Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1907-12-13

the spirit OF rebellion in The child's
heart and the harvest is reaped in the
wild and reckless claims of socialism
and. republcanism, wherein might
and bloody violence usErp the place of
lovely sweetness, and mob-rule be-
comes the fruitage of the lovely per-
suasive of the earlier years. In short
the obedience that is founded upon
mere persuasion is the spirit of doing
as one pleases, whether right or
wrong. Therefore God gave to Abra-
ham the authority to Command his
children and his household after him"
In those days the "heusehold" or the
curtilage, including the servants, was
under the control of the master and
was therefore the object of his religious
care. He is consequently given the
authority to 'commano the servants,
even as his own children, In regard to
their religious duties and obligations.
With us, unfortunately, for them,
things are now very different. What
ever authority the head of the family
has over his own children, he hasnone
whatever over those who serve when
it may suit them 20 to do. Great pa
tience and forbearance are conseq uent-
ffuence that may tend to their uplift.
8. 1t is import ant to note farther
that the subject of religion is to be i'm
pressed upon men not as a matter OF
complacent indiffererces, or of optional
choice, but of moral obligation. TO be
christian is right, duty: not TO be
christian is wrong; it is a sin. Unbe-
lief is the fruit OF an evil heart. Heb.
III. II. Faith is enjoined with all the
authority of Divine sanction. This
is His commandment, that we should
believe on the name of HIS son, Jesus
christ" l John III. %. "He that
believeth not God, hath made Him
liar" [ John V. 10. The disregard of
this fundamental principle has led to
an immense inflow CT unconverted ma
terial into the mem bership of the
church of Christ. The tares may not at
first be d1stinguishable from the W heat,
but in due time the difference disclose
itself. See Cor. III. ILLS. The diff
ference appears very markedly in the
character of the christian life. The
spirit of worldliness becomes the most
prominent feature. The line between
the church and the world Is obliterat-
ed. The world can do nothing that
the church is net fully abreast of it,
If the world can desecrate the Lords
day, SO can the church. If the world
can gam BILE, the church can at least
play gamble, and prepare the way for
the more serious game of stealing. All
this travesty of religion is the direct
heritage Of that mistaken, that rerni-
clous zeal that saps religion of the vi
tai element of the moral obligation
which thuneers into the stricken con-
science of the dead sinner the tremen-
dous truth-"ye must be born again"
The religion of sickly sentimentalism,
which otfervesces in the froth of love
that has no moral fibre in it, must be
held largely responsible for the relig-
ious life thet has no religious obedl-
ence in it and consequently no religion
1t soon develops into the spirit that
does not go to church, or if it docs go'
finds neither pleasure nor profit in it.
Heaven would be the same dull place
to such worshipers.
The cure for this fetid fungous
growth is to be found in the return Of
the church to the Bible principle Of
presenting religion to men, not simply
as a lovely song of one that hath ples s.
ant voice" but in the faithful speech
of solemn warning to men who have
immortal souls TO be saved or lost! Men
need to know that sin is that abomi-
| nable thing which God hates and
which, He will not tolerate in His
presence, it matters not how adroitly
they may beautify it, or hide it be-
meath the folds of hypocrisy. Reopen
lance must be presented as most
solemn obligation, to neglect which is
sin of deepest dye. Because men treat
the subject of religion so much as a
mere idle jest, and the remedies sug-
gested are merely danbling with I'M
tempered mortar, therefore DOVE see
fiippant infidelity SO boldly In evi
dence.. Mere children are inoculated
with the virus. The whole question
Of salvation is. regarded as shallow
expedient and nothing more. "God
now commandeth all mer everywhere
to repent" Acts XVII. 80.
a. From the nature of the resp on
sibilities of parenthood it is obvious
that the unconverted man is not able