The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1869-06-03

Iresult, whether that end Was human sue
. lcess, or human defeat.
The Iabors of the man were also bles
TO him as a wholesome exercise OF hi
! powers in Gods way, and the issue IN suci
cases is. always, in the true sense, sue
i cess. because it is In accord with God
i will, and carries out His purposes. The
/ great fact. too, must not be separated from
/ these considerations, that this Christian
/ Hero bounds not his views. by the con
! fracted limits oftime and sense; does moi
decide upon the nature of any issue, -as
to whether it may be regarded success Of
not,-by its earthly surroundings He
/ looks not at the things which are seen, but
at those things which are unseen; for the
things that are seen are temporal, while
| the things that are unseen are eternal.
So, realizing Eternity In its indissoluble
connection with time, he, at once, on the
occurrence ofany event, whether it be that
which he had anticipated or the reverse,
brings the word of God to shed its light
upon it, and that exhibits the aspect which
| the matter viii assume under the broad
sunlight of Eternity. There, many
events, now deemed sad, and unfortunate,
viii be seen to be, to those affected by
| them, the most precious blessings. Now
let the Moral Courage of the Christian be
understood to be based upon such a
foundation as we thus describe, and it is
apparent that, in all his warfare, in all
his pursuits, in all his engagements, in all
the objects of his hearts desire, even in
this world, there is certainty of success
in its true sense, that wonderfully tends
to strengthen his courage. All doubt is
absent from his mind. He knows that he
is in the right way, and that the issue will
be right, let that be as it may, because all
is controlled by God, and Gods will is
his will.
III. But when the theatre of the opera
ton of Moral courage is transferred from
these earthly scenes of conflict, to the
Spiritual interests of the SOUL what a
splendor enrobes the prospect This life
is warfare to the Christian but unlike
the painful uncertainty that attends the
encounters of earthly and material war
fare, he goes into every battle with an as
surance that the victory will be his; that
death, the last enemy, shall be destroyed
that pains, and groans, and dying strife
shall be instantly followed by crowns Of
fadeless beauty, and glory, and endless
bliss, awarded the faithful soldier of the
cross, and with the calm composure and
peaceful tranquility of the aged Paul, he
can exclaim: So am now ready to be
offered up, and the time of my departure
is at hand; l have fought good fight,
have kept the faith; hencefort6 there is
laid up for me crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous Judge,
shall give me at that day; and not to me
only, but to all them that love his appear
ing" With such certainty, both as re-
CARDS his temporal and eternal Interests,
this Christian Hero finds that there is IN
fused into him q courage that renders him
utterly invincible by the combined powers
of the world, the flesh, and the devil
g.. Now all this is corroborated by q
long and illustrious list of true Heroes, |
who fought the battles of life, and con-
quered all their foes by the power of this
divine principle of Moral Courage; and |
when we recall their names and record, |
we feel our own courage wonderfully |
Bring up in review, then,
the man Christ Jesus,-''the most Illus
trious example ofinvincible courage in his
work, and Moses, and Joshua, and |
Gideon, and Barak, and Sampson, and
Jephtha, and David, and Samuel, and |
Daniel, and the Prophets, and Paul, who
through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought |
obtained promises, stopped
the mouths oflions, quenched the violence
of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out
of weakness were made strong, waXed
valiant In fight, turned to flight the armies
of the aliens, while others were tortured,
not accepting deliverance, that they might
obtain a better resurrection; and others |
had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings,
yea, moreover, of bonds and imprison-
ments. They were stoned, they were |
sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain
with the sword; they wandered in sheep |
skins and goatskins, being destitute,
tormented, (of whom the world |
was not worthy they wandered in deserts,
and in mountains, and in dens, and in
caves of the earth"
Now all these superhuman exploits
were performed for the sake of the great /
principles of eternal truth, by mere frail |
mortal men Just of the same material as
we are,-and we can only account for
their success by attributing it to Courage
which was based entirely upon an unswerv
ing faith. Nothing else will ever account
for such deeds.
twill be seen from this discussion, then,
how all true Courage is traceable to the
fixed implantation within of this great /
principle of Christian faith; and hence
also may be seen the .propriety of the |
Apostles injunction: add to yOur faith,
Virtue"
have read much and heard much of
the heroic principle of Self-relianee, as. the |
of human action, and the sure
guarantee of success. We are pointed
often to instances of self-made men, as
models for imitation by the young. Much /
ofthe praise ascribed to this principle may
be accorded to it. There Is to the youth
full mind something noble in the spectacle |
Of mans rising to fortune or renown
without human aid. The mind is so con-
,tituted as to yield to the glare of earthly |
glory and to be attracted by the splendor
IF the deeds that emblazon the name of
he successful warrior, or seduced into adj
niration of the glitter of earthly fortune
hat surrounds the millionaire. But let
Is follow the career of such Christians,
md it will verify in every instance the
language of a powerful modern writer:
heir lives ''are depicted in colors of sell
ishness, pride, ambition and blood"
alone is the object sought,
md, as with a spirit of pride and vain
,lory, they survey the monuments of their
'wn success; they are in full sympathy
With Babylon's naughty king as he gazed
lpon the splendid metropolis of his Empire
md exclaimed: &C. snot this great Babylon
which have built by the might of my
,ower, and for the honor of my majesty?"
The results of such lives, whether fame,
uHuenca or wealth otta;rad xr;+Lo,,t