The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1915-05-13
THE PEOPLES FORUM.
Refuge of Lies.
FOURTH LETTER.

ASe+N ~ oSAioudA EllOulSCi1Cc UuL LuCN pay
a terribly high toll for the privilege of
travelling that road. He who enters
paws his fare in shame, self loathing.
| remOrse, and rottenness of bones. One
step may hurl US over the precipice to
death. You can't take fire into your
bosom and not be burned. You can't
follow course of sin without paving
the penalty. The end thereof is DEATH
Young men press to houses of wonten
pleasure bent only on enjoyment. Over
the door of every house of infamy and
sinful pleasure Gods book has written,
This house is the way to hell going
down to the chambers of death" Along
the highways of self indulgence God
has placed toll gates of retribution.
You have seen men of all walks of life
and of the various trades Of life Keeling
through the streets, while of all their
friends, the best loved of all was one
called demijohn. They had a through
ticket on the DEVILS fast express, right
through to hell.
The way to heaven is wisdom's way,
the door thereto is Christ, we can only
enter the way to heaven by abandon
ment of sins and following Him in faith
and self denial. Taking up the cross
and following Him is the fare. We
must pay in this way, but you will land
at the gate where you will be admitted
into heaven and enjoy perfect happiness
and peace forever.
The policy delusion is worth noticing.
1t is policy in politics, in social life,
in business. We must do as others do
to get and keep our share of trade.
The policy that will cheat a grocer
out Of an egg will swipe half his store
if it could be done without detection.
The policy that gives snort measures
and light weights would take all if it
could. Policy lies for penny, makes
fair promises but breaks them; sells its
Sunday papers that are full of evil,
then comes to church like a saint and
goes home to plan for Mondays trade.
Policy is saint in church but devil
outside, if it can make a nickel. Policy
rohs man and beast of their rights for
its own selfish purposes. Its a tyrant
at home, a gentleman in company, af-
fable to customers yet bearish to clerks.
Policy is dishonest when it pays and
honest when it is convenient. If all
protesting Christians were to act on
strictly honest principals they would
control the business of the world. 0,
but you can't carry on business without
resorting 10 the prevailing policy.
Others do it, we have to. No one is
compelled to sin, and to talk thus is to
excuse ourselves in wrong doing. Bet
ter let the business go then, for if the
worldly policy governs US, then the
devil runs the business with first class
prospect of getting the manager in the
end
Can't compete, unless we resort to
this policy False again, in philosophy,
history, theory and practice. The
church can regulate the commerce of
the world if she wants to. So in poll
tics, she can sway the nations and yet
not become corrupt
Let Christians determine to vote for
none but honest men and of pure NOR
ais, and let it be known that only such
will be supported and none but this
kind will be nominated. Then people
will say, what a good man he is, and
parties would no more set up a vile
man, gambler or a demagogin. or
rum soaked autocrat than they would
nominate the devil for president.
Here is a refuge into which many
children are driven and that too by
parents. The child knows it ought to
become Christian and wants to do its
duty, but it is met by the chilly and
false declaration, you are too young.
Then the devil confirms it by crying,
yes that is true, wait awhile, you
haven't sowed any wild oats yet. Solo
mon destroyed this refuge of his when
he said, "Rejoice o, young man in thy
youth and let thy heart cheer thee in
the days of thy youth and walk in the
ways of thy heart and in the sight of
thine eyes but know thou that for all
these things God will bring thee into
judgment. Are they too young to
die? Then they are not too young to
seek and serve Christ. The last pillar
of this refuge was knocked down when
the wise man said, Remember now.
thy Creator in the days of thy youth,
while the evil days come not, nor the
years draw nigh when thou shalt say,
have no pleasure in them" Why give
the flower of your life to the devil and
the drugs to your Lord.
The can't refuge is a common one.
| can't pray, | can't repent, | can't
believe, l can't give up sin. Then sin
must save you or you perish in it.
Johab's sin could not save him, but he
cried out in his distress. "They that
observe lying vanities forsake their
own mercy" Suppose the end of the
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