Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1878-02-04
8eligioas department.
MORBID DIFFERENTIATION.

The counsel to self-examination which
Paul gives is, we fear, sadly perverted.
There are," observed Isaac Taylor,
"anatomlsts of piety who destroy all
freshness of faith and hope and charity,
by immersing themselves day and night
in the infected atmosphere of their own
bosoms." This language seems strong,
but we have no doubt of its substantial
truthfulness, or that right here lies the
secret of the spiritual unrest and un-
healthfulness with which the lives of
real Christians are often saddened and
enfeebled The exhortations of the
apostle, taken in their true sense, have
reference to that self-examination which
sits in judgment upon our lives as rep
resented in acts and purposes. 1t is an
entire perversion of Scripture precepts
to spend our time in morbid inspection
of moods and emotions. Feeling is I'M
doubtedly to certain extent sympto-
matte of our spiritual condition. But
it is by no means sure index. The
subtle operations of our emotional ma
lures often defy the analysis of the
skilled observer. Much less trustworthy
are the conclusions of the religious dys-
peptic who is always feeling his own
spiritual pulse, and is morbidly suspi-
cious of the state of his spiritual diges-
ton.
True piety leads US out of and away
from, -nnrsolvoe. IL is brought into most
lively exercise by looking unto Jesus
and not to self 1t is the result of at
traction without, and not of commotion
within. 1t is expansive and outgoing,
and not the recoil of the soul upon its
own narrow life. 1t does not make even
happiness its primary end and aim.
Christ and his commands are the single
aim, and happiness comes as an incident
to that aim.
We do not. of course, intend to dis.
courage self-examination in any true
sense. The law of God demands the
strictest and most constant scrutiny Of
our own lives and motives. But Just as
in the physical disease, we may 60 either
to the extreme of undue confidence il
certain fallacious evidences of con
valescence, and thus be lulled into fata
security while the malady is left un
checked to do its insidious work, or OF
the other hand we may be led into
morbid watchfulness of moods and feel
ings and Misunderstood symptoms. Bot
are errors. What we need is the ap
propriate medicine. So with the diseas
of sin. Feelings and symptoms ma
deceive us. Christ will not. The Grea
Physician is unfailing "There is bali
in Gilead." There is healing nowher
else. So long, then, as self-examinatlo
leads us away from self and into Chris
it is healthful. Whatever carries I
out of our own narrow purposes int
active union with him in whom OF
d lives are hid, is in the appointed roa
Z that leads to spiritual soundness. b.
God in his Word gives no sanctiO
. cTUuer " UudU spIrTuuar serr-CUunuru'
or spiritual hypochondria which com
from morbid and misguided study
our own hearts and emotions. Duty
definite. Feeling rests upon thousar
contingencies. There is no need of mi
taking the one. There is abundant re
son for distrusting the other Trustir
in emotions saves no one. Trusting
Christ is the one condition of absolu
,g safety and eternal peace. London Ba
lie tiSt.