The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1909-11-17

llEnC OF the LoruS countenance, us
smile, should be withdrawn from those
who do not walk the narrow way with
zeal--who do not seek for their own
faults and endeavor to correct them
and to thus make character. As those
now being called grow in love for the
Lord, every hindrance to his favor will
be quickly noted. 1t is this class that
In our text is represented as seeking
Divine assistance in the searching out
of their secret faults.
Some of these faults may be known
TO ourselves and to the Lord, but I'm
known to fellowmen. The heart that
is truly converted to the Lord and to
harmony with all the principles Of
righteousness which he represents
must more and more desire full per-
fcction-full victory over the weak
nesses of the 1esh and must strive for
this condition. Other secret faults
may be secret from us but well-known
TO the Lord and possibly quite plainly
manifest TO our brethren and neigh
bors How earnestly all who are truly
the Lords people should seek to see
themselves as others see them, nd to
correct those faults which hitherto
have been secret to themselves.
Assuredly the Lords assistance IS
necessary in this work; but. praying
to him. in the language text, we
should remember that his method of
answering our petitions is to how us
the facts of our case, and then to en-
courage us by his promises to fight
good fight against the weaknesses thus
brought to our attention. The Bible IL
the Lords lamp. The Spirit Of Its won
derfui teachings, like a two-edged
sword. is sharp and generating. 1t
can discern or discriminate between
the very thoughts and intents of the
heart which deceive so many into
| thinking wrong COZ liable.
The Christian who makes continual
and good use of this Sword will soon
| find that with its assistance he is able
to analyze his oion notifies lying behind
his words and his acts; will sometimes
find himself secreting them, and some
times Incorporating them as graces
and virtues
Tho difficulty with the majority or
| Christian people seems to be that they
have never undertaken close scrutiny
OF the Notices lying behind their words
or their deeds-yea, the motive or In
tention lying hidden In their own
minds. The reason for this laxity. the
reason for their failure to follow up
with the searehlight and to "bring
every thought into captivity to the will
Of God in Christ" is that they have not
| yet attained to sufiiciency of love for
Righteousness and sufflcicncy of a
hatred for inlquity. The reason for
this condition of things may be that
they are babes In Christi who have
In the past fed merely upon tho milk
OF the Word and not upon the strong
meat and are, therefore. weak In the
faith and weak every way along the
lines OF Christian character develop
ment. What they need is more love
for the Lord and n greater apprecia-
tlon Of his Word, which will lead to
more earnest study of the same.
THE entrance of thy words giveth
light" psalm cxix, 1907. AS the Word
VI thG Lulu uWCilD anu aOOunuos
1t educates us respecting Gods will
and its standards and, IL we are obedi-
ent to his will and his gracious pur-
poses, we will endure his tests and
ultimately stand approved as our LORDS
joint-hcIrs In his Kingdom.
Keep From Presumptuous Sins.
One OF the great character tests i'm
posed upon the Church Is humility. II
| is not sufficient that we love right and
hate wrong and search for even our
secret faults. Even after attaining
perfection we might be presumptuous
and, IL SO, be unfit for the proposed ex-
altation. Satan, when holy angel
called Lucifer, the Morning Star, was
perfect; but the sin OF presumption
crept into his heart and blighted every
thing. SO Satan strove to tempt our
Lord. who was perfect, to commit a
prcsumptuous sin, through which he
would have made shipwreck OF his ca
reer. He wished him to presume upon
Gods goodness and abundant care. not
by starting a rival empire, as Satan
himself had attempted to do, but to
presume, nevertheless, upon Divine
goodness to the extent of jeopardizipg
his life by leaping from the pinnacle
of the TEMPLE and trusting that God
would suspend the laws of nature and
work miracle for his protection,
when no such miracle was necessary,
because no such hazard had been de-
handed
Applying this matter of presumptu-
GUS sin to the Church of our day; we
find some who appear to be the Lords
people presuming upon his goodness
and mercy and love by jumping from
financial and other pinnacles and
trusting for miraculous protection
! from disaster. This, to our under
standing, Is presumptuous sin. Some
times we see presumptuous conduct
amongst elders and others in the Body
of Christ. much after the manner of
Moses transgression. when presump-
tuonsly he smote the rock, while God
had merely hidden him to speak to
| the rock. For pastors and elders Of
the Church to assume and to exercise
an unscriptural lordship over the
| Church would appear to us to be a
| prcsumptuous sin-a presuming to take
place and authority not bestowed by
| the Lord On the contrary, sometimes
I congregation of the Lords people
may be presumptuous In neglecting
The Scriptlril direction to take heed to
those who have The rule over them
and watch for their souls, as those
who must give an account. In how
many ways might we be presumptuous
and ignore the Lord. his supervision
over the Church, and his message to
| ny In his Word.
Our text declares, "Then shall l be
innocent of the great transgression"--
innocent Of anything which would
prove me unworthy Of eternal life and
! worthy Of everlasting death--"the Sec
end Death"