The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-07-19
Christian Influence.

Animals act in accordance with nature
and instinct Men eat, drink, SLEEP, etc,
as animals but In performing rational,
moral and religious acts, they go accord
ing to the influence brought to bear upon
them. God is the source of all good infiu-
ence, the Devil of all bad influence. The
influence that God cxerts is wise, pure,
and right. 1t is for mans highest good
in this life, and that to come. The Devils
influence is always wrong, corrupting and
destructive. But strange to say, a large
majority of people yield to the Devils
influence rather than that of God.
Those who yield TO Gods influence and
love, serve and obey Him, are Christians.
Those who continue under the Devils m
fluenee are unsaved sinners, exposed to
Gods wrath. Christians are on the Lords
side, the side Of right, and ought to exert
mighty influence for good
First, how can Christian Influence be
increased? This is q question of vast iln-
Iortance. The eternal welfare of millions
depends upon it. Paul said OF Christians,
"Ye are Epstles known and read Of all
men" The unsayed read and study Chris
tians, more than they do the Bible. They
know what Christian ought to be. They
see every wrong step he takes. They are
injured by every wrong act OF Christian
life. To increase Christian influence,
we need to heed PauI's instruction: See
that We walk circumspectly. WAL"
means to be active; "circumspectly
means to look around to see all that Is
evil, to avoid it, and to see all that is
,rooa A. 4Ep,,rn Yat;syinp aud t,pdo.
filed before God and the Father is this.
to visit the fatherless and the widows in
their affhction, and to keep himself un-
spotted from the world" Paul said Il
exercise myself always, to have CON
science void of offence towards God and
man" If Christians would adopt the rule,
never to do any thing they cannot ask
God to bless, their influence for good
would be greatly increased. BY living
honest, sober, peaceful, useful llves-by
Bible reading prayer, punctual attendance
to all church duties-by deeds of kindness;
by earnest efforts to save sinners-by
stunning all appearance of evil, sinners
will be influenced rather than repealed.
by your religion Christian influence Is
the greatest power for good that man
can WELD You are inexcusablc for doing
wrong; you are responsible for all the
good you might do You can so live
that all others will have confidence in
your piety girl of fourteen years be-
came a Christian. When asked under
whose preaching she was converted, she
answered: Il was not converted under
anybody's preaching, but under Aunt
James holy living" prominent business
man was sick unto death. The doctor told
him he would soon die. He said Il am
not prepared for death or heaven.
Shall / send for Mr. A., member of
your wifes church. to come and pray for
your asked a friend. NO" said the dy-
ing man; "send for the old blacksmith; /
have confidence in his religion"
Secondly. how can Christian influence
be injured? There are thousands Of peo-
pie who profess to be Christians who are
not They have never been regenerated,
and born Of the spirit. Their religion con-
sists of church membership, forms and
ceremonies. OF course they exert no Chris
tian influence. They have none to exert.
But there are thousands of Christians,
converted people, who exert no influence
for good Judging by most of their de-
pertinent in life, you would not know they
1idllilGd W nc AiliiSlldliS. 1t littSS
blighted their Christian influence by mix
ing too much with the world on the one
hand and by neglecting Christian duties
on the other. There are hosts OF church
members who have public notoriety for
their zeal in politics, business, education,
and all worldly interests, whose names
are rarely ever mentioned in connection
with Christian work. There are many
church members whose names are con-
stantly emblazoned in public prints, in
connection with germans and euchre par
ties, etc, whose names are never men
toned as workers in Sabbath schools,
prayer meetings, or church work; except
it be in church fairs, oyster suppers, etc,
which are anti-Christian in their ten
dency if they have been regenerated, but
it will be, yet so as by fire. their works
will be burned up, and they viii suffer
loss" Sinners have no confidence in the
piety of such Christians. They stumble
over them into eternal ruin
young lady, in revival meeting, be-
came anxious about her souls salvation
She went forward for prayer. A young
lady, church member, and a friend OF
the penitent, went and sat down by her
and began to talk to her about religion
The penitent got up and left. Asked why
she did SO, she said: Il saw that lady,
that came to talk to me, dance nearly all
night recently with an ungodly young man
have no confidence in her religion. |
don't want her to talk to me on that sub
ject. / don't want her kind of religion
Church members who cheat and lie and
drink, and gamble and dance. and neglect
their private and public Christian duties,
utterly destroy their Christian influence.
They can never lead soul to Christ.
Their lives, SO far as doing good is con-