The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-03-24
A SERMON FOR SUNDAY
AN ELOQUENT DISCOURSE BY THE
REV. c, L. PALMER.

REV. e, L. PALMER.
Subject: "why the Righteous Suffer and
the Tnsodly Presper''-God Permits
Affections to Come Upon His People
as = Character Test.
KINGSTON. Z. Yin the Reformed
Church of the Comforter on Sunday morn
ing the Rev. G. l.. Palmer preached a
scholarly discourse entitled "Why the
Righteous Suffer and The Ungodly Pros
Der" He took his text from Psalm 70: 3:
:sFor was envious at the arrogant, when
saw the prosperity of the wicked"
The Seventy-third Psalm was probably
composed by Asaph, who was pious Jew,
and one Of the leaders of the temple
chorus. The phraseology and contents IN
dicate that he was intelligent and spiritual,
and that in the course of his religious ex.
perience was exposed to the ravages OF
doubt. However, upon mature delbera-
tion all doubt was overcome, and he be-
came strong in the faith. -
The particular problem that confused
him was why the righteous suffer and the
ungodly prosper. Why the most vicious
criminal should enjoy material prosperity
and consecrated disciples be subjected to
suffering. If God is perfectly righteous IN
Himself, and supremely just IN all HIS
dealings with men, why does he allow the
ungodlv to succeed and the believer to
fail9 Why does He not obliterate every
sinner and preserve every saint! why
does He permit the godly to pass through
so many deep and raging seas OF aft1leaon:
Why are many of the Christless so tree
from human misery? These are questions
which have been fresh in the mind OF every
&lo 1sfa n.
sVer is the one that sufhced the psalmlst.
Before undertaking to develop so lmpor-
tsnt a subject it is necessary that we dl-
vest our minds of one posi- bic misconcep-
ton. The implication of the text is not
that all the wicked prosper, and that all
the righteous are afflicted. /. 1t is not that
all the ungodly prosper because they are
ungodly, or that all believers are afflicted
because they are believers. It is not true
that all the worldly enjoy success, and all
the righteous are discontented, unhappy
and unsuccessful. The psalmist was IN
pessimistic mood at the time OF WrItang,
and describes condition from winch ne
was eventually extrlcated. 1t Is true tna1
some goddess men and women seem to De
happy and prosperous, and that some de-
voted disciples are greatly afflicted. But
il Is far from the natural deduction OF
Scripture and experience that all the godly
are unsuccessful and the wicked prosper
Gus, though we do acknowledge that the
ancient sentiment of the text is not with
out its modern application. We still won
DER Why the unrighteous prosper and the
godly are afflicted.
I. WHY THE UNGODLY ENJOY TEN
PORAL PROSPERITY.
We cannot deny that many worldly .peo'
ple have an abundance OF hte's blessings,
and that they appear to be quite tree from
adversity. 1t is well known that many OF
our most wealthy people seem to be lndif'
ferent to religion. They spend their time
and means either H. business or seeking
pleasure. Our contention is that human
success or failure Is not an lnfalhble crlter-
ion by which we are to justify or condemn
the government OF God.
tt is not uncommon for goddess people to
inherit property. Nor is it unusual tor un-
believing parents to leave an inheritance
TO their children. That while there has
been utter indifference to Christianity
there has been no want of concern IN the
accumulation of wealth. And many pos
sess disinterested temperament that pro-
tects them from needless care and anxiety.
Unbelievers are often more shrewd than
Christians. :;Ihe children of this world
are wiser in their generation than the chl-
dren of light" A life of utter absorption,
in the accumulation and managemens OF
money develops an acumen, one who read
;lv discovers whatever will contribute to
his personal and temporal advaneement.
And since we are free moral agents it Is
possible for one to succeed in the direction
sf his ambition.
Unbelieyers are often less scrupulous;;
They will do many things for temporal
comfort that others will not. A goddess
mortal will keep a saloon or gambling
den. from which the profits are very large.
He will desecrate the Sabbath or violate
sny of the divine laws without hesitation
so long as his personal interest is encour-
AGED. His motto is ''eat, drink and be
merry, for tomorrow we die. Would a
reborn soul and heir of the kingdom do
the same? A true disciple of the Great
Teacher would not consciously transgress
any civil or religious requirement., even II
by such violation he would increase MS
means and comfort.
The attention of unbelievers is more
concentrated on the accumulation o.!
wealth and ON personal comfort. 1t Is
about all many think of. They think about
money when they retire. They dream
about it at night. 1t is upon their minds
when they awake in the morning, and theF
labor for it during the day. 1t is the only
desire they have. and it is not strange tnas
they should obtain it.
Christians are unwilling to deprive them
selves of the comfort and blessing OF Civ
ing Our churches are supported by the
professed followers of Christ. All the PHI
fanthropic and charitable organizations arc
largely sustained by those who bear the
Christian name. The church has great rea-
son to thank God for those who. give Sc
literally toward her support, while the
world il either boarding or wasting its
means, they are applying their gifts to the
social, intellectual, norai and eternal I'M
provement Of others.
The long suffering Of God is net to be
ignored. God permits ungodly people to
obtain the desire ID their hearts. The
snee,ing jest OF nonysius, the younger, a
tvrant Of Sicily. when, after having robbed
the Temple of Syracuse, he had a prosper
Gus voyage with the plundsr IS well known.
See yoa not, said he. to those who were
with him, how the gods favor the saerileg.
ious? The Interpretation of the incident
was from the standpoint OF a. heathen.
God simply permitted him to escape.
Doubtless the angodly are allowed to
prosper. in order to test and prove the
righteous. 1t is, q test for the faithfa! but
unfortunate to see some goddess mortal
carried on the sea of prosperity: But It IS