"SELF-DECEPTION."

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9386, 12 March 1898, Page 1 (Supplement)

"SELF-DECEPTION."

(By the Rot. R. M. Ryburn, M.i.) ,

" For ye dissembled in your hearty when ye sent me unto the Lord your God ; and according unto all that the Lord our God shall say, so decl, ire unto u°, and we will dJ it."— Jer., 42. 20. These words were spoken by Jeremiah to Johanan and his companions. Jerusalem had been destroyed'by tbe ChaMseans. Gedaliah, the governor of Judaea, appointed by Nebuchadnezzar after the destruction, had been murdered 'by Ishmael, a prince of Judah, who had oomo from retirement in Ammon, ishmael, after further atrocities, was taking the remnant of the Jews and much spoil away with biro, when be was overtaken by Johanan, who released the captives and led them back to Judah.

This then was the position of johanan and the remnaut (1) They were afrnid that the Cha.daeins, ou finding Gedaliah dead, would avenge his death upon them. It would not matter much to the Chaldmans that aciuel, bloodthirsty marauder had slain the governor, the remnant would be responsible. (2) Judah was in consequence of the war in a troubled state, captains with robber bauds were roamiug tbe country. (3) There waa als(r a lack of provisions. What was the remnant to do? Where was refuge to be found ? Only one course seemed to them to be wise, viz., to go to Egypt, and apparently they made up their miuds to take that course.

They, however, agreed to ask Gad, I an* 1 they came to Jaremiah asking him to pray fjr them. D >übtless at this time Jeremiah wa* more trusted than befure the downfall of the city, for bis advice.at that tim had been proved to be the beat. They asked Jeremiah and he agreed to lay their r* quest before God. After ten days Jeremiah returned to the remnatit with the message -. — ' Remaiu where you are and God will protect you ; go to E^ypt aud you will perish by tbe sword, the pestilence and tbe

famine.' Jobanan and the others, even after their solemn declaration to obey God, immediately said 'Th« message ie false; God haa not spoken to you.' And in spite of the warning Johanan led the remnaut. to Ej?ypt.

These poor people, unknown to themselves, probably had' made up their miods what .to do,' then aeked guidance of God, disobeyed him, and took their own way. "So do many to day; their prayers, their waiting on Gtfd are only a vain show, they continue to disobey. It is ono think to ask guidance from the All Wise One, another thing to obey Him. 'To obey is better than sicrifice, and to hearken than the' fat of rams. The self-deception of these Jews was due to their confidence in themselves. They, by calculation of fho understanding came to the conclusion that Egypt was the right" "place. The bias of their hearts was toward * the decision of the understanding. Their self-deception consisted ia thinking they had strength to overcome thia bias. ' Tbe v thought it right to come to God and ask for guidance. They knew not' that they thought themselves wiser than God.

Self-deception is most subtle. There ia such a semblance 6E reality about the religion of certainonei ' that they never seem to question whether they have the truth./ I suppose Johanan and bis company thought themselves very good and religious to ask direction from God io their difficulty; but goodness lies in obedience io God. A Bemblance d£ religion is not religion.Self deception has a powerful hold 9 on its victim?. Johaoan's companions saw nothing wrong in them-* selves when they felt the difficulty presented in Jeremiah's answer, they immediately said, ' The message is false.' It is most difficult 'to open the eyes of such. Once self -deceived it is most easy to continue so; The' truth men hear, the message of God to them is by them', declaredtobe

