The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-02-02

laid the conduct Of AnaniaS and Sap
phira. They loved praise. When big
hearted Barnabas sold his farm and
turned the proceeds Over to the
Church. everybody spoke in ad1nira-
ton Of the act, ana 81 warm glow OF
affectiOnatc esteem bathed Barnabas.
AnaniaS and Sanrhira coveted the
same distinction. They wanted to be.
first among brothers. and to be known
as cxcellir~ in virtue. A distorted
loved OF praise will lead anybody to
extraordinary and even criminal con-
duct. The apish conduct and garb
Of persons whom one. oecasionahH
sees upon the street, SurpaSSiin" the
| extremes of fashion. usually has its
spring in this ancient and ~ineradica-
BILE human sentiment, the love of DIS
tinctiOn.
unloyely as the truth is, it must be
admitted that many persons love
money for itself. The spirit Of greed
their master motive. Because of love
of money they will. as each days
newspaper testifies, violate the most
sacred trusts, prove recreant to all
the claims of blood and honor, and
yield to a Hulpine selfishness in their
dealings With their fellowmen. The
spirit of greed which revealed itself
in the early Church, in the conduct
OF Ananias and Sapphire, has not
long been absent therefrOm. a few
weeks ago sweeping accusations were
brought against many Of the leading
professional cVangelists Of the country
by Mr.. Moody. the son OF the great
evangelist, Dwight l.. Moody. His
| charges We're cOnlDIahended in the
two specifications Of s~ensationalism
and conmercialism. He definitely
declared that some men engage in the
vocation Of soul winning from the
loyc of monCy and that their greet
outruns all bounds of discretion and
i Inrpnpy- There can hn no 6Qnbt that
one of the Ver-prcSent nnCnaceS OF
the Church. as of society, is his old.
old spirit of greed.
\ Desirable Judgment.
Ananias, like q multitude since. had
not grasped the tremendous truth ttiat
III the realm of religion q man is an
sWerablC directly to God. He thought
he was anSWerable to the apostles and
to the organized Church. If he could
keep right with the Churc authori-
ties. he thought enough ad been done.
SO when he pretended To surrender
the price OF his land, having kept back
part Of it. Peter turned pom hin
with some blistering questions. Ana
Mas. why hath Satan filled thy heart
to lie to the Holy Spirit, ana to keen
back part of the price OF the land
While it remained. did it not remain
thine own? And after it was sold,
was it mot in thy power? How is IT
that thou hast conceived this thing in
thy heart?" Then came the accuSa-
ton, that was followed by the utter
collapse and instant death of n
fender: Thou hast not lied unto men,
bnt unto GOd.'' A vivid sense OF the
souls responsibility to God would ave
men from most of their sinning
Simple, fraternal, loving as was that
early Christian community, there yet
was a real discipline. Wherever the
sovereignty of the Spirit OF o is re-
cognized. there must be q law, even
though liberty reigns. The present
day Church has lost much Of hel
power. largely because She has lost
much of her purity. Members are
not cast out or disciplined because Oh
Offenses. A lax government in the
Church is as likely to result in laN
onduc on the "nrt of her members
cident that the word church" is first
applied to the company OF believers
in Jesus. They were an organized
body. They cherished one another
and they cherished the teachings OF
their Lord. Especially did they obey
that injunction to love their neighbors
as themselves. and this lay must un-
derlie every experiment in socialism
that is to succeed. Only ~brotherll-
ness. animated by the controlling
spirit Of ~humanity's best Brother. cal
level the inequalities OF q self
conferred society.
SEVEN SENTENCE SERMONS.
He that knows most, grieyeS mos