The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1916-06-30

~ do not wish to do
because II means
a turning away from things in which
they now find profit or pleasure.
They do not reckon on the fact that
when they truly believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ they will receive a clean
heart and have renewed within them
a right spirit. When a man is thus
regenerated he no longer wishes to
do the things he used to do and finds
1t easy to follow Christ.
In their struggle to put of the day
OF decision they frame various ex-
cuses, like the man of the text who,
when our Lord said unto him: Fol
low me-" replied. Lord l will fol-
low thee, but lot me first go bid them
farewell, which are at my home.'
Ordinarily there could be no objection
to a mans doing that, but on this
occasion the command Of Christ was
peremptory, and the mans action
would determine at once whether he
preferred his family to Christ. There
comes time in every mans life when
he must decide this question, and de-
termine in the presence Of his own
soul and in the presence Of God
whether God comes first or not.
HypoerItes In the Church.
1. Some say there are so many hyp-
ocrites in the church, forgetting that
there are many hypocrites in the
business or profession by which they
earn their livelihood, and yet they
do not renounce that business or pro-
fession.
A good way to meet this objection
Is to ask whether they think hypo-
critics will go to heaven? AS they
will certainly answer, no, then 1t
might be asked whether they them
selves can go to heaven without
Christ. AS they must reply to this
question, as well as to the other, in
the negative, they will be brought
to see that they must dwell with hypo-
critics throughout eternity unless they
become saved
The inquiry brings to mind the case
of a certain man who was always CIV
ing this reason for not accepting
Christ. And yet his faithful wife
heard him cry in the night more than
once: God, be merciful to me,
sinner" 1t is a sad thing for soul
under conviction of sin. to cast away
the hope of salvation for so flimsy a
reason as the presence OF hypocrites
in the visible church.
Giving Up or Taking On, Which,
2. Others hesitate to accept Christ
because they think they viii have so
much to give up. But they are ig-
norant of the fact that the Christian
life is from every point of view a gain
rather than loss. You give up sin,
but you take holiness. You give up
sorrow. but you take Joy You give
up death, but you take life. You give
up belI, DuI you take GOQ.
D. L. Moody used to tell Of a soap
manufacturer who was under convic-
ton of sin, but hesitated to accept
Christ. He pressed him for rea-
son, and at last he said It was his
business that kept him back. That
SOAP said he, will do everything
claim for 1t, but the fact is 1t will de-
stroy the clothes. Now II / accept
Christ, must give II up"
Here was a plain issue which many
another man has had to face, but
what folly it is to hesitate a moment
which way to decided Moreover.
many a man has given up his business
for Christ and found afterward that
Christ had a great deal better bush
ness to give him than he had ever
dreamed Of: for, as the Bible says.
Goodness is profitable unto all
things, having promise OF the life that
now is and OF that which is to come"
3. Il am afraid I won't hold out"
Is another very common excuse. But |
the mistake here lies In the fact that
the man is thinking OF his own
strength instead OF the strength OF |
the Savior.
There is a Latin motto on the 4
facade OF a Y. H. c. A building in
New England that sets this truth be-
fore US very tersely and beautifully. 1
The words are "Teneo ct teneor,"
which means. 4 hold and am held"
II suggests the picture of a strong
man with a child In his arm ascend
ing a dangerous cliff. The child is
clinging to the man. but It is because
the man is holding the child that the
latter makes the ascent with safety.
In like manner the faith OF the believ-
Or causes him to cling TO Jesus Christ,
but Il Is Jesus Christ that keeps and
saves him to the end.
Let rs not be afraid 10 accept him
e our Savior and follow him as our