Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-08-31

ooySs uiu hOt TeSpOuoiDse UcCuuSC !
simply remain silent at This political
corruption" Now, my friends, these
teachings Of my text practically mean
this: A man must be positively honest
In all his financial dealings. He must
be positively honest In seeing that all
those who work In his name are acting
honestly, else God Will have none Of
him. Mere negative responsibility in
Gods sight does not measure up to his
standard.
find. too. that the appalling spiritual
negativeneSs Of the modern Laodcean
Is most frequently demonstrated in
mans relation to the amusement ques-
ton. Where there Is one lukewarm
Christian who will dishonor Christ in
his financial dealings there are five,
ten, fifteen or even twenty who will
dishonor him when the days work s
done or when out on summer vaca-
ton And the amusement sins of the
American LaO]icean at home are rs
nothing compared to those American
Laodiceans' sins when they are travel
Ing in Europe or Asia or in Africa or
in any foreign land. Let me illustrate
my thought to you In a practical way.
We are American tourists In Spain,
or. bringing the statement little near
er home. in Mexico. Sunday morning
has rolled around. What are you 60.
Ing to do? VIII you attend the Prot.
estant church, as you would do IL ut
home? no" you say, Il guess not.
l have tickets for the bullhght Why.
one Of the finest matadores in the
world Is going to fight today. I will
never get another chance TO soc him"
Is that 50: What II you do not get
another chance? Ought you TO go and
sec one of the most brutal exhibitions
In the world, where men and horses are
often horribly mangledr Because 9TH
or people do wrong in Spain and Mex
leo car you afford to do wrong on the
/ question of your vacation amuscments?
/ Sunday at home comes around The
communion Of the Lords supper Is
| to b" celebrated at your church. A
party of friends IL going down to the
beach. What are You going to do?
| Stay away and go to church. as you
ought or go off on Sabbath desecra-
ton? I know Of IN elder of one Of
the largest Presbyterian churches Of
the west not only staying away from
church on the Sabbath day, but when
| the members of his church were as
scmbling for communion he rode past
that church on the top Of a tallyho to
take some Of his eastern friends out TO
see the city sights. AS a church Off
cor, do you ever sin thus? Wednesday
evening comes around. 1t Is prayer
meeting night. A card party or q
dance is TO be given the same evening
Which will you choose to attend?
These Illustrations are not imaginary.
These conditions meet us az church
members almost every month OF our
lives. In deciding how we shall solve
the amusement question. nearly all of
US decide whether we will be positive
Christians or negative modern I.aoli-
ccans. cursed by lukewarm allegi-
ance to God. Gods loathlng for such
characters Is unmitigated. In effect.
he says: The murderer. the bias
phemcr the thief and the social out
cast are not so Injurious ms you are.
Men know them for what they are but
you misrrpresent religion. you commit
!,e outrage of disappointing me to
the world. You should he the light Of
the world. but you are misleading
lights" Let me read TO you Gods own
words in reference to the ancient
church of Laodicea: Il know thy
works. that thou art neither cold nor
hot would thou vert cold or hot.
So. then. because thou art lukewarm
and neither cold nor hot l will spew
thee out Of my mouth"
Could any denunciation he more
powerfully expressed:
A Dying Church.
oh. that today the churches Of the
Lord Jesus Christ would become more
positive upon the questions that are
making so many church members luke
warm Christians, Some time ago I
read of an artist who was asked to
paint picture Of spiritually dying
church. He painted n church building.
cathedral-like in its proportions. This
prosperous church had it, tall towers
its stained glass windows and its
wealthy rarishoners assembling for
worship, but near the front door Of
this fashionable church the artist
painted collection box marked For
egn Missions" Over the aperture Of
this box the artist drew simple
spiders web The idea Of that artist
was self evident. But, though that was
Il powerful picture. | do not believe the
artist pictured the greatest curse OF
our modern I.aodiccans by which Sa-
tan destroys the spirituality OF our
prominent churches This evil is not
found in the collection plates. but in
the church members laXity in refer
ence to amusements. When Il man be-
comes Indifferent Ia God in reference
to his pleasures inevitably he becomes
indifferent to all other deeds.
Lastly. | remark that the luliewarm
Christianity of our modern 1aodiceans
Is demonstrated in reference to the
professed disciples of Jesus Christ,
ncglecting to win their brethren from
their sins. If the negative Christians
are spending an evening with party
OF friends. they may not tell the lewd
story themselves. but they will not re-
buke that story when they hear some
one else telling it. If they see another
travelling the crowded paths of sin,
they may not follow. but they do not
90 forth and as n Christian friend say