The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1905-08-10
HAVE GOOD WITNESS
OUR REGULAR SUNDAY SERMON
A Feeling Discourse by Rev. st. Clair
Hester.
Subject: The witness of Good Works.

NOThS. vi lue leAl liz CuOSt letter
I'LL: That whereas they speak against
you as evil doers they may by yOur
good works which they shall behold
glorify God" Mr.. Hester said:
The value to Christianity of the cvi-
dence of good works cannot be gain
said or withstood. 1t speaks for itself
| and with power and effectiveness no
words can have. In the presence of
such Il demonstration Of its truth. ar
| gument. advertisement. exalted claims.
eloquent commendatiOn are beside the
work. are not needed. are OF small use
and minor Importance. y great ship
SteamS in from the sea ana we may
| view her rs she lies still and quiet i'll
| her berth. but upon her decks and
| sides there are signs of the rough voy-
! age. upon her PROV and tunnels is the
salt thrown there by the high breaking
waves. Men may say OF her she is too
large. badly 'propOrtioned. improperly
constructed. her machinery is rot o.
the latest pattern: they may crticiSe
| and accuse and point out defects, but
there is 10 denying that she has
! plowed the surface of thousands OF
miles of deep water and brought her
precious cargo of freight and passen-
gers safe and undiSturbed to their deS-
! tination.
This SymboliZeS in way the position
of the Church of God in the world to-
| day. And it describes after fashion,
too, the singularity. the unique promi-
nence of the Christian among the all
| sorts and conditions of men conStitut-
| ing what is known varNuSly as society,
the public. the body polite. Never
mind what the world may have or find
| TO say against you, my Christian
friend. if YOU DO well. this we'll doing
disarmS suspicion, gains the mastery
| over falSehood. SilenceS misrepresenta-
| ton and Supplants enmity with good
will If your works be good you do
not need 10 have recourse to euloSy.
notoriety- seeking or noise: the world
has need Of them: men have an in
stinctive respect and appreciation of
| everything conducive to the common
benefit, they will win their way. they
will secure their place they, the works,
| not You, will exact deserved recoCni-
tion. \ tree may be despiSed and spo-
| ken evil of. but if the fruit be healthful
and sweet. pleasing to the taste,
| change in the estimate Of it Is sure TO
| come. BY their fruits We snail know
them is true principle which cal
umny and envy cannot down, and from
whose righteous judgment there is no
appeal.
st. Peter in this text was writing to
| Christians and churches existing i'll
Gentle or foreign countries and among
peoples of heather religions. Their lot
was anything but pleasant, their safe
~ anything but assured. The Chris
| ti2nS of those early days were common.
ly accused of being disturbers, innova-
| tors. mischief Of being law
breakers and traitors to Caesar, of be-
! ing atheists and blasphemers Of the
popular idolatry. Because the popular
| hatred of them they were compelled to
meet secretly, to exclude outsiders
| from their places of worship. and this
| led to reports that they INDUCED in
wild obscene orgies. Because of the
phrase drinking of the precious blood"
used in connection with the commun.
| ion service. it was said that they killed
| infants and drank their blood i'll their
| private assemblies. They were under
| constant suspicion and surveillance.
| Their enemies were ever on the alert
| seeking 10 discover faults and incon.
! SiStencieS. 20 uncover them in some
wrongdoinS. ST. Peter hopes and be-
! liaveS that this close observation Of
| the lives OF the followers OF Christ
may lead 10 the undcceivinS of their
enemies as to their true character. and
! chat from this better understanding
there may come disposition to inves-
ticate. to come closer. and, finally TO
embrace their holy religion. He is con-
fident that prejudice aside and knowl-
edge in its place can result IN only tElS
its glad and willing acceptance.
What an opportunity then in view OF
these circumstances and what an in
dUcement to live exemplary lives
that others. even their bitter enemies
and SeverSSt critics. might be brought
70 know the only true God end Jesus
Christ. whom Ee Cid send. Tie aros-
| ties counsel is to this etfect-be true
10 thy cause and 10 thy God, be good
and do good, not merely because it
gives you peace of mind and JOY OF
! soul. not merely because il is TO your
| highest ard best interest-thiS would
| be looking OH the side of self only-he
! eliminates all selfish taint from his
| counsel by putting emphasis upon the
| Cducative effect of Christian conduct
upon the sentiments and convictions
Of hostile and heather neighbors. This
| is Your chance, he intimates: This the
means-your good wOrkS-impress
them. win them. help them, in tbs
way by this means.
All these considerations. this motive,
| these means are of present moment.
| of up-to-date interest and may be of
present application. Though living III
Il nominaliy Christian age and land,
practically tae Christian is still sur
rounded by an envious. evil-SpeakinS.
| backbiting world They who are not
with us are as critical. as watchful, rs
eager to find wherewith to accuse. en-
barrasS, expose rs ever in the days OF
| the apostle. Not only our own souls,
rot only our morals and principles are
| in our keeping. but the safeguarding
! and growth of the church, the purifica-
| ton and moral uplift Of society, the
putting down of iniquity and sin and
yes. verify. the ChristianiZation Of the
| home. the family, the community. the
city. the salvation Of the world. Every
| Christian is as city set on q hill-Cot
| to be hid-and men will be Won to
Christ in proportion as each ard every
Christian feels a responsibility for the
! r,.h,rchnI rfaSSps for those Tot il