The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-08-01

in the presence of God with the re- deemed host of heaven, or banished into
 the outer darkness, where the memo
 ries of neglected opportunity shall cause unceasipg woe and never ending
 grief; where the realization of tho
 principle taught in the text. gro him
 that knoweth to do good and doeth
 it not. to bim 1t is sin." shall fret and
 torture the soul with an ever-present and an ever-increasing bitterness.
 I said a moment ago our characters are largely made by the choice between
 good and evil Yes. and at the same
 time we are building our eternal abode.
 Tn this connection, let us recall sim
 gular and unique feature of that in-
 teresting creature. the sea mollusk. It
 will serve to make this truth palmer.
 You remember it gets its shell by se-
 lecting from time to time, minute par
 ticles of lime out of the water, in which
 1t lives, and assimilating them into
 itself. Thus is gradually formed its
 house, it's home. in which 1t always
 lives A similar process Is continually
 going on with us, for 1t is through our
 daily, reiterated choice between good and evil in the midst of the waters of
 worldliness in which we live that our
 home tan eternal home) Is being made.
 This Is so because the life hereafter
 Is essentially continuation, an exten-
 sion of this life here, and partakes di-
 rectly of its nature. Therefore, the poet set forth a vital and far-reach- ing truth when he said:
 Life, like a dome of many-colored glass. Stains the white radiance of eternity" How strikingly applicable the teach ing of the text to all this! When we
 know to do good and do 1t not. It is sin. Now. sin Is one of the chief ele- of our eternity. We know to do good. w. do 1t not. We commit sin. It makes an impression upon our charac- ters. We are being formed, made: our spiritual habtation Is being built up within us. Every neglected opportu~ nitv to do good--which is sin--leaves a lasting impression, enters as fac tor in determining our place hereaf- ter. You recall. in this connection. the significant laneuaea of Scripture with regard to Judas: He went to his own place" That is enough-'his own nlace." the place which he had -,ade for himself. So 1t is with. us We shall po tn our ovn n1ace the rIace which we make for ourselves. smake accord- | ing as deal with sim. deal with 1t Tn the Iioht of that startiin9 truth
 gro hin, that troweth to do good and doath ft not. tn him it is sin ''
 JJPT uS. TneFRThTP. T0Pn Hnu bTetUTFU
 receive thia messare as from the riRht- eo,Ie God TI'rranIf directed to us per- sonallv. Individuality. to examine and | prove and trv our "reins and hearts | to see If there be any way of wicked ness in us. Let us watch-watch our selves lest satan got the doroirion over us Let us take heed. lest we be found faith1ess and unbelievinR. Let us con t'upallv nrav-nray for help from ON Hiph and keen ever in cornmunica- . ton with Him upou Whom denands our | every hone. Let us have faith-faith that our efforts to do good will he hlessnd. our hands held up. our wills fortified our hearts purified: faith that
 our divine aspirations shall receive their everlasting fruition. But. on tho other hand let us never forget for one moment the awful truth that this life is the seed-time of which eternity IS the harvest: that we must SOW the seed of good works; therefore. inactivity not
 doing good is a sin. God. in His Holy
 Word. let me remind you. makes 1t in-
 herit the curse of wicked and s1othful servant" Let us also realize that
 apathy Is positive sin; that idleness in
 Christians is criminal. Above all, let
 us realize keeping 1t hourly before our
 conscience. that every neglected oppor-
 tunity shall rise up at the Judgment
 Seat of Christ, pointing at us the fln-
 ger of accusing retribution, and cry
 aloud, in the face of the assembled
 hosts of the universe. applying to us.
 the terrible reminder: ITO him that
 knoweth to do good. and doeth 1t not,
 to him it Is sim