Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-08-06
The Times-Dispatch Sunday
Sermon
BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS.
bs j. \. Eubniil<.

Hy j. \. Eubnnk.
'Hew"re OF false prophets. which come to
you IN Sleeps clothing, but iuwardy they
are rarcniny wolves "-Matthcw vii. 10
Since the dawn Of human existence the
desire IF mankind has been for Knowledge.
We are told that God planted in the midst
90 tn" Garden OF Eden the trcr Of knowledge
OF good and evil. and that In due time Eve.
following the advice OF the scrpcn, took ana
eat % the fruit thereof. seeing that the
tree Was good for food. AID that IL WAS pleas
ah' To IN" eyes. and tree to be desired To
make one wise" and that after she had
eaten. she gave to her husband. who also
did eat Having thus by disobedjcucc got
ten their own eyes opened. they bcQucathcd
TO succeeding generations open eyes and an
Whuuenchaoc thirst for knowledge. together
with an Unborn capacity for acquiring 1t.
Hence 1t has come about that have
prophets" in our midst. Since God has al
ways been prompt to make provision for all
of our needs it follows that from time TO
tim" lic has responded TO this desire for an
increase OF true knowledge by sending
prophets; but not every one who rropheslcs
IN the maine OF The Lord is sent by Him o.
- ~ tn" least identified with His work Of
uniting fallen humanity. On IN" contrary.
there are the false prophets" whom Jesus
warns as AGAINST in III" test And that tho
world has had ain ovcrsupply OF these ever
sIacc the generation started uUt in quest
"i know!"dv". "" need 40 lsboycd argument
!" pror". We hay" but TO lift up eyes
to -" that tn" harvest il white for tho
reaper work. II it we're tho Lords purpose
I" dispose of chem In shat way. Rut it is
not They are ncrs In response 70 a demand.
IN tn" creating Of which ourselves have
had much to do. raul says. For the time
VIII come when they will endure sound
doctrine. but nftcr their luats shall they
heap To themselves tcach,rs having Itching
ears: and they shall turn away their cnrs
from tn" truth. and shall he turned unto
fables"
We have an idea tina; tho ink with which
PAU wrote tho above warning To Timothy
ana through him To the generations to come.
had scarcely drFed on the parchment bcfur.
the prophecy came true But In the Divine
pot"nii7lty IL has always been that God de-
fcatcd the purposes of cv!I-mindod mon bent
on dcbaSinG humanity. TO sorry. selfish ends
ny using them. in the final analysis 10
further His own benevolent purposes; for
IN" tact must ever hc borne in mind that lie
Is slowly, hut nevertheless surely. leading
n'ahkinG To tn" Hight in whose glorious RAYS
tacH VIII in tn. fuincsS OF time. dosptc the
ravcninG wolves among uS as teachers AT.
tain that perfect knowledge which has been
me aspiration OF all III" ages. So it comes
mat through the false teachings of these So
called prophets confusion Is brought. into the
world. and out OF this confusion grows dis
cord strife and the numerous other evils
with which society IL afflicted. But the Lord
sun r"irns, and through the manifold suf-
i.f'nsS that we are compelled to endure hy
''"H"h OF having listened 10 such teachings.
lie is imDrcss!ng upon US tho eternal truths
which make for the permanent uplifting OF
humanity Men may scheme and plot bu,
with all of their schcmiuR they cannot de-
feat the law of eternal progression.
Truth crushed 10 earth shall rise again:
Tn" eternal years OF God are hers:
But Error. wounded. writhcs with pain.
And dies among his worshipcrs
$" being forewarned OF these false proph.
cts. which com" among in Sleeps cloth
me- but inward!y are ravcn!ng wolves let US
"p"n every occasion be prompt To take the
haNice OF John. who wrote: Beloved. be
!iev" not every spirit. but try the spirits
whether they are al God because many
fhIs" prophets have gone out into the world"
Especially should he alive to do This II,
TINS ia! and time when there are 50 uany
'rr"ph"is' among us claiming to have divers
gifts political as we'll religious.