The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-04-29
obey the advice which God has put

obey the advice which God has put
within US. :,
1t is important for us to note we'll
why this very subtle method OF IN
ducing a hypnotic state is necessary
before men can be cured. Why can
not the moral nature Of persons al
f1icted be appealed 10 in the ordinary
way of teaching and advice? The
reaso seems to be that in moral de-
linquents, this substratum of moral
nature is so buried in bad habits, is
so separate from the ordinary
thoughts and acts of life, that it is
practically lost, and therefore this
hypnotic means is necessary in order
to drive from the field the ordinary
consciousness which is associated with
evil. 1t is very important to see that
a person may be so taken up with the
physical affairs of life that the moral
foundations are based SO deep as to
be practically non-eXistent- This IS
a sad state for a man to arrive at.
Now, as you think Of this new
method it is simple to Understandable
least in a general way. 1t is forcibly
building up the moral foundations in
a man-God's sovereignty, father
hood, goodness; awakening in man
the consciousness of the nobility Of
his own nature; that his purpose in
life is to love God, love his neighbor
love and respect himself. When this
is accomplished in a mans soul he
has a new vision of the power and
glory of human nature under God.
He sees the hideous face Of sin and
its blighting consequences on life; he
understands the power Of good over
coming evil. Thus it is that in a re-
ligious and moral clinic the evils and
immoralities of life which crush men
are overcome by implanting goodness,
which drives out the demons Of evil
from the soul. These men in Boston
say that in a years treatment Of
about 500 cases there is not one fail
ure to be recorded. Now, I hope we
are all very much interested in the
principle involved in this illustration
or demonstration of the truth con-
tanned in my text from St. Paul. 1t
teaches plainly that where evil is
present and controlling you in some
habit of life which you know to be
bad. it is because good is absent, be-
cause your moral nature is submerged
and not allowed to do its work in
your life. In order to be free from
evil a man must build himself up in
the moral foundations of God. Happy
will we be if this work was begun in
childhood and continued all along
the years. l once quoted to you
Evangelist Hadley's statement that he
had never known of a fallen mar or
woman to make a complete recovery
of himself unless he had been trained
in the Scripture truths in childhood.
This is only another proof of the
need of moral foundations strong
enough to be vitalized at critical per.
iods in order to recover a man from
destruction by evil. The unfortunate
MAI who has nc such moral establish
ment has no power in him to recup.
crate when the critical time comes.
This experience has its counterpart in
bodily sickness. The great value Of
religious training is easily recognized.
The value of Bible reading is that a
man may see the moral foundations
which God has laid for him-the
value of the church and the Sunday.
school, that we may be constantly re.
minded and stimulated and instructed
in these moral obligations; the value
of prayer, which keeps us in vital
communion with the urc of all
truth and goodness. Let Gods stand:
ard of goodness be deeply set in ouI
lives, and evi! will never find a rest.
ing place. If a temporary lapse in
our moral standards shall permit
evil to take hold of us, the power OF
recovery will soon assert itself and
drive off the intruder.
The purpose of God toward man is
redemption. This is the lesson of
Jesus presence among US; the Son OF
Man came seek and to save, and GER
tainly n of the great messages OF
His life is to teach the truth of over
coming evil with good. Let US have
no fear of evil. Many men remain in
bondage to their sins and bad habits
by being in constant fear of them,
paying all their attention to the foes
outside and giving little or no atten.
ton to the divine power within them.
To such l would say, stop thinking
of your faults and evils for a while
and begin an earnest seeking after
God, to know His goodness, His will.
Search the New Testament and know
who Christ was. Learn His message;
Go the things which He asks, and you
will find power for goodness taking
hold Of you and evil will have gone.