The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1915-04-29
THE PEOPLES FORUM.
The Refuge of Lies.
SECOND LETTER.

bIOugnJ 10 our nOtlce IN the ZSth CHAP.
of lisa. Some will not Rear. They are
called scornful men. They treat the
word of God as if it was of no conse-
quence. If they can get beyond its
sound they think it will be well with
them. They would treat it as Jehoia-
kim did the roll of the Prophet Jere-
miah, cut it up and burn it. They
treat it with silent contempt. Will
such a course delay the punishment, or
turn aside the wrath? Jehudi's reck-
less pen knife is in a thousand hands to-
day and it is whiting away. They
read passage and say, don't believe
that, so it is cast aside. They read
another and say, can't understand
that and away it goes.
They come in contact with a doctrine
they donot like and out comes the knife
They cannot understand the divinity OF
Christ so they will not believe it, they
don't understand the atonement, or
Christ's substitution, or vicarious suf-
ferings, or how the innocent could suf-
fer for the guilty. just as if Christ did
not voluntarily take cur place, or the
great doctrine of regeneration, and so
they continue in sin just because they
can t comprehend it. Here is a doc
trine that condemns self indulgence and
the knife is the convenient resort. But
of what avail is that! 1t is the ant
trying to overthrow the mountain. 1t
is the puny arm of flesh trying to blot
out the stars of heaven.
Burn it if you will, o Scornful Man,
but the word of the Lord will endure
tor ever. Heed the lesson from the
disbelief of the Antideluvians; from
the scornful men of Sodom, and
from the impotent rage OF the Jews
Not jot or little of that law shall
fail to be fulfilled.
Lie number two is, we have made a
covenant with death and with hell are
we IN agreement. They live as if death
had agreed not to come nigh them, at
least not until they are old and want to
leave the world. The fall of Others
makes no impression on them.
They live as if death were a great
wey off, or as if they were immortal.
0, they say, time enough yet. Mis-
cradle delusion. This Will-o'- the-wisI
is leading multitudes farther and deeper
into the morass of impenitence. Yes,
We'll have chance to repent beyond
the grave, though Gods Bell is con.
stantly ringing over our heads and
sounding out the signal, nozO is the day
of salvation.
The devil says tomorrow and they
believe him. Fearful delusion because
even delayed death can't ward off i'm.
pending wrath. 1t makes it doubly
certain and severe. Repentance delay.
ed increases the burden of wrath, but
decreases the chances of averting it.
Delusion third is Secrecy. lisa. 29:l5
Tley say, who seeth us? and who
knows US? Their works are in the
dark. Evidently they think that il
they can hide their actions from men,
they can from God also; or they console
themselves that inasmuch as the Lord
does not punish them at once that he
does not know. 1t is as if a man shut
his eyes upon the light and then sup.
posed it did not shine. They care not
for Gods house, they hate the Bible
and scorn religious conversation. II
ministers would not preach hell, anC
urge the invitations of the gospel, il
would be better. The love of God ir
Christ is to him only the unfolding Of
Divine wrath. To shut out the light is
to sit in darkness; to spurn the warn.
ing is to rush to destruction; to refuse
the remedy is to court death.
The Lord says, woe unto them that
seek deep to hide their counsel from
the Lord. Woe to the rebellious child
rem, that take counsel but not of me
and that cover with covering but not
of my spirit that they add sin to sin
A fourth refuge is open avowal Of
error. They glory in their skepticism
They think they will fare as we'll az
Christians. They believe a lie, defy
God and say, Let Him speed anc
hasten his work that we may see it,
and let the counsel of the Holy One Of
Israel draw nigh and come that we may
know 1t. The author of Oracles OF
Reason was honest when his dying
daughter asked him whether she SHOULD
believe him or her Christian mother.
He replied, believe your mother. .
In the honest hour of their lives they
show the real estimate which they put
upon their refuge of lies, even wher
they profess to rest upon them.
They make for themselves a bed but
it is shorter than that man can stretch
himself in. No man can enjoy com.
Portable rest in bed that is too short
for him. He comes forth in the morn
ing weary, stiff and aching. That:
the kind of rest the hope of the hypo,
critic brings the soul. Let him try to