Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1912-07-04
the OPPOSITION z7
OF THE WORLD

Editor News:
Was glad to note in a ecent issue of
the News 'Uncle Tom" kindly ref
erence to article from our pen. We
agree with "Uncle Toni that all who
stand for the right, will. as the Bible
says, suffer for it. Those who advo-
cate temperance will be opposed by the
whisky element. Those who stand for
clean politics will be hated by the ring
leader and ward heller, Those who
make a speciality of equal rights and
social purity will be hated by the self
satisfied and sordid. SO those who
stand by the Scriptures in doctrine
and practice, declaring the coming
Kingdom to be the only remedy, get
it from every denominational quarter.
Like Brother Carrick, we believe that
1t is our duty to ''work and pray for
Gods Kingdom to be establish ed. 7
Thus praying, we believe that our
work is not of political nature, nor
the espousal of any slum or temper
ance movement, but that particular
work enjoined on the consecrated fol-
lowers of Jesus is the proclamation of
the "glad tidings of great JOY which
shall be to ALL people. We believe
that the Lo1d will return as He said,
''If go away, will come again. "
We believe that He comes for the very
purpose of establishing His own King
dom and we believe it would be use
less for us to attempt to judge and up
lift the world before He comes to put
down present rule and authority. Not
being able to read mems hearts and
motives we could not tell which would
he the best in office, and tho we got
our man in, the opposition would have
several to thwart the little good our
man might accomplish. Then, we are
enjoined to ''Judge nothing before the
time, until the Lord come, who both
will bring to light the hidden things
of darkness and will make manifest
the counsels of the hearts: then shall
every man have praise of God. II
Cor. 4:5 The context shows that some
in the Church wanted to rule the
world even then. But Paul makes fun
of the idea, saying, "Now ye are fall,
now ye are rich, ye have reigned as
Kings without us: and l would to
God ye did reign, that we also might
reign with you."
When properly seen, the Christians
work is the stuuy of Gods word and
the making of character The difficult
ties of the present life-the opposition
of the world, the flesh and the Devil
ale the means of development and test
ing and proving. By these we learn
to ''En1ure hardness as good sold
iers," fighting "tho good fight OF
faith" After all. it is not sn much
what we can do but what God does in
us. Peter tells us what work we are
to do He does not say, $50 into pol
itics and revolutionize society, but he
says, ""Unto us are given great and
precious promises, that by these ye
might become partakers OF the divine
nature. +" And besides this, giving all
diligence (not just little, but all dill
igence, add to your faith virtue; and
TO virtue knowledge; and to knowledge
temperance; and to temperance pa
tience; and to patience godllness; and
TO godliness brotherly kindness; and to
Drotherly kindness love. He says If
we do these things we shall never fail,
out so an abundant entrance shall be
,urs into the everlasting Kingdom of
,ur Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
But If we lack these things he says
We are blind and cannot see afar off.
The Christian has but one purpose, and
hat is, to "work out bis own saliva.
ion with fear and trembling. He
annot work out the salvation OF 9th
,rs, tho he is willing to assist as fan
IS possible. He is willing to aid the
emperance cause by total abstinance,
md to equalize social conditions SO
ar as posi- BILE by being just and even
generous to his neighbors,. He is not
ooking for faults, but rather counts
lis blessings, knowing that these are
II of divine favor and.n of right.
those who fail in these things are not
properly instructed and are not laying
ID heavenly treasure They may be of
he foolish virgins who went to
leep and the Bridegroom came, and
he ''wise virgins only were admit
ed to the feast. But we are glad to
now that these foolish ones will not
,e eternally roasted, but seeing their
Dss they will finally get the oil, the
Ioly Spirit and have grand but less
r portion than if they had sought
biefly the Kingdom Of Heaven and
is righteousness.
Prosperity to the News and its many
eaders l.. D. BARNES,