SEPARATION FROM THE WORLD.
WE are commanded in the blessed word of God to "let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." We are to exhibit the principles of Christ in all our dealings with our fellow men, adhere strictly to the Golden Rule in all the business transactions of ordinary every-day life. The religion of the Lord Jesus Christ is not only designed to save the souls of men, but also to reform the world. It is not only intended to save men from future destruction; but also to make them pure, honest and benevolent in life. It makes men honest and upright, and good, and afterward takes them to heaven. The one result is both the evidence and surety of the other. By transforming and remodeling the human character, Christianity evidences in a great degree its power to save from future punishment. Hence it follows that none but those who are transformed will be saved by the Gospel. An impure, selfish, unholy or dishonest Christian is as great a contradiction in terms as an honest thief, a reverent blasphemer, or a truthful liar. Benevolence, honesty and purity are the essential elements of Christian character, and if one of these elements of character is manifestly wanting it is an evidence of want of all, for "he that offends in one point is guilty of all." Indications of the want of strict integrity among professing Christians is found in the habitual disregard of their promises. The promise of a professor of religion is considered generally of no more value than the promise of any nominally moral man. Men will no more trust a professor of religion without bond and security than they will many others. The simple promise of a truly consistent Christian should be as good as his bond. But that such is not the confidence reposed in a vast majority of professing Christians is a most notorious and humiliating fact. Men must generally guard as carefully against being cheated by church-members as by any other class. They can no more depend upon the punctuality of church-members in fulfilling their promises than on any other portion of the community. This is most certainly a standing reproach upon Christianity, and can not possibly prove otherwise than disastrous to the cause of Christ. Now when we take a retrospective view of the condition of affairs, and when we investigate we discover, as a consequence of all this extremely sad dilemma, simply this, to put it briefly and comprehensively: The professed children of God have neglected to heed the command, "Be ye separate." They have entered a compromise with the powers of darkness, and incurred the disrespect of those who watched and waited with due patience in order to see the exemplification of the teaching of Christ in their lives. The unregenerate ones are becoming disgusted with the religion as exemplified by a majority of professing Christians. And this tells to a large extent why more are not being brought into the fold and family of God. In place of occupying a separate sphere from the unsaved, many professing Christians are found mingling with them; taking part in their amusements, joining in their midnight carousals, and in fact are so closely allied with the unsaved that only by direct and open questioning can one discover the views they entertain on matters relative to religion and things eternal. Their conversation flows in the same channel; their conduct exhibits none of Christ's constraining love; their dress is fully as gay and fashionable as that of worldings; and their lives in general reflect none of the sanctifying influence of Christ. How then can one expect to ascertain who is a Christian, and who is not? The inspired oracles give us this method, "By their fruits ye shall know them." If a man's life bears the fruits of holiness and love, we may rest assured he has been with Christ and learned of him. If, however, these Christian virtues are manifestly wanting in an individual he at once assigns himself the proper place. And now, candidly and sincerely, can such an individual with any degree of consistency expect the unconverted to receive benefit from his example? The world, with great earnestness, carefully observes the Christian's walk along life's great highway, in order to discover, if possible, if religion is as grand and ennobling as it is claimed to be by its advocates. And I imagine a sigh of disappointment escapes their lips, as they behold how flippantly and unseemly many professors order their lives here below. A godly example is one of the mightiest agencies in bringing men and women to the foot of the cross. A man's life must necessarily correspond with the scriptural standard of Christianity in order to be of practical effect in bringing his fellow men to a realization of their deplorable and extremely wretched condition. "Practice is mightier than precept." "He who lives the truth is its mightiest preacher." Hence, from these rules and principles, it follows that he who preaches against the unfruitful works of darkness must not be himself a member of secret conclaves, whose midnight revelings closely resemble the frantic ravings of the priests of Baal on Mt. Carmel. He who exposes drunkenness must not be a winebibber himself; or he who sternly denounces the heinous sin of gambling must not occasionally wager a few dollars. He who exhorts the people to abstain from all filthiness of the flesh must not indulge in the use of tobacco, or other things of like filthiness; but his lips must be a practical demonstration of his teachings, and then he can expect the smiles and approbation of the heavenly Father to rest upon the course he pursues.—Herald of Pentecost.