Evening journal., 1916-01-28

/ Corinthians 10; 31.32-(R. W
SWhether therefore ye eat, drink, or
whatsoever ye do, do all TO the glory
of tod. G.ye no occasion OF Stun
bling, neither TO the Jews, nor to the
Greeks. nor to the Church Of God"
Daniel Webster once said that at
the opening Of any great argument it
was wise to lay down fundamental
principles. which would commend
themselves to the support Of every
fair-minded hearer. In beginning this
evening the subject Of amusements,
we can do no better than to follow
this wise advice
The first of these propositions,
which | would present is this, that a
Christian has a right to do anything
that any one else has right to do.
If anything is right for any other to
do, il is equally as right and proper
for a Christian TO do If anything is
wrong for a Christian TO do. il is just
as wrong for any one else to do. In
other words God does not have two
standards by which he will judge
mankind: one standard for the Cody
and another for the ungodly. Becom-
inc a Christian does not increase your
responsibility. 1t only helps you 10
bear the responsibility which you al
ready have. You are to be judged
not by your profession. but by your
knowledge. You have known people
who acted as though they thought
that lust as long as they made no
profession of religion, they we're free
10 do as they pleased If you know
what is right, or if you have had an
oDportunity to know what is right, by
that standard you will be Judged.
In the next place, Christianity does
not consist merely in giving up
things. It is not negative-it is posi-
tive. You might deny yourself OF ev-
erything, and yet lose everlasting
life Becoming a Christian is re-
ceiving Jesus, the Son OF Cod as your
personal Saviour and Lord, and yield
ing your life to do His will.
Sometimes people come TO me and
say. 81 do not do what Mister and
Missus So and So do" They seem TO
think because they are not guilty of
the sin that someone else is, that that
insures them salvation. But that may
not be your way of shining. It is
very easy to give up someone elses
idols. AS one clever poet expressed
Il:
"Many compound for sins which
they are inclined to,
BY damning those they have nc
mind to-"
You may refrain from indulging in
any Of the questionable things, about
which ] will speak tonight, and yet
that does not guarantee to you eter-
nal salvation
In the next place God wants us tC
have more enjoyment, rather thar
less. Some seem to think that oul
Heavenly Father has been planning
through the centuries to make things
Just as gloomy for His children "a
He can. The fact is absolutely tn
reverse. "These things have I writ
ten unto YOU" said Jesus, that M
Joy might be in you. and that you
ioy might be full" The apostle Pau
declared, "All things are given un
to you to enjoy" In the vision whic
the prophet had Of the Celestial citl
the streets thereof were filled wit
boys and girls at play. The pla
spirit is a wholesome. healthy, mol
nal. legitimate element of humal
life. II you have lost all desire I
play, YOU are already overdoin
Heaven. God wants us to have ever,
thing that will make our lives pei
manently happier and brighter an
richer and better The only thin
which He wants us 10 forsake is sil
that which will cause us shame an
sorrow here, and doom and damnatio
hereafter.
The course which ought to appe