The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1916-07-20
TIE PREPARED SOUL
CONTINUED From Page One)

ity. Head the message OF yOhn tho
Revelator 20 the Seven Churches Of
Asia found in the second and third
Chapters Of the Book Of Revelation.
What an arraignment OF human
weakness, what revelation of the
perils Of the saints IL there found.
To the Church at Ephesus, hayf
somewhat against thee because th1f
hast left thy first love" The ChupA
at Sardis had a name 10 live but wa
dead. The prayer meeting died out,
church attendance was nuctuatineI'
in a few Of the families did family
worship prevail, yet the Church Of
Sardis was eminently respectable.
Laodicea, neither cold nor hot, had
become an object OF aversion. 10 had
lost interest. To the average men,
her the church meant simply a
place Of worship 10 be occasionally
attended. A motor party on Sunday
was always a good reason and en-
inently satisfactory for non-attend-
ance at church. You must not ex-
Ipect the ease-loving member 10 come
out 10 the mid-week meeting as 10
would break up his evening. But he
readily accepted an invitation 10
motor that same evening TO a neigh
boring town 10 attend theater
party, forgetting that a man can 20
IN Hall Il, N ,nnyar oar aS rap,dIx, m
he can through the doors Of a saloon.
The Church at Thyatira had been in
vaded by evil practices. What is
evil9 Is IL a sin 10 dance. 10 play
cards. 10 take an occasional drink? A
stalwart defense is made by many
church member for such practices.
II is not the business OF the preach
er to examine into detail the items OF
daily living Of the members Of his
church and pronounce this evil amt
that good. But II is his business
and with the sanction of scripture he
can truly say. that thing is evil In
your life that does not draw you
Godward. You may not put over on,
the preacher the responsibility OF
deciding with regard TO the moral
complexion OF your actions. The de
cision is yours, but remember,
Whatsoever is not Of faith is or
sin" ''Sin is the -traasgrcssfon OF
the law"
False doctrine had crept into the
Church at pergamos. II does
matter what you believe. A wrong
conception Of God, low conception
Of God will he followed invariably
by a lowered conception Of duty, q
lowered standard OF conduct. As
Christian men and women our an
chcragc ground rs found only in
Scripture truths.
Get Q Soul Move On
Spiritual progress means advance,
not progress in treadmill round,
but progress Godward. II we are 10
make q great forward movement in
the realm Of the spirit. preparation
is necessary. We must scrap the
practice, We must ban
ish the paltry excuse. Many a valu-
able machine, many a costly engine
has been relegated 10 the scrap
heap not because il was not good,
but because il was not good enough,
since. a better instrument had been
invented.
Neither in the scientific or animal
world is progress uniform. Evolu-
ton knows Of leaps and bounds.
Science knows Of arid centuries that
have been without advance. In tho
past twenty-five years we have wit
greater scientific advance than
marked the whole period OF the
Middle Ages.
Give yourself a jolt. Get out Of
the rut. Say 10 your children, 40
night we have family prayer, we
have blessing at the table"
The preparation. for the coming
OF God should be a glad prepara-
ton. Are you not rejoiced 10 hear
Of the better way in science, in let
tiers. in the household arts9 Should
you not be glad 10 hear OF the bet
ter way for the things OF Code Is
God 10 you joy or menace? DO
you love 10 think Of His goodness,
Of His unbounded love, or do you
think Of Him as a judge? He is
Judge and will not look upon sin
with federation. But more than
Judge He is a Father and will give
10 His children strength for right
purposes and heart Of new desire.
Does God mean 10 you liberty, free
dom 10 do good, power for righteous
ness. life OF happy goodness' Or
have you. in love with your own
ways, thought upon Him merely as
a source of restraint. like the foolish
child who said 10 his uncle, IF you
..,o,a Had 10 fathap xxyaa daah and