The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1922-08-31

leAuS us to set
forth what we believe the text incul.
Gates.
flrst of all. it Is evident that it Is ii
matter of false teaching which is here
lh'"lFcd. 1t IS important to note this
III daS when 1t is supposed to make
no dl1crrncc as to what we believe.
f"f while John is very insisirnt on
right conduct, he is none tho less in
SiStcnt on right belief He knew. as
al should realize, that errors rs to
doctrine produce errors as to life
False Liberaity.
Again. the expression, bring not
inns doctrine" points out the person
as Il teacher, not n mere traveller
seeking hospitality. I)r. james Cul-
ross, an excellent interpreter OF johns
writings, we'll says: "'rhc charge
which ]ohn gives is an antidote to
That so-c;;llcd librrnlity to which
truth and faSehood are alike, which
generally ends in hating truth with a
murirruuS hatred. Whatever may be
done from Christian compassion or
kindnrSS. let it be done without hrsitu.
ll"n on fear: but lot it he done as
compassion or kindncSs-in the spirit
of the good Samaritan John finds no
lhult with 1t. and throws no hindrnncc
III It's Way. But keep the distinct ion
clear between doing il deed OF Chris
lihn hrnciircncc and giving help to
i-ChriS,ian error"
The false teacher is not only TO be
refused hospitality. but he is not to he
hidu"n God speed or as the Revised
Version puts it, we are to give him no
greeting Johns language would not
necessarily preclude an ordinary greet
In" of courtesy. but it involves sym
pathN ami approval, 50 as to make one
lmrtAkrr of the evil deeds Of the
teacher. Such frnrrrnal intercourse is
distinctly prohibited
we must hr careful not To assume
this exclusive attitude towards men
VIII" may differ with us as to some
n"ll-rsS"ntial point Of doctrine. for in
such matters there is room for large
charity in the church John has i'm
mind more especially the teachers Of
thai day whn denied that Jesus
Christ is come i'm the flesh" As to
such point, involving The full Deity
and irn" manhood of our Lord we
must be altogether uncompromising.
The Incarnation the Center
ON this very matter OF the Incarnn.
ton, Professor Orr has said: "AIany
tendencies are ut present in operation
20 weaken this doctrinc-Spccula,i
and evolutionary theories, doctrines OF
divine immancnce, and panthcstc
Identification of God and man. above
all, the powerful bent of the spirit of
the age towards Il non-supcrnaturnl in
tcrprrtatinn of the facts and truths of
religion. 1t is 81 necessity of the life
Of the church to resist these tendcn-
cicS and to contend for Christ who
Is as essentially divine in nature and
personality rs He is human in his
form Of mnnifcStntiOn-wh0 is the
very Word Of Icl become flesh (John
40"
Johns directions rs to our attitude
may we'll be applied to many Of the
So-callrd union meetings of these
times when representatives Of other
faiths than the evangelical arc given
places on the program. as though such
nitlcrcnccS Of doctrine were of no mo-
mrnt. Men speak nf this rs "charity,"
but John would doubtless describe it
otherwise.
The "clcct lady" to whom the words
of our text were first ADDRESSED was
a mother. and John shows much i'm.
tcrest in her children. He would pro
tcct them. as we'll rs her, from the in
tlucncc of false teachers. What n sol.
cmn need Is there at this time for
such protection Of our children Not
only do false teachers come In person
in these days, but the world is full Of
books, written in an alluring way, cal
culatcd to fiji the minds of the young
with sOuldcstroying error. Let us
watch against such encroa chments as
those who would guard their homes
from deadly pcstIencc!
Prayers for the Table.