Self deception is s£pecjal feature.. \ of tho laU times, 'JP.ortßi? caus^fe' ', ; God shall send t'bein &ro>i^Jteipsioiii $;'- •hat they should believe a !>e^ : JestfB^-v---Christ says ' I am the^Triithi'^Tjii « antichrist who comes j's^fhe* L\4s¥r.' 'IJhe bE antich»U( is'\\V&idf {-£'": abroad." «^Men '?aT',WJiftgjp^^j|y^~s^ the truttf oPCtedj^it^ colder 'Qtlpr^j, not t thrt^bt;-God;s^n«fe^ this delusiotf iCdu6-jt6tHfm»g'lK>tcP^ i and --^r-gp »3a»»t Tfjf-. jjfjff awfartef&ew^^fJW&Sv^^^W ' Self-dVcVpls^oHntrfoWnjfe«f unconverted remaining; so/,;. rßJany ? * r ri thin&f~thafc thsiT^w^hristianß, tiatX§ and Wlf-Aeo«»»«iB^;^« *%•"&; f you attend/^fiarchj-ahd'evori'lake s '-' the cotpmuinipn. .i v h<Se,tnjng«;ans.^ ,- of the'^'utmisf lajportailce'; i>pf -' v i« possible through Biich to m'alrS;Ji>/ \ pretended approach _ to U-od' 6s' JohanaD did. Does youYlifp* *^ofar love of the world, belie yonr^actioa in these matters! You pray. 'YeSj but have yoa obeyed. 'Q-od" has' ■ spoken nntb u» by His Son. ' H»ve you heard God ? He has told'uMjf life eternu! in 'Jesus. HtvV'you believed Him ? Jl is nqt snflS>;ient to say I think I. am a Christian, selfdeception is possible.' Be sufe'jba welcome the truth. SelMeception accounts for m«ny mds and mistakes in life/ The drunkard may pray for victory, when, in his heart he still wishes to gratify his desires, and sq with other beVfet,ting sins- Wore, we to let God deal with us as he pleased and obej H-iin*) the victory wcui d be 'certain.' '"So, too, in various undertakin'gs-pf life. 1 , We pursue our own course, irnagih)' ing that we are doing as Gni wjsties. We wait on pod, learn ,H\s #ays, »nd take ours. What folly for the ' Christian so to do. Then self-deception accounts J for unanswered prayers*.' God is'bla'med for not answering' prayer>hen x't'is best for us thai v should .'not be answered. Jti a a greater sin kn owing His will and not doing it. Let me exhort you . to self 'examination. 'Examine' 5 yourselves, whether ye be in -tbe 'faith; prove your own selves. , ( . ' , And also let me exhort you to openness of miud in every, approach to God; evert as He did who in Gethsemane said, 'Not my will but Thine ba done.' Otherwise we too shall dissemble in our hearts' when we go to God,

Ms R. H. Martin, Certificated Toner of 22 years standing. Terms for yearly or single tunings on application to Mr Ferguson,' Stationer, where all orders may be left.— Advt, '

J. W. Baggett, of Oak Grove, Fla., had an attack of the measles, nearly three years ago, and the disease left him with very severe pains in the ohest. • "I thought I would die," he writes; "but to my great joy, I was saved by Chamberain's Fain Balm." Pains in the ohest nearly always indicate the approach of pneumonia, and by promptly applying this , liniment on a flannel olotb, which should be bound on -the chest, an attack of pneumonia may be 'prevented. It is always prompt and effectual. For Bale by B. M. Gatenby, Chemist.

Visitors to town aud residents .alike coincide in tbe opinion that the place to upend a pleasant day is at the Heads. To the weary man of bnsiness.'the overtired housewife, and the ljrain-worried sohoolohildren, there is nothing; more hoaltbgiving than the ocean -breeze at Castlecliff. Such excellent clitaatic conditions obtaiuing there recommend themselves, and are fully endorsed by the medical faculty. -, Profiting by such advice the'influx of visitors to this sea-side resort promises this season to beat all previous records. Perhaps one of the reasons for such sustained public favor lies in the fact that the train service established by the Castlecliff Railway Company ii thoroughly up-to-date, and the cost of transit is but nominal, compared with i suoh advantages as sea-bathing, picnicing I and fishing, while the beach affords an excellent promenade. Within suoh easy access of town — the journey occupies but 15 minutes each way— what better can be desired as a holiday or- every day jaunt?— A»vr.