The Tupelo journal., 1904-09-02

oCouo III itSI III DClIS d iSSpcCLS1 VI
persons.
{ EEMETH it to you that such class
y distinction is only a weakness, and
not a sin? Think you that it is a light
thing in the estimation of Christ? l
tell you nay. James calls it sin, SIN,
and all sin is devilish and abhorrent to
God. If Christ came to church we
think we would welcome Him with
open arms; we think the little select
circles would reach out to welcome and
greet Him, but inasmuch as that is not
done to the least of His brethren-tho
weak, the lowly, the poorly-dressed, the
ignorant, it is not done unto Him, nor
would it be done. | knew a woman
who would not remain in the Bible
class in Sunday school because the col
ored sexton, a child of God, and one
who loved his Saviour and enjoyed the
study of Gods Word, came and sat on
the outer edge of the circle and lis
tened to the exposition by the teach
er. She forgot that in him the Christ
represented anu ludI tSptC u
persons was dishonoring and displeas-
ing to Him. 1t was sin. God is no
respecter of persons" He does not re-
gard the outward conditions. the rail-
ment, the worldly possessions, the po-
sition, the intellectual attainments. He
looks beneath all that mar sees and
searches the heart, and if Christ is
there enthroned, God accepts that man.
And it is sin for nan to make distinc-
tions which God does not make or
recognize. 'Harken, my beloved breth-
rem" says James to the Christians of
that early church. where this ~insidious
sin of respect of persons was perform
ing its destructive work; 'did rot God
choose them that are poor as to the
world to be rich in faith, and heirs of
the kingdom which He promised to
them that love him? But We have dis
honored the poor man" And this same
solemn rebuke needs to be spoken to
every Christian Eaart. This sin of re-
spect of persons is a c~orrosion. a drv-
rot which will eat the very heart and
life out of ones religion and leave him
cold and lifeless spiritually.
p aspect of persons does then prevail
among Christians, and in the
churches of to-day. 1t is not Gods way.
1t is sin, black, awful sin. D%ispleasine
and dishonoring to God and destructive
of spiritual life. And what is the rem
edy? How may the Christian avoid or
eradicate this weakness, this sin? Let
see what James says about it and
what Jesus said. James reminds the
onest to whom he is writing, and who evil
IDENTIFY were offending in this matter
of respect of persons, that eff We full
fill the royal law, Thou shalt love thy
neighfor as thyself, we do we'll" Here
then is the antidote for the poison of
this sin. Here then is the means of
Graduating the deadly disease. Let the
Spirit of Christ SO rule in the heart that
love for your neighbor will be as
as the love for yourself. Aad
did you eve stop to think that the root
Of the evil of having respect of persons
was in selfshness. and that love of self
which seeks only those things and those
which crafty and please the ex-
ternal senses? The Spirit of Christ in
the heart and love for your neighbor-
your lowly, humble, unprepossessing,
uncongenial, ~uneducated, uncouth broth
you love yourself, will quickly de-
stroy that un-Christlike attitude of your
heart and life. The Spirit of Christ, as
in humble service, is an
other remedy for. this unholy and I'M
wholesome caste spirit. Oh, let the
Spirit of Christ be manifested in your
life by love to your neighbor and kind
Iy. helpful service, and you will find
that the desire and disposition to have
respect of persons will have been eradi-
Gated. IVY brethren" let Christ rule
the heart and life, and Hold not the
faith Of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord
Of Glory. with respect Of persons" For.
If We have respect Of persons, ye com-
nit sin"