The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1920-07-22

IL n
who every day or
so would enter the
schoolroom, an q
SLOWLY passing through IT, say In meas
ured tones. o-cras-ti-nation-is-
e-thief-of-tme." Then quietly,
without another word, he would pass
out. His purpose was TO Impress upon
his boys and girls that they should
not put OF till tomorrow, or from day
10 day, that which should be done at
once. II seems TO me that In our text
God Is In effect saying the same thing.
when he tells us, "Now Is the accepted
time; behold, now is the day OF saliva
ton"
mo Promise Of Tomorrow"
One time while being driven In the
country to minister at the funeral of
man who had died very suddenly.
] was surprised at the wisdom shown
by the Maynard young man who was
conveying me. There was lull In the
conversation. Then suddenly he
broke forth with this startling fact:
"iou know. we have no promise OF n
tomorrow" What truth there Is In
that statement-"No promise Of to-
morrow" And yet. how needless we
are Of the fact IL so succinctly sets
forth. We 20 on naelecting to do that
which II Of such moment TO us, actual
ly gambling with time and with our
souls IA the stake. No promise OF a
tomorrow IL what God IL saying In
the words Of our text.
Again. are you putting OF your de-
cision TO become a Christian, because
you feel that you want first TO have
a good time?
What a specious argument that is.
and how Satan does use IL. especially
TO deceive young people. He would
try 10 make them believe that they
say good-by TO all the good times when
they become Christians; but that is
not so. for there Is nothing good"
that person has TO give up to be-
come n Christian. To be sure, there
are things that are bad and harmful
that must be given up. and these the
Devil camoufiages 10 make them look
good 10 people He succeeds surpris-
ingly well. for folks are easily fooled
by the enemy OF human souls and
often they do not awaken 20 the fact
that they have been deceived until II
Is too late.
What we need 10 do Is TO estimate
the real value If things. Who that
is wise would buy glass jewels for
diamonds. or accept fools gold for
the genuine? II We scrHpe beneath
the tlnsel with which Satan covers
things that are bad. TO make them
look good. and II we carefully weigh
everything he offers us In the bal
ances OF eternity. we shall discover
their worthlessness everything he Of
fers, though II give pleasure for a sea
son. lat last" as solomon said OF
the wine cup. at blteth like a serpent
and stingeth like an adder"
Good Times for the Christian.
Christ on the other hand offers all
that Is good and worthwhile In this
life and the life TO coIse. The really
good times are for the Christian. and
II any one on earth can enjoy him.
self, Il Is the person whose life has
been enlarged by the coming into II
of Christ. He II is who not only
gives life. but gives II abundantly.
This is true In this life. because Christ
enlarges a persons capacity for en-
Joyment.
We frankly admit that there are
restrictions and limitations for the
Christian: but he who says that there
are restrictions and limitations OF
must be cut OFF are those that make
for death. The surgeons knife cuts
out cancer, but cancer makes for
death and SO do those things that the
person who would be Christian.
must cut out OF his life. The very cut
ting out of these things sets a per
son free for the real pleasure Of life.
Is II not mean thing 10 choose the !
pleasures of sin for season. and then, |
when the candle OF life has almost |
burned itself out. fling ourselves upon
Gods mercyl To such who so choose,
expecting TO become Christians when
they are about 10 die. that they may
thereby escape hell and gain heaven.
God holds out no promise OF salvation.
That people are saved at the last mo
ment of life as was the thief on the |
cross, We know. but who dare say that
the one who chooses 10 refuse the sal |
walton God offers now shall ever have