Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-07-24
Histellaneuus Reaains.
CHRISTIANITY AND PROSPERITY.
Gospel Influence Powerful Factor In
Temporal Development

NV 49,
Gospel Influence Powerful Factor In
Temporal Development
Following Is the address that Rev.
w. C. Ewart Of Yorkville, delivered on
the. occasion Of the dedication Of Smyr-
ma church recently. His subject was,
Christian Liberality as Evidence of
Good Citizenship"
a man Is good citizen, not because
he pays his taxes to support the gov
ernment, and Is obedient to the law;
at least refrains from transgression Of
the law; but that man Is a good citizen
who uses his best effort to elevate
his fellow citizens. A good citizen Is
man Of patriotism; yes, a man who
will lay his life on the altar Of his
country when it is necessary for her
defence and honor But noble as this
act Is, 1t is not the highest form Of pa
triotism. The man or woman who gives
their life to the task Of elevating man
kind, or relieving misery, and in re-
moving conditions which make suf-
fering, this is patriotism in its most
noble form. The only peace that is
worth the having Is internal peace
peace within the nation-peace within
the home-peace within the heart.
This kind Of peace cannot be obtained
by force Of arms. The angels sang the
song to the world: GLORY to God in the
highest, and on earth, peace, good will
to men," The only peace worth while
to the nation, to the family or to the
heart Is that peace which comes from
contact with Jesus Christ.
Then, make bold to claim that the
peace, happiness and prosperity Of our
state and nation Is conditioned on the
influence Of the gospel.
But can hear the objection: While
this may be true with regard to those
who accept the gospel, how can 1t be
a matter Of any consequence to those
who do not accept it? The answer is
simple, the blessing is to them indirect.
They are blessed with the faithful.
Thus we read: God sends the rain
upon the just and upon the unjust"
but He has also said: "Ye are the salt
Of the earth" and as an evidence that
the world is blessed and protected with
the Cody, we need only turn to the
history of the destruction Of Sodom.
Had there been ten righteous persons
there, for their sake, God would have
spared the city. These would have
been the salt to have saved the city.
Then I am bold to say that the world
Is blessed today with the Christian and
for his sake. 1t Is true that the bless
ing Is Of temporal nature, yet all the
substantial good which men enjoy even
for time comes through Jesus Christ.
Why is your land in this community
worth from SIS to about $35 per acre?
1t is very rolling and rocky, it is not
very fertile, nor do you live conven-
lent to market, and even the roads over
which you carry your produce are not
good, and yet your lands are in de-
fmand at these prices. while other bet
ter by nature are not in demand at a
much less price. Why this difference?
1t Is because this church has been es-
tablished here, and for generations the
truth Of the gospel has been preached
and taught and has brought forth its
fruit in the heart and life Of men. The
sweet odor Of prayer has come up be-
fore God and He has come down and
made this His abode. Pull down the
church and remove the gospel and you
may have railroads, telephones, and R.
F. DIS. you may have any other con-
venience, yet will buy your land for a
song in year. The business man Of
the world has not been slow to see this
fact, so that wherever you read his ad-
vertisement, his commendation will be
that the church and school is conven-
lent. But why Is the church Of so
much importance? Because of the prin-
ciples Of honesty, sobriety and virtue;
in word, integrity coupled with in
dustry, are taught and have moulded
the lives and characters Of the citizen
ship Of this community so that every
IIldI Is lull CAClSloC VI
all his rights as a citizen. Not that we
would claim for any community that
they have met all the requirements Of
the moral law, or that the golden rule
Is the absolute standard Of conduct to
all it's citizens; but these truths have
been taught, and the conscience Of all
are to a greater or less degree we'll in
fluenced thereby. You can go to any
community and look at the church and
school house and fix with tolerable GER
tainty the price of It's land. Not only
does it bring it's store Of wealth to all
classes among men, but the high stand
ard Of social and moral integrity Is the
product Of the church in the commu-
nifty. The women Of our country to-
day owe debt Of gratitude which they
can never pay. Their high and hon.
ored position in the social world has
been given them by the gospel. That
this claim is just, only ask that COM
parison be made with other civilized
nations, where the gospel is not known.
China has been a civilized nation for
four thousand years. Woman is re-
ceived as the equal Of man in this
country, not because we are better by
nature than a Chinaman, but because
God has taught us in His word that
she was made the equal Of man, and
to be his companion and helpmate.
Now we go back to the subject, for
time forbids that we should follow
this argument further. What does the
good citizen owe to the gospel, wheth-
er he be Christian or not? While
these temporal blessings are the low
est appeal to be made for the gospel,
for it's great primary end is to save the
soul; yet even this Is just appeal. A
man is an migrate who would receive