The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-19
sVanity Fair" and Church Are
 Closely Associated NolOadays
nY WILLTAM T. RLLIs

worldly display. somewhat or bun- yan.s sinister meaning has departed from the term. His Pilgrim saw Vanity Fair which was ruled utterly by the evil one, and embodied "the world the flesh and the devil.' It was at utter enmity with the two travel lers, Christian and Faithful, and the latter 1t put to death for his testimony. after both had been imprisoned and sorely abused.
 Nowadays the Church has moved in- to Vanity Fair, or else Vanity Fair has Joined the Church. The line that di- vides the two is sometimes hard to distinguish.
 wise old John Bunyani He was a true philosopher. His language ana even his theology may be archaic. but his knowledge of human nature IS TOT. ever true. He preached no unreal, im- practicable gospel; his characters. with their descriptive names, seem more truly flesh and blood than most that are not meant merely to point moral. This tinker of Bedford understood clearly that for mortals the only route sfo heaven is by way of the earth. The way to the Celestial City lies through vanity Fair. There Is no escaping hu- srnan fife. The Christian Is obliged 10 five with people. all sorts of people: He must develop his character. not In hot-house of monasticism. but in the Atmosphere of every day, where con tending winds blow, and bitter frosts follow scorching sunshine. All me va riety of tastes and influences that go 10 make up this complex world are brought to bear upon him. He must feep his goodness, if at all, in spite of sronstant aliurement to evil. Happy is he if the din and clamor and the gilt. ter and lights of Vanity Fair do not distracf him from the. steadfast pursuit sof q heavenly inheritance hereafter and a heavenly life now.
 Vanity Fair is the world of seem-so; its motto Is "Man 1ooixeth on the ouf' ward appearance.
 A sensible test for pleasures Is this: Are they as pleasant in retrospecs ss have they satisfied? Does familiar. itv with them not cause them to pail upon the taste2 Spiritual joys VII stand this test. The delights of the mind. the sweet experiences of the heart, grow greater with. with eon,,nueI ,,,r,.,a1 life is a vital reality enjoys his re- iiricn increasingly as the years pass. But as every one who has dwelt Tn Vanity Fair knows, the pleasures of sin are only ''for 6 season"
 
 rven in Vanity Fair the gospel may he commended by e holy life that is hunnh1e. Shamefulfy abused as they were. Christian and Faithful yet con- ducted themselves in such manner that citizens of the place were won te their way.
 xv,tb a1 it's brif1iancy and pomp and extravagance and gayety. Vanity Fair harbors more unhappiness fnan any other spot on earth.
 On many of the great thoroughfares of Vanity Fair--the board walk at At- lantic City. Broadway at inidnisnT gs @ eadiliy at theatre-closing time-A nave noticed that one may see more rouge than spiritual peace; more races raaue smooth by massage ana cosmet- les than are made sweet by the out- ward shining of an inner hgnt.
 rn .ach vouns person life is c new world. Everybody must be his own rolumbus. The temptations of Vanity Talv are as fresh as though they nao not led myriads astray. Bunyan quaint- av remarks, .rhe Fair therefore IS en ancient thing of long standing, v,sa zna d very great Fair" The sated wise Man could cry, There is nothing new uuder the sum-" but to youth every. thfnr ia new The lure of the world is as powerful for him as 1t was for the first young man to face toward city. Everybody must nght ms own way through the experiences of life. Fond parents often try to shield their children from the dangers of the world Ali in vain. whoever would live c real life in a real world must make the grand experiment for himself.
 To some persons the glitter of the NaA- fg They esteem the highways Of Vanity Fair the most desirable places on earth. To "see life" and to be seen amid life, to have and to excel, to ex- cite emulation and envy, to be "sornes body'-that is the genuine and nee uncommon conception of happiness enc tertained by many persons. With ma furer wisdom the pre-sminent value Of things spiritual is perceived. The love of true hearts. quietness peace with God and the simpler joys, are realized as of first importance. Concerning the pride of life, and the desire of the eyes, ripe wisdom says. Vanity of vanities."
 tOn thE way to Vanity Fair the Pill grim met Talkative. a character still not uncommon. whose religion found vent only at his lips. He was good taiker but a poor doer: he could glib iy conform to the prevailing 'ipeech of the occasion. but he could not stick to the pilgrim way to the City Celestial.
 The pilgrims, Faithful and Chris tian. seemed barbarians" to the peo- pie of Vanity Fair. Their walk. words and works. judged by local standards, appeared outlandish and in- comprehensible. That was to be ex- pected Nothing is more futile than a carnal-minded mans efforts to ap- preciate a religious persons view point. Spiritual things are spiritual ly discerned" The wisdom of this world will always count the ways of the godly as foolishness. If young Christian thinks to square his ideals with the worlds standards. he would better learn at once that his task is vain. It is for him to remember that life that Judgeth me is the Lord" and that the only opinion for which he need care Is that of ''thA Father who seeth in secret"
 The Christian who shops in Vanity Fair is likely to have some of his treasures stolen.
 Gay apparel. mirth music, feasting. and tnnumerable pleasures all mark the outward appearance of Vanity Fair. But in truth it is cruel and selfish beyond description. The way the world of pleasure treats its com panions who are down and out" may be learned almost any day in the po- lice courts of the great cities, or in the rescue missions. The daily wreck age of one such thorouRhfare of Vani- N..