
locs the eternal word of God declare
hat, "blessed is the nation whose
Tod is the Lord" and that righteous
less cxalteth a nation" but its plain
ommand is that prayers should be
'ffercd fer kings and all who are In