Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1911-07-06
S0ClAlISMs BEARING
10 8l8te INFLUENCE

IL IS q mistake 10 Clalin, as 10 sOlH
of our Socialist friends, that every
spiritual promise in the Bible carries
with it a temporal blessing. II Is
mistake to suppose that jesus disei-
pies are to be pampered aud prospefea
in things pleasing to the flesh, the hn-
man nature, which they sacrificed in
conservation from. 12:1.l The ex,
periences of the early Church foFolu
this. Our Lord said. In the world ye
shall have tribulation, and OF him il
is written, He hal not where to Ley
his head He accumulated no proper
ty, though be had previously created
it all, and still possessed creative pow
ers. Even after his forty days fast, he
refused to satisfy his hunger by ex-
traordinary means He taught his
disciples that they must love him more
than houses or lands, parents, wife or
children, OF any earthly tie. In the
Parable of the Sower, he showed that
affection and persecution awaited
those who received his word, and that
the cares of this world and the deceit
fitness of riches and the lusts Of other
things entering in would choke out
the seed or word of life 1t will not
do to say that the lusts, desires refer
red to, mean merely the lower animal
Missions. 1t means the love of money
or its equivalent. 1t means the craV-
ing of our mortal bodies which Paul
says we must mortify, put to death.
For he argues that after having by
the orderly steps of faith classification
and conservation become disciples,
we live after the flesh to crafty our
worldly desires, we shall die, i. e.,
lose the life reckoneu to us by faith.
Love not the world, neither the
things that are in the world" because
ye.cannot serve two masters-God and
Mammon. This includes the world S
politics, etc, which Christian can
not dabble in and serve God acceptab-
ly. Paul's experiences forbid worldly
prosperity, and high salaried preach
ers. Not that prosperity is thing to
be despised, but because few could
stand great prosperity and maintain
their standing as new creatures in
Christ Jesus. Like some in the para
BILE who had bought piece of ground,
or had invested in cattle, or had mar
ried wife, they would be absorbed in
these things and have no time to give
the Master in spiritual things. Where
their treasure is, there their hearts
will be also.
The early disciples were poor and
the twelve we're mere fishermen. Paul,
in relating his experiences, said he had
learned in whatsoever state he was to
be content. because, as he said, he had
brought nothing into this. world, and it
was certain that he could take nothing
out Paul could be abased, or he could
abound; he could be full and be hun
CRY and suffer need, yet rejoice in
Christ who strengthened him. Paul
labored with his hands and had mo- Ger
tain dwelling place. IF he were here
now he would be called hobo. He
reminds us that gain is not "godli-
ness" and having food and raiment
we should be content. He declares
himself to be pattern to believers.
Paul's great aim was to keep his body,
his earthly desires, under control be-
cause the flesh desires were contraryto
the spirit of Christ, and the spirit of
Christ was contrary to the desires of
the flesh. Paul's course was one of
self denial that he might abound in
spiritual. things and not become a cast
away. He exhorted Timothy to flee
these things which some coveted af
ter, and had pierced themselves thru
with many sorrows. ''No man that
warreth entangleth himself with the
affairs of this life, that he may please
him who hath chosen him to be a sold
ier' of the cross. True, some of the
Lords faithful ones are we'll off in this
worlds goods, but they are exceptions,
called noble ones in connection with
some others who are called base, mean
and poor heirs of the Kingdom. Il
Cor. t:26-29. Joseph of Arimathea
was rich disciple, but he followed
afar off for fear of the Jews"
Those who are vexed about the inc
quality of conditions and claim that
the Church should rectify matters here
and now are exacting more than COM
mon sense and Scriptures warrant.
Our Lord never attached himself to
any of the Jewish sects, nor to the Ro-
man Government He never interfer-
ed with the worlds affairs nor coun-
seled such interference. True, the
Jews expected an earthly kingdom
then and there, and at one time some
would have taken him by force to
make him King. Then, as now, the
violent would take the Kingdom by
force. But Gods kingdom cannot be
voted in. 1t comes not by stress of
law nor force of arms; but by my spir-
it, saith the Lord. Perhaps a great
many would vote for Gods Kingdom
to come and his will to be done on
earth as in heaven; but would they
submit peaceably to its iron rule
Would they willingly submit to NOR
al cleansing, the reiners' fire and full
er's soan2 How many are there now