Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1906-05-31

poeues should 10 much as CONFESS tnat
he knew Jesus he would be exc0mmu-
nicated from the synagogue. Ihey
were afraid of this threat or decree
and so they did not confess Onr1st.
They did not have faith enough TO
make them bold and fearless or 10 ieau
them to do their duty whatever mlsn'
be the consequences. They TOOK coun.
sci of their fears, and so they failed ID
their duty. 1t meant much to them 70
lose their place in the synagogue. Ihey
knew that. 1t really meant more TO
them to confess Christ even II they dld
lost their place in the synagogue. They
aid not know that. They did not know
that as we know it to-day. We blame
them. but in blaming them we condemn
ourselves, and the people OF this DAY
who do not confess Christ.
There are very many to-day VINO pc
lieye in Christ with more or less faltn
who do not make any public confession
or profession of their faith. What him
ders them? Many things, no doubt,
but among those many things TINS
"a false fear, the fear of giving
I'M or losing some coveted position or
pleasure. Let me illustrate what ]
mean. There was a family at one time
attending this church quite regularly.
I asked them several times II they
would not like to make a public profes'
sion of their faith and Join our church.
They always objected, and gave me
some weak excuse, but finally they
gave me the real reason. They said:
"You know, we like to play cards some
times, and we 60 to the theatre once
in a while, and we don't think that a
church member ought to do these
things, so we don't join the church"
Thus. for the fear Of losing these
things, they never made a public CON
fession of their faith by uniting with
the church. They were wrong, and !
told them so. They were wrong IN the
first place, in concluding that church
member might never play cards, or 60
to the theatre without injury to his
soul, or to tho church; and then they
were utterly wrong in the second place
n that they concluded that these things
were wrong for the believer IN the
church, and especially, In the thira
place, in believing that these Things,
even If they were wrong ana had 10
be given up, were of more Importance
than joining the church, and so chose
these rather than the fulfilling OF their
faith by q public confession.
l believe there are many like them
who put some little thing, or false fear,
In the way of doing their full duty to-
ward their God. And thus they stul'
tify their souls and prove false to their
faith. There are many NO say to me-
~ would like to be Christian and join
the church, but there are SO many
things that I would have to give up
that now l like to do" They are
wrong. IN becoming Christian we
need to give up only what Is wrong,
and every true person ought to be will
ing to do that, anyway. And then the
things that we lose are as nothing COM
pared to the things that we gain. Wnen
we can say, with Paul, "For me to live
Is Christ" then we will count all othet
coveted things as refuse In order tha'
we may have more Of Christ. aye,
even death will be a gain to us. for II
will give us more Of Christ. "Godli'
ness Is profitable, both for the life that
now is, and for the life that Is TO
come"
Away, then, with all false fears and
silly excuses, and let all who believe In
Christ confess Christ. This is His own
desire for us, as we know. "For who.
soever shall confess Me before men.
him will confess before My Father In
heaven"
But not only do false fears keep PEG.
pie from the duty and the privilege of
@hair faith I'm Christ. there
Is another reason given in the text. 1t
is false loves. "For they loved the
glory of men more than the glory OF
God" They wished to be thought well
of by these Pharsces of the synagogue
and to receive their praise. Their
praise was something real and present
and tangible. The praise of God for
duty well done; that was far of ana
uncertain. They believed in this lowly
Nazarene. They thought He was the
Messiah, and, If He was the Messiah.
It would certainly be to the glory or
God If they would confess their faith
in Him. It would help on Gods king.
dom in the world. But If they should
declare their faith In Christ, the Phari.
sees would be displeased and no longer
praise and glorify them. And so they
choose the glory and praise of the Phar.
isees. rather than the glory and praise
of God.
There arc very many to-day who
make that mistake. They love the
praise of men, of their comrades. more
than the praise of God, and so they fail
in doing their full duty to God. They
are afraid Of what some of their
friends will say if they come out and
make q bold confession of their faith
in Christ. l believe this love OF the
praise of men, and coupled with it the
fear Of what others will say, Is keeping
many from their well-known duty to-
ward God. Oh, let neither false fears
nor false loves keep any one back from
duty, his full duty. toward God and
His church.