The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1907-04-05

enveloped So many of us today be lift
ed by the sunshine of Gods love. Our
mental doubts and skepticism are no
worse than those which have been lift
ed from hundreds of beclouded minds.
''There hath no temptation taken you
but such as is common to man."
Temptations From Without.
But there are temptations from with
out as well as temptations from with
In. There are temptations which come
to us from other men, as well as temp
tations yelling up in our own hearts.
There are temptations social and COM
mercial as well as spiritual. The proph-
ct of old described himself as a little
terror stricken bird with a great flock
Of angry sparrows encircling it trying
to peck it to death. Thus, when we see
all the temptations which swoop down
upon us from without, can we not cry
out: mine heritage is unto me as a
speckled bird. The birds about are
against her. Come We, assemble all the
beasts of the field come to devour?"
For truly wherever we go into the out
side world Satan Is ready to greet us
with fierce temptations.
Don't you remember the old nursery
fable where the spider stands at the
door of his palace trying to get the fly
to come in and banquet with him?
Well, that is the way Satan stands at
the door of the commercial and the
social world begging his victims to
come in and sup with him. He looks |
at us and smiles and says: Come, join |
our social club! Come and learn how
to drink wine and to gamble with us!
Come and join our dancing cotillon!
OF course many Of these entertain |
ments may conflict with your old fash
Toned ideas, but never mind; you can
still be member Of the church and be
just like hundreds and thousands of
Christians who profess their religion
and do not practice it," Or Satan
sends acquaintance, who say, "Come,
let us use in wildcat speculations some
of the moneys which have been left us
in trust for the widow and the orphan"
And, though the average man would
not be dishonest If left to himself, yet
when some of these worldly tempta-
tons come to him from without he
yields because other men about him are
accustomed to sin in the same way.
Breaking the Circuit.
/ always look upon the infectiousness
Of sin great deal as do upon the
power Of an electric cur
rent. When we were young l had n
classmate who owned an electric bat
terry. Then he used to stand us boys
around in circle. We would all clasp
hands, and the end men would take
hold of the handles of the electric bat
cry. Then my classmate would turn
IN the current and this current would
30 running from hand to hand and |
rom hand to hand until 1t had made Q
he complete circuit. If two Of those
men would unclasp their hands, in {
family the circuit would be broken r
nd the current stopped. So l believe .
ions through the hearts and the minds
nd the souls Of men. He arranges US
bout in circles. Then he gets us all to
lasp hands. Then because men by our z
ide sin we sin, and because we sin a
Their men sin. D
But, though there is a pernicious COM Il
of sin, there is a saving Il
in Jesus Christ. When p
GU clasp hands with loose men, with p
vii men, with sinful men, the currents h
spiritual death leap through your d
oul. When you clasp hands with good u
len, with God fearing men, with b
hristian men, the currents of spiritual il
fe will go coursing through your II
inds and hearts and souls. ot
Now, my brother. the question for al
ou to decide today is not whether you o
e tempted worse than any other man
Is been tempted. Your spiritual temp
tions are such as have always been
'mmon to man. The great question &C
r you to decide is whether you are to
Hing to clasp hands with Jesus I
lrist and with good men who are ia
to save a sinful world and m
the divine currents of redemption be
ap through your minds and hearts II
I'd souls as the electric current goes be-
'ursing over the wires. In other
ords, today are you going to break
e divine currents which want to save
I'd redeem you and give yourselves az
to the evil currents which will be IL
e means of your eternal overthrow? 81
If we clasp hands with Jesus Christ, OF
we clasp hands with Christian men, NJ
we get in touch with the divine life to
2 shall ourselves become divine. to
NV, my friends. the question for you p
id me to decide is this: With whom re
all we clasp hands? Shall we clasp ar
nds with Satan? Shall we clasp dc
nds with Christ? If you clasp hands th
It'll Satan, you must be destroyed by nc
tan. If you clasp hands with Jesus be
Irlst, you shall by the promises of l
I'd be filled with eternal life. Which WI
trent will you seek today, the divine or
trent of spiritual power which comes re
aight from the throne of God or the ah
trent of evil by which you will be en-
ever destroyed? In Gods name
lich current will you choose? Hear
not Gods promise, There hath no
nptations taken you but such as is SCI
nmon to man, but God is faithful TO
10 will not suffer you to be tempted ms
)ve that We are able, but will, with as
temptation, also make a way to M.
ape, that We may be able to bear it?' ms
copyright. 1907, by Louis Klopsch.l las
FIRE