Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-01-15
"THE UTILITY OF GOD. -
BY WARREN A. GAMBLER.

Iion of goods that falleth to me-" He
would take his journeyiugs into a far
country but he was unwilling to leave
his fathers goods" behind In like
manner men are willing to be separated
from God, but not from Gods blessings.
But no real good can come to men
apart from God. The supreme good of
mankind is the knowledge of God Him
self, and this first thing must be- put
first in any proper plan of life.
We can not place even morality above
God. An atheistic morality is a delusion
and snare. One of the fruits OF faith
is the noblest type of morality, but if il
were possible to maintain such a moral
ity in separation from God our souls
would be unsatistied and undone by it.
In determining the quality of preach
ers and preaching the real test is found
in the question, Docs this preaching
bring men to God?" 1t is not enough
to say, ''WeN, it probably does some
good But let US inquire more definite
~, What good"' Was truth or error
proclaimed, and if false teaching was
uttered. can any real good come of it?
Are we ready to assume toward all the
various forms of preaching the attitude
of the Romans to their pagan rites, that
all are equally true, equally false, and
equally useful?
good The greater its apparent success
the worse are it's real results.
Is it so easy to accomplish real good
ployed for its accomplishment? Is that
ployed for its accomplishment? Is that
which is genuinely good and that which
is true SO unrelated that the false is as
good an instrument for doing good as
the true?
Many people imagine that the essence
E2oig, ;.- q, ~E
Improbable disorder and uncomfortable
conditions. They assume that mankind
could get on very we'll without the God
of truth or the truth of God, ii only in
convenient immortality and distressing
suffering could be excluded from the
earth. Hence they rely upon various
movements to do good rather than up
on the propagation of the truth as it is
! in Jesus"
How manifold are the humanitarian
| schemes of our day! An age of luxury
and self-indulgence can not bear any
| discomfort of which it may be rid, and
the sight of suffering is a discomfort to
| it. The sight of sin is not so Distress
! ing unless the sin be associated with
| pain 1t can tolerate fashionable licen-
tiouSneSS, but ii can not endure the
| leWdness of Slum d !strictS infected with
| fostering diseases and filed with agon-
| izing tragedies. Drunkenness amid ele-
| CANT surroundings is quite bearable, but
| intemperance which DISCREPANCIES labor
or disturbs industrial conditions de-
mands instant remedy. If church and
pastor among the laborers will reduce
| drunkenness and promote industry, by
all means these useful instrumentalities
must be provided. People with opulence
and good manners can get on without
religion, but not so the unrefined and
| turbulent classes. So think and speak.
They care for religion that it may be
useful to them.
Religion is useful. The Apostle Paul
| is authority for the statement that god
| illness is profitable unto all things hav-
| ing the promise of the life that now
| is and of that which is to come" (First
! Timothy iv:S), but no human soul ever
attained by seeking God and God alone,
! fixed on it's profitableness. Goodness is
! attained by seeking God and God alone.
| Captains of industry can not use God
to clean up disease-breeding slums and
! keep their laborers in order God must
be worshiped and obeyed. and worship
| full obedience will inevitably improve So
| cial and industrial conditions; but men
must worship God because he is worthy
/ of alteration and not that they may reap
material good from bowling before Hir
! Let this utilitarian age renounce it's
profane thought Of the utility of Cod
and seek His face that HIS glory may
| be seen as the supreme good of life.