The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-07-03

x1E&a<3%z&' steadily upon a
: :. :: ! : !: !: !: !: :: !: !. 9: !:
~ R point at the 9TH
E er end of the
>AYE~~aA field he patiently
<SEkfYA walked b il n d
>1&(R> the plow, guiding
"k4c&>r. it's blade with
'.:>r.=z'>~ >~& steady hand to
turn a 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 illuminates the meaning
of our text The world as an un-
plowed field lies before us. If we
would turn a straight furrow, we
must fix our eve 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 guidei
An earthly experience to test! The
Heavenly calling must not so enrap-
ture the soul as to make it forget
the earthly walk. The earthly walk
must not so occupy the time and at
tention as 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 i'll 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Jesus while his feet are withdrawn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-
ther should he be a worldly-minded
Christian, loving the world and the
things of the world, with never
vision of his high calling and des-
tiny.
DOTH these types of Christians arc
ID stumbling blocks to the unre-
generate soul. The world points its
finger of contempt and reproach at
the Christian who is all imnAerSed in
the earthly walk, whose life bellies
his profession. It turns with disgust
and impatience from the Christian
who has grown so 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: "When a person gets
so much religion as TO be too good
for the world, he ought to get out.
This religion which sets one in lit
tie I-am-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
sibIe or practical" And these two
Christian extremists become stumb
ling blocks and hindrances to the
progress of the Gospel in the world.
I'VE 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
a distinct separation in thought and
practice of Christianity from public
affairs and politics in its broadest
sense. The world in its progress, and
civilization and political evolutions, is
moving at a tremendous pace. Life is
indeed strenuous. These are condi-
tions which the citizen must face. He
cannot frown or argue them down.
He must accept the situation and ad-
Just himself to. the swift movements
of the onrushing world. 1t will not
do to take the governor off the en-
gine If you do the engine will race
to its ruin. 1t will not do to check
it 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.
1t is so in regard to the affairs of
men, If the governing hand of God
is removed the engine of political,
commercial and industrial life will go
racing on to certain ruin. If it were
possible to check the present tremen-
dous developments in the world the
pent-up power would work its own
destruction. Both extremes must be
avoided if 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-
zens We believe there is a tendency
in this direction. The nation as a
whole is losing its sense of God as
a governing and controlling factor
in the national life. This modern
day materialism is having its narrow
ing and blighting influence upon the
Christian and bringing him to believe
that outside of the pale of religion
man is able to walk, and think, and
plan alone.
DUT neither nations nor individuals
d can get away from God. Any at
tempt to do so, any failure to recog-
nize His leading and guiding hand, is
attended with disaster. Not only
does the eternal word of God declare
that. blessed is the nation whose
God is the Lord and that righteous
ness exalteth a nation" but its plain
command is that prayers should be
offered for kings and all who are in