Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-04-04


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 rs 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 we'll 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 little
terror stricken bird, with great flock
of angry sparrows encircling it trying
to peck 1t to death. Thus when we see
all the temptations which swoop down
upon us from without, can we not cry
out: milne heritage Is unto me ms a
speckled bird. The birds about arc
against her. Come ye, 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 ly
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 ard 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
md do not practice it, Or Satan
sends acquaintance, who say. Come
let us use In wildcat speculatlons 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, vet
when some of these worldly terpta-
ions 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 unon the
transmitting power of an electric cur
rent. When We were young I Ind
classmate who owned an electric bat.
terry. Then he used to stand us boys
around in a circle. We would all clasp
hands, and the end men would take
hold Of the handles Of tile electric bat
terry. Then my ciassmate would turn
on the current and this current would
go running from hand to hand and
from hand to hand until 1t had made
the complete circuit. If two Of those
men would unclasp their hands. in
stantiy the circuit would be broken
and the current stopped. So | believe
satan sends the currents Of tempta.
tons through the hearts and the minds |
and the souls of men. He arranges us
about In circles. Then he gets us all to
clasp hands. Then because men by our
side sin we sin, and because we sin
other men sin.
But, though there is a pernicious com
)anionship Of sin, there is n saving
in Jesus Christ. When
Tou clasp hands with loose men, with
wi men. with sinful men. the currents
IT spiritual death leap through your
'oul. When you clasp hands with good
men, with God fearing men, with
men, the currents OF spiritual
lie will 60 coursing through your
minds and hearts and souls
Now, my brother. the question for
'ou TO decide today is not whether YOU
re tempted worse than any other man
as been tempted. Your spiritual temp
atoms are such as have always been
ommon to man. The great question
or you to decide is whether you are
Wiling to clasp hands with Jesus
'hrist and with good men who are
truggling to save sinful world and
1T the divine currents Of redemption
zap through your minds and hearts
nd souls as the electric current goes
oursing over the wires. In other
'ords, today are you going to break
he divine currents which want TO save
nd redeem you and give yourselves
p to the evil currents which will be
he means Of your eternal overthrow?
If we clasp hands with Jesus Christ,
we clasp hands with Christian men,
we get in touch with the divine life.
'e shall ourselves become divine.
low. my friends, the question for you
nd me to decide is this: With whom
hall we clasp hands? Shall we CLASH
ands with Satan? Shall we clasp {
ands with Christ? If you clasp hands
18th Satan, you must be destroyed by
atan. If you clasp hands with Jesus |
'hrist, you shall by the promises of
iod be filled with eternal life. Which {
urrent will you seek today, the divine
urrent of spiritual power which comes
traight from the throne of God or the {
urrent of evil by which you will be
orever destroyed? In Gods name
ihich current will you choose? Hear
on not Gods promise, "There hath no
amptations taken you but such as Is :
ommon to man. but God Is faithful
'ho will not suffer you to be tempted
boye that We are able, but will. with
le temptation, also make way to c
scape, that ye may be able to bear it?r a
copyright, 1907 by Louis Klopsch.l +