Should Christians Be Members of Secret Societies?
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entertainments that gratify my taste. I cannot give up these enjoyments.
Why does the church look to me to help meet these constantly recurring
demands? ‘Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where
thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: and I
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was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth’ [
Matthew 25:24,
25
], expecting that some time I would be benefited by it.”
The Saviour bids us: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon
earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break
through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where
neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break
through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be
also” (
Matthew 6:19-21
).
Many are laying up their treasure in these secret societies, and
can we not see that their heart is there? However powerful may be
the evidences of truth, little by little it loses its brightness, loses its
force, heaven fades from the mind, the eternal weight of glory, the gift
of God for a life of obedience, appears a matter unworthy of notice
in comparison with the supposed benefits to be realized in laying up
earthly treasure. Souls are starving for the bread and water of life; but
what is that to him whose heart is set on this world? Many a man is
saying by his actions, if not in words, “I cannot let go my interest in
these earthly treasures, to secure that which is eternal. The life to come
is too remote for me to count upon. I choose the earthly goods, and
I will run the risk of the future. God is good and merciful.” Slothful
servant! your portion is just as surely appointed with hypocrites and
unbelievers as you continue to pursue this course. The fascination of
the club room, the suppers, and the world-loving associates, has led,
as did Belshazzar’s feast, to forgetfulness of God and dishonoring of
His name.
Will You Cooperate With God?
There is a blindness upon human minds that is willful. Jesus said,
“This people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing,
and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with
their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their
heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them” (
Matthew
13:15
). The work of God for the salvation of men is the one work
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