The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-03-26

turned over to Manmnn-for he who
overworks all the week, expecting his
Sunday sleep, and loungtng, ana dun
staying at home to compensate him,
practically mortgages the Lords day
to secular and selfish interests.
We must not ourselves create con-
dittons OF employment during six days
OF the week. and plead their exactfons
as an excuse for making no religious
use of the seventh day. 1t has been
said that Sunday Is to the rest of the
week In spirituals, what summer il to
the rest Of the year in temporals. II
Is the chief time for gathering knowl-
edge to last you through the follow
ing week as summer is the chief sea-
son for producing and gathering food
to last through the following year.
Do you make the most Of this weekly
summer? Do you. like wise sons,
gather instruction by listening to the
Word read and preached, and your
self searching the Scriptures. and
seeking the help of good books and
papers. and do you gather fresh stores
of strength by diligent and humble at
tendance on the worship OF the church
and the ordinances OF religion? or do
you not?
Be assured OF this. there is no other
way In which we can more distinctly
acknowledge the sovereignty OF God
and our dependence on Him, and so
give glory to His name, and there is
| no surer sign OF spiritual decay than
neglect Of this sacred day. This dny
may be called the gauge Of the re-
liglous life, for in the way in which
it is spent there is afforded the clear
est evidence Of the relation in which
people stand to God.
say then again, as | said in the
beginning, that we have distinct OBJ
legations in the use we make (1) of
Gods Word. (2) of Gods church, and
81 of Gods day-thnt thus our attf-
tude towards God Is If not openly
avowed, yet practically expressed, and
that by this We may determine to
what extent, II at all, we are meet
Ing the supreme duty of life in de-
claring or showing forth His glory.
But let no one conclude that be-
cause we are insisting upon the true
use Of ID Gods Word, and (2) Gods
day. and t3) Gods church, that we
have in mind only what are commonly
called religious duties-we cannot for.
get what Is everywhere taught in
Scripture, that all life, and every act
of=ltfe should be consecrated by holy
motives to the glory of God. In short
that all life should be religious, that
all duties are religious duties.
In his Epistle to the Corinthians, st.
Paul lays down the rule: Whether
therefore ye eat or drink. or whatso-
ever We do, do all to the glory of God"
The definite acts Of eating and drink
ing are mentioned expressly, as they
are the subject Immediately under con-
sideration. But after all there is the
one great principle that should guido
all life. The quality Of each act de-
ponds on the spirit which guides it
and the motives from which 1t springs.
Do all to the glory Of God. That is tho
great rule of life-that the grand con-
ditlon of true nobility of character
and deed. Every man Is great and
honorable in proportion as he makes
the glory of God the definite and con-
scious aim Of his existence. Yes! this
is the great rule Of life, for when all.
do all to the glory Of God, this rounds
out and completes the whole scheme
OF creation and redemption.
We cannot rightly live self-centered,
self-contained lives-no man liveth to
himself. He who in this sense would
save his life. shall lose it. Let us
rise to a far higher plane than that
not be content with as some say. do
ing no harm-wlth not actively oppos-
ing the kingdom of God or mlslead-
ing others, hat realizing our high
origin and the obligations of those
who have been bought with a price.
let us live in such direct relation to
God, and such constant recognition Of
Him and in such dependence upon
Him. that whether we eat or drink. or
whatsoever we do, we may do all to
His glory.