The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1861-11-13
THE LEFE-BATTLE.
BY REV. THEODORE L. CCYLER.

"So fight l." says Paul, "not as one
that beateth the air. But | keep under
nv body, and bring it into subjection." "
The literal translation is, 1 strike under
the eye, making it black and blue. This
is boxing phrase indicative of the sharp
est. sternest efforts at Standardization
As one who should say conquer my
feshly appetites by violent and reiterated
blows, ard bring them into sub bjectlsn. |
lead my body along as a conquered cap
tive. 1t is beaten antagonist. My
wicked, lustfui nature is thus vanquished,
"lest that by any means when | have
preached to others, myself should be a
castaway."
Here is a tremendous warning to every
one of us-a warning founded on our
GOuble danger-frSt from evil appetites
Of the body, and also from evil affections
of the heart. Paul, the heroic apostle OF
Jesus, SO felt his actual danger that he
tells US that he bruised aud beat down his
sensual passions, lest having saved others
he might himself finally be lost. In the
phrase before US he especially refers to the
bodily appetites. "L keep the body un,
der" i. e., | smite it under the eye
Paul-like other men Of energetic make
and ardent temperament-wa very pro
baby tried with strong temptations to ex-
cesses of the passions, both physical aud
moral. He has not chosen to let u; into
all the secrets of his character He knew
nothing of the modern pseudo-scieuce OF
phrenolegy nor would he nave been one
whit the wiser if he had. He does not
tell US how often 'acquisitiveqess tempt
cd him to pocket the "collections' sent
up to the saints at Jerusalem or how
often he fell through the sore stress Of
his "destructiyeness, his "amitiveness,
or his 'combatiyeness. Such jargon he
leaves for modern empires IN the mystic
tious science of the mind.
But methiuks | see the wrestling of a
stern and furious struggle between the
hoer aud the baser natures of one of
Gods heroes in that profound and plain
tive seventh chapter of the eplstle to his
Roman brethren. / seem to see q stout
soldier of the cross, with uplifted arm
and swollen sinew, crying QUIT beat
down my baser self | give no quarter
to my lusts | strangle my appeti,es till
they grow livid in the face. | vanquish
my inner foes that God may make me
stronger to vanquish his foes without me.
Lest, having saved others, |, Paul, the
converted blasphemer OF Damascus should
onl y prove to De pitiful wretch and cast
away.
For Paul claimed no immun;ties from
danger through his position. That man
is professed minister of the Lord Jesus
is no assurance that he may not be cast
into hell. He has ',like passions with
his fellow-men. The same ravening lusts
that have decimated the bar aud the SEN
aie.bouse have left their blood prints on
the pulpit stairs Along the whole track
of ministerial biography, there lie strew-
ed, here aud there, the bleaching bones
of those unhappy victims who fell prey
to the spoiler Paul, to be sure, never
fell. To the last he kept his faith, and
the integrity of godly life. And the
simple secret eff this confluence and this
constancy | read in these brave words, so
fight l, not as one that beateth the air.
keep my body in subsection, lest that
by any means when have preached to
others, I myself should be castaway"
Shall we restrict the scope of this life
battle to sensual appetites alone? Paul
did not; he extended it to all the wicked
propeusities of his mental and his moral
nature. The war which every Christian
has TO make must be universal and un.
sparlng on the whole brood of interior
passions. The, sudden instructions Of
anger-the malicious whisperings of green
eyed envy-the acid tongue of censorious-
ness-the clutohings of greedy covetous-
ness-the restless cravings of unsanctiaed
aubitlon-the subtle sophistries OF. deceit
the uprisings of bigotry and spiritual
pride-all these and every other ike them
10 the great rebel armyof the heart, must
be met with the same ipdiscrimate war to