St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1904-05-14

aside from complete obedience to the
will and commandments of God.
r HIS man of God had exact and
full instructions from God as to his
journey, his testimony and his return.
Man never turns aside from the pathway
Of obedience because God has failed to
make the way plain. The Galatian Chris
tians had not departed from the doc
trine delivered unto them by Paul, be-
cause it had not been made simple and
plain. And you and l do not turn
aside from the right path because God
has not lovingly and faithfully and care
fully marked all the way over which
our feet should 60. Yet did run we'll, oh,
man of God! Why did not you continue
SO to the end? Ye old run well, oh, We
Galatians! Why did not you so con-
tinue to the end? You and do run well
at times, we perform half a service for
us finishing as we began? Surely it is not
because God has failed to make Him
self understood 1t is not because He
has not hung sign posts at every turn
in the road. He has made it so plain that
"wayfaring men, yea fools, shall not
err therein" The turning aside of the
Christian cannot be charged to any neg
lect, or Indifference on the part of God.
He has provided chart and compass and
guide book, and best of all He has given
us Pilot who has been over all the
journey of life and served in every posi-
BILE condition and circumstance, so that
He is able to help ard guide as need re-
quires. Such being the case, we cannot
claim that our vacillating course Is
chargeable to God. We cannot offer as
excuse for having turned aside from the
path of duty and obedience that God had
not given us careful instructions, and
plain commands, forHehas, and We know
it. God is not responsible for our fall
ures.
WI HAT has hindered us, then? Paul
w asks the GaIstian Christians that
question, and we may we'll repeat the
question to ourselves. What has him
dered us that we should turn aside when
running SO we'll the race set before us?
Let us follow the man Of God as he
started on his return to Judah and see
If we can see mirrored in him our own
selves and obtain suggestions that will
help US answer this question. Up to the
time of his return journey we fail to find
anything in the bearing or conduct of the
man of God that Is not worthy OF the
highest praise. He was prompt to
obey God, and came to Bethel just at
the time when Jeroboam was offering
incense, and could hear Gods judgment.
He was fearless in the delivering OF
the message, not being awed by the
kingly presence or that of his priests
and guard. He die not turn to flee
when the king stretched forth his hand to
harm him, but stood his ground, and with
forgiving spirit he entreated God In be-
half of the stricken king. He stood firm
against the kings f1attery and favor, re-
fusirg to be guest at the royal palace or
partake of the kings bounty. His task
accomplished, he turned his face home
ward. Surely thus far he had run well.
but failure met him on the way. He
turned aside from obeying the truth.
Why this sad failure, after so splendid
a service? Not far from Bethel, I'M
der the great spreading shade OF an
oak. we find our prophet resting, TAX
ing his ease in the land OF an apostate
people, almost under the shadow OF the
altar against which God had pronounced
Judgment. And, further, we find him
listening with willing ear to Voice
other than that of God, and in the easy
deception which was practiced upon him
think we may pretty accurately judge
as to what had been his trend of
thought since leaving Bethel. He was
thinking Of self, rather than OF God;
he was allowing his own desires to sup
plant those of God. And certain sense
Of self graduation for well-doing was
binding him to duty yet to be done.
FIRST of all, then, we may discover the
secret of the failure of the man OF
God in delay and the seeking Of ease
In a forbidden place. What hath hin
dered you?" Delay and self-sought
ease! Perhaps more failures can be
counted from this source than from any
other. The man of God did not stop and
rest under the tree by the roadside In
order that he might commune with God.
Back into Judah was the place where
he must go to receive Gods well done,
good and faithful servant" Back in
Judah was where God would talk with
him further. He could not receive these
ON the roadside where duty had not
been fully performed And neither
more can the child of God to-day. l.
was safe for the prophet to go to the
very heart of the enemy's country, to
openly denounce the idolatrous worship
and the false altar and priests, because
God had sent him, but it was not safe
to tarry by the wayside, and seek his
ease, for God had not told him thus to
do. He had been told to go and get
back in time for the next meal, and that
meant haste. Perchance he was hungry
when he left Bethel. and he stopped to
think of what feast he would have had
at the kings house. And how many
Christians there are like him. They lin
ger in the regions Of the forbidden
things. They know they must not par
take. but they tarry to think what a
goodly land the forbidden land is, after
all, and they banker after the viands
mat have been denied them. And this
almost Invariably leads to failure. The
Lords business takes the Christian
right into the enemy's country. He is
IN the world surrounded by all the at