Stuff About Things
And the devil taketh him into a city, close to his home community and near his wife's people, and showeth him a new modern church childing. Behold, the elite of the city attendeth there, and the mayor of the city was an elder thereof.
And the devil showeth him the home of the preacher; having three baths and being air-conditioned. Verily the salary was large, and the car-allowance liberal. And the devil sayeth, "All this can be thine -- if thou wilt fall own and worship me."
And there are plenty of takers for the devil's proposition. I believe it is not the size of the reward that is so attractive -- (a hard-working man can match it in many ways) but the self-deceiving ease by which the devil may be worshiped. One need not bow before a horny-headed, long-tailed, fork-bearing red devil. Nothing so evident as that. But many can, and do test the wind of majority opinion and decide doctrinal "positions" accordingly. This is a subtle way of rejecting the authority of God. Many can reduce sin to generalities, state bible principles in such broad terms that the application is missed, and in many other ways, serve Satan.
Faithful preachers are both cursed and respected. Cursed for standing in the way of evil designs, for firm convictions to which they hold, for making the sinner -- rich or poor -- uncomfortable. They are not our conscience but they stir the conscience to life, and hold before us God's perfect way. But they are respected, even by the ungodly, who are still honest enough to recognize sincerity and integrity.
Today the "position" of the preacher is much lower than in former years. More general education and social contact by the masses is not the only reason. The character of the preacher has changed. Now he is "one of the boys," a "good sport" who is not shocked by immodesty nor fired to action by corruption. He is moved by "policy" rather than by faith; by conformity rather than by conviction. Perhaps in quiet moments his spirit is troubled-- he sees himself and is appalled -- but he does nothing. He has "Sold Out" to Satan, and even the pool-room boys know it.
The fault is not his alone. "The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and MY PEOPLE LOVE TO HAVE IT SO--"
--------------- Jer. 5:30-31