Other Baals!
(J.A. James, "The Young Man's Friend and Guide
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"How long are you going to waver between
two opinions? If JEHOVAH is GOD, follow
HIM! But if Baal is God, then follow him!"
1 Kings 18:21
There are other Baals in this age, in all
the various forms under which they are
objects of human idolatry.
It is true that you are not called,
invited or disposed--
to bow the knee to idols of wood,
stone or metal. These, however, are not
the only way in which idolatry may be
practiced. Everyone has a god, and if man
does not love and worship JEHOVAH,
he will make a deity of his own image.
Survey the idols which you
are called upon to worship:
Among them, sustaining a high place,
is the vile idol of SENSUALITY. This
goddess is decked out with all that
can pollute the imagination, inflame
the passions, or excite the evil
propensities of the heart.
Before this image, multitudes of devotees
of both sexes bow the knee and offer
the most costly sacrifices of property,
health, virtue and reputation!
Near her is the bewitching and smiling
image of WORLDLY PLEASURE, with
the sound of music, the song and the dance--
alluring the giddy and thoughtless to its orgies;
and throwing the spell of its fascinations over
the imagination of multitudes who go merrily
to their eternal ruin!
MAMMON, the despicable deity
of wealth, is there--
glittering with gold, and offering riches
to his eager followers as the reward
of their diligent and faithful adherence.
His liturgy is the cry of
"Money! Money! Money!"
His sacrifices are the time,
the bodies, the comfort, and
the souls of his worshipers!
Near this is the shrine of HUMAN KNOWLEDGE.
This idol is only evil, when raised above
the place of faith, piety and virtue.
When thus exalted above Scripture,
it is a deceiving, corrupting idol--
the false goddess of a Pantheon of Vices.
Nor must we leave out the idols
of FALSE RELIGION, the chief
of which is Popery--
the anti-Christ of the Apocalypse,
"the Man of Sin sitting in the temple
of God, exalting itself above all
that is called GOD."
This idol, taking the name of CHRIST
as its designation, assuming the cross
as its symbol, and boasting of an apostle
as its first pope; enriched by wealth;
venerable for antiquity; dignified by
learning; decorated by sculpture,
architecture, and painting; and adding
the abysmal policies and most serpentine
craft to all these other dangerous qualities--
has fascinated countless millions!
And, notwithstanding the monstrous
absurdity of its doctrines, the blood-
stained page of its history, and its
hostility to the liberties of mankind--
is now putting forth the most arrogant
claims, and making the most audacious
attempts for the conquest of our country!
These idolaters have chosen their god,
and are the determined and devoted
worshipers of their Baals!
They have hardened their hearts
and seared their consciences--
except it be an occasional qualm
in the season of death or sickness.
They congratulate themselves upon their
having thrown off all the weaknesses and
fears of Christianity, and upon their being
now enabled to pursue their Hell-ward
course unchecked by the restraint
of conscience. Duped men, blind,
and boasting in their blindness--
are benumbed in all their moral
faculties, and exulting in their stupidity!
With every tie cut which held them to piety
and truth, they account it a privilege that they
are drifting unobstructed to eternal destruction--
determined to be lost, and rejoicing that
nothing bars their path to the bottomless pit!
"These men have set up idols
in their hearts!" Ezekiel 14:3
"Their hearts were devoted
to their idols!" Ezekiel 20:16
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