St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-03-21

of spiritual blindness as to say that
it would be more tolerable in the day
of Judgment for lustful, iniquitous,
vile Sodom and Gomorrah than for
fair Capernaum, with her blind faith
fulness to Jewish traditions and her
heartless rejection of the Son cf God
after witnessing His many mighty
| works. And it is for this spiritual
blindness that God would anoint the
eyes with His eyesalve.
A blind man is hardly safe per-
son to carry on financial transac-
tons. He cannot tell >the difference
between gold and brass. He is not
able to distinguish the dark garment
from the one of snow-white wool.
This being true, it is necessary to
cure him of his blindness before
sending him to buy gold and white
raiment. Spiritual blindness must be
cured before the soul is able to dis
tinguish Gods gold and pick out His
white raiment. There is a very great
deal of base metal in circula ton to-
day that is passing for Gods gold,
and there are multitudes of people
who seem to have their nakedness
covered who are not wearing the
white garments which God provides.
The human eye is deceived, but the
penetrating gaze of God will detect
the sham every time. Therefore, buy
Gods gold and obtain from Him
white raiment. AS we have already
-,
gold and white raiment, and with
the other He reaches to receive the
price which He exacts before the
goods are delivered. God does a
strictly cash business, and if you
wish to obtain His golden gifts or
His white raiment you must pay the
price at the time you take the goods.
And what is it that God offers us,
and what is the price He exacts in
return? The white raiment is the
righteousness Of God with which the
repentant sinner is clothed when he
accepts Christ as Saviour and is
washed in the cleansing blood. The
gold includes all the fruits of the
Spirit, and which are so fully set
forth in Ephesians, $50, and Gala
tians, 5:22 and 20. The price which
God demands ere the white raiment
is given to cover the nakedness of
man is repentant and believing
heart, and a surrendered will. Many
a man would have the white garment
of salvation if he could buy the same
with this worlds goods. But he is
not willing to pay the price which
God asks. Like the proud Pharisee
in the temple, he justifies himself by
the long and really splendid list of
his benevolences, his gifts to the
church, his devotions and his clean
life; he has no sense Of the need of
a Saviour, and his will is unyielding
and self-assertive. Is it not strange
that man is not willing to pay the
price which God asks for His white
raiment? He wants to price-mark
Gods goods. Who would dare be so
presumptuous as to go into the store
of the merchant and attempt 10 die
tate to him the prices at which the
goods should be sold? If we want
his goods we must pay the price
which he asks, and we do not feel
that it is unfair or unreasonable for
him to fix the terms on which he win
let his goods be sold. And why
should man think that God has less
right to fix the price of His gold and
His white raiment? Man boldly
walks, sometimes, where angels fear
to tread, and he sets aside Gods
plain declarations as to the way Of
salvation, and plans and speculates
on the way he thinks the white robe
of salvation is obtained.
Simon, the sorcerer of Samaria.
attempted to buy Gods gift of the
Holy Ghost, and Peter said unto him:
''Thy money perish with thee, be-
cause thou hast thought that the
gift of God may be purchased with
money. Thou hast neither part nor
lot in this matter" But what Simon
could not buy with his money, he
could buy with surrendered and
obedient and believing heart, for Pc
ter goes on to tell him: ''For thy
heart is not right in the sight OF
God. Repent, therefore, of this thy
wickedness; and pray God, if perhaps
the thought of thine heart may he
forgiven thee" Every gift of God
costs something. God does not give
to the soul which is not willing to
pay the price, for if He did it would
be the same as casting pearls before
swine, and His gifts would be tram
pied under unappreciative and desc
Grating feet. But, rs there is moth
ing displayed in the store windows
but what may be obtained if one is
willing to pay the price, SO there is
nothing in the rich treasure house Of
God but what may be had if the soul
is willing to pay the price. Man may
not have the price to buy the costly
articles he sees displayed in the mer-
chants window, but the soul always
LAS the price within itself to secure
Gods white raiment and His precious
gold tried in the fire of His right
eous love.
Show Windows.-The merchant de-
ponds very largely upon the tasty
display of his choice goods in his
show windows to secure trade for
his store and to sell his goods. Tie
highest priced help in his store is
the skilled window dresser, who
knows just how to place everything
to the very best advantage. Tie
Christian is Gods show window. In
the Christian God expects to, have
his white raiment worn SO graceful
ly and faithfully that those about
him will readily see the Heavenly
livery, and desire the same kind Of
apparel God wants and expects His