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

us mark three things especially, In
which our attitude toward God, II not
openly avOwed. Is practically Gx-
pressed, and by which we may test
ourselves, and determine to what cx-
tent, II at all, we are declaring or
showing forth His glory.
say again that while wb cannot add
to Gods essential glory. we can help
declare tive can help make IL known
among men, and we ourselves can
% recognize and submit 10 Gods
authority, and ~ so Loyalty express
Our allegiance To Hin as to render tho
homage and service that Ii due. and
thus we may gInrify Him in our bodies
and in our spirits. which are His.
The three things | propose AZ tests
OF our attitude towards God are the
Use we make ID OF Gods Word, (2l
or Gods church, and CD OF Gods day.
These are things in use Of which our
attitude toward God iS-if not openly
, Avowcd-yet practically expressed,
and by them VIC may test ourselves
and determine tn what extent. II ut all,
we arc declaring or showing forth
Gods glory.
fear that great many people have
no sense Of obligation In this matter.
They would not baspheme God, or con-
sciOusly cast any dishonor upon His
name. or upon Ills cause in the world
and as il does not come in their way
10 do these things, they drift along
In the ordinary routine OF Il decent
and respectable life as II they were
doing their whole duty, and without
any sense OF failure in this. the SUI
preme duty of life. That the great
God OF Heaven and Earth should cx-
pect any more than this from them
any special service, that lie should
expect such Use of the faculties and
powers He has given, M would amount
To distinct and grateful recognition
OF His interest and sovereignty. this Is
something that has never entered their
minds as working factor IN rife. And
so 1t comes to pnss that, though living
in Christian land many people about
us have fallen back upon distinctly
heather conception of God |. C.. they
think Of Hin as one who has hut n
sCant interest In human affairs, much
less any special concern In the con-
duct and character OF individuals.
While they recognize Gods authority
and arc friendly to His cause in the
world. they ask, what have they To do
with the glory OF God? looking upon
that as something altogether beyond
and above them. and for which they
cannot In any wise be accounted re-
sp0nsible. But this cannot be. we were
made not like the brutes that perish. |
but in Gods image md likeness, and
because like Him. for Him. We are
His servants and subjects-nay. more
than that. lie calls us His children
and He asks, IF be a Father, where .
is mine honor?''
All things 60 10 show that God is
not satisfied with what may be called
simply quiet, tnoffensiye life. but
expects and demands n revenue Of
praise and glory from each individual |
soul Of man. He expects lis to gain by
trading on the talents He has given
us. The strong indictment OF the
apostle. even against the heather. was
that in so far as they knew God. they
glorifed him not as God. and 10 this
the charge against the
Monarch. and the God In
whose hands his breath was, and
whose were all his ways. he had not
glori1ed.
This, then. is my contention, that we
have distinct obligations in the use
we make OF ~ Gods Word. (2> Gods
church, and ~ Gods day. That in
the use we make of these. our attitude
towards God Isis not openly avowed,
yet practically expressed, and that by
this we may determine to what extent,
II at all, we are declaring or showing
forth the glory OF God. And in going
over these tests today. let every one
think not of his neighbor. hut think of
himself, and judge himself. that he be
not Judged by the Lord.
az And first, as to the use we
make of Gods word. The PsalmIst
says. Thy word is a lamp unto my