Summary of Sermon – Rev. Chaney Sermon from Psalm 81:16

Psalm 81: 16. – “With honey out of the rock should I have satisfied Thee,” was the text of Chaney’s morning sermon. The sweetness that comes from strength and the tenderness that is born of misfortune and sorrow were the subject. It was variously enforced and illustrated from nature, society, history and the experiences of home life. And at the end the seeker of the divine mercy flowing from the rock of the divine justice was earnestly portrayed. In the evening a discourse to young men was given from the text, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his ways.” – Psalms 119.9. After dwelling upon the common conception that the “wherewithal” means money, the preacher showed how many of the best enterprises owed their origin and final success to men who had no money to give.

Study the history of any noble institution, and question the motives and means that built it, and you will find that humanity, the love of truth and learning, piety, a generous rivalry in good deeds, energy and prudence constancy and industry, all the better instincts and powers of man – that is, the wealth which all men may have – had more to do with its establishment than the money donation of its patrons. And fancy the answer to this sober question of the Psalmist, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his ways ?” – -“By making money.” So far from that, abundance of money in youth is often the chief source of youth’s temptations and ruin.

Most of the special temptations of youth may be traced to four conditions as their source, if not their cause: Ignorance, especially ignorance of physiology. The physician has a revelation of God to make to young men of the first importance. Mr. Chaney advised young men to seek such knowledge from them.

Next to ignorance he placed “leisure” and pleaded for a right use of spare time or better such a use of all time as to have no idle leisure. Leisure, as an opportunity to do nothing, is almost always sure to end in doing something wrong. A sense of a divided responsibility is another condition of evil. And in this not only youth but man find a successful trap to catch their conscience. They do things in company which they would scorn to do as individuals acting each on his own responsibility, And lastly, bad company. The only cure for that, is to leave it. You can do it, and you can do the other things that will make for your better manhood. You can learn, obey, keep holy and keep- clean if you will. You can do it by taking heed to the truth you already know or can readily obtain.

The Atlanta Constitution (Atlanta, Georgia) – Mon, Feb 9, 1885 – Page 345
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