Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-07-14
Demas, the Stacker
Sermon by
REV. RUSSELL CECIL, ID. d.,
Pastor of tho second Presbyterian
Church.

from England through the war. 1t is
very striking phrase to describe the
character who is endeavoring to avoid
nus duty at the present time. Among
th@ associates Of the Apostle Paul was
man named DemaS who. after the
APOSTLE had become an old man and
WIS cast into prison, left him Paul.
WILING 10 Timothy, says. "Dcmas hath
ios'akci. me. having loved this present
world" The words, hath forsaken
me-" really mean. has left me in the
lurch.' Paul Is. therefore, writing to
timothy urging him to come: do thy
diligence TO come shortly unto me"
tie says, Only Luke is with me-"
The beloved physician" was still
faithful. but many others had with
drawn; and Demas, upon whom he de-
pended, had left him In the lurch in
the hour OF need Loyalty TO Christ
should have kept Demas faithful He
ma! at least professed faith in Christ.
had taken holy vows upon him. had
aii:ed himself with the church. and
was numbered among those whom men
o. tho church. He was familiar with
the struggles OF those carly Christians.
~ colaborer with Paul and the
others. he knew the kind of work they
had to do: and he knew from personal
experience that while the harvest was
great the laborers were few. The
condition OF the apostle also should
nave appealed TO this man. Pau: was
now old. sick. in prison. and in need
OF companionship and help: and how
forsake him? He was not the kind
OF man that Luke was Luke was
willing TO stand alone with Paul. But
there are not many who are willing
10 take such a position. When the
testing time came Dcmas ignobly de-
serted his friend. and became Stacker
LEFT CHURCH BECAUSE
HE LOVED THIS WORLD
Paul leaves us in no doubt as TO
cause Of Demas's detection. The rca-
son why he left Paul in the lurch was
because he loved this present world"
IL was inordinate love of the world
which proved his undoiny. as IL has
proved the undoinS Of many another
s!ack-twistcd member OF III. church
We arc not told what peculiar form
of worldlincss it was that ensnared
him. But whatever IL was, /, gradual
~ weakened his faith, chilled his
ardor. smothcred his conscience. and
hardened his heart. until he became
Stacker Perhaps his love .. personal
case was so great that he refused to
endure hardness as good soldier
OF Jesus Christ" lie dreaded the scant
fare the night vIEils. the fctid atmoS-
7here, and the other necessary ac-
compartments OF the prison LIE Of
Paul, which he would have been com
PEELED in measure at least to share
had he bound himself. like Luke. with
hooks OF steel to the cause OF Christ.
for which the older apostle Was in
bonds. Woe 10 them that are AT ease
in Zion"
Demas may have been man given
10 pleasure That was gay world
around him Those were the DAYS Of
Nero. and during the reign. OF that
iyrannlcai Noiuptuary over the Roman
Empire. MANI men and women were
lovers OF pleasure moro than lovers OF
Cod Demas. perhaps, fel; in his hear;
,, III ..f t...I, 1
that he yielded TO il at tho expense Of
his honor as a Christian. The passion
Tor dress. for amusement, for excite
mcnt. for admiration, for displ<., for
games. for theatrical exhibits. for
rfvclry, for high living these are the
tnG-"s that steal -w., the hearts OF
Gods people anG threaten to swamp
the churos which the Savior loves,
and which he has purchased with His
own blood. The love OF pleasure how
how deaden:ns to spiritual life. /, is
not strange that the apostle says
she that livcth in pleasure is dead
while she liveth."
MOTIVE WAS SELFISH
AND UNRIGHTEOUS
Dcmas may have been cnamored OF
mateIia! good-the love OF wealth and
what 1t brings-and he may have !ct.
faul because allurcd by the hope OF
some pecuniary advantage. 1t has
bcen suggested that he went 10 Thcs-
sdlonica Tor business reasons He
sought in that beautiful Grccian city
opportunity to advance his own in
tcrcst hat may have been true: and
IN itself. under other circumstances
would not have been considered a re-
! prchcnsible course OF conduct But i,
/ Demas's case tho impelling motive, ac-
ccrdinS TO Faul. was selfish and un-
righteous. The man deserted his post
Of duty because he loved the world,
But whatever form of worldlincss at
tracted Demas at all events his heart
was not right in the sight OF God
Can any heart which is filled with the
love OF the world be right in the sight
OF God? Not If the Apostle John was
correct when he said, Love not the
world. neither the things that are in
the world. If any man love the world
the love of the Father is not in him.
When the test comes between Christ
and the world. the love of the world
prevails over the love OF Christ. and
The wording deserts the house o: God
and goes Owe! TO the enemy.
The most obvious results OF this re-
markablc detection OF Demas were scri-
Gus. His conduct must have been q
grief to the Spirit OF Cod "Grievc
not the Holy Spirit OF God Whereby We
arc sealed unto the day Of rcdcmp-
ton" Demass conduct was like that
OF the children o: Israel in the wilder
ness, who were forSetful OF God and
into idolatry and sin. Your fathers
tempted me, proved me, and saw my
works forty years Wherefore | was
gricved VII. that generation, and said,
They do always err in their hearts:
and they have not known my ways"
CONDUCT WAS GREAT
DISAPPOINTMENT TO APOSTLE
In forsaking the apostle and going
bac to the world. DcmA was doing
despite unto the Spirit of grace" HIS
conduit was great disappointment to
ths .aostle. and to those associate
-t,r, MIN. They had been depending
-eSn Dcmas. and he failed them. The
o::vh also lost the benefit Of his SER
fees. He deserted in tho hour OF
risis. Such assertions are prevalent
IN our own day. The loss by reason
81 siackerS has aroused the apprchen-
sion Of the General Assembly, am. lhcy
are seeking to find ways and means
10 remedy ii. Thousands in going
from ono city TO another discontinue
their membership. Their religion will
not bear transportation: and IL ought
TO be marked. like certain class of