The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-02-17
Spiritual Warfare.

In these days, when the great majority of
newspapers are compelled to use nearly all
their space for political news, in order to cater
to popular taste, an article like the following'
from the editorials columns of the Philadel-
phia Record, WILL, no doubt, be acceptable;
There is something inexpressibly sweet and
gracious in the Christian doctrine of holiness
which distinguishes it from all the other reli-
gions of the world. The doctrine seems to be
accordant too, with a sound ethics and with a
rational and humane philosophy. In the
scheme of the great Galilean the conflict the
heroism, the fortitude, the inyincible aspiration
and the sublime and steadfast patience through
which the soul overcomes at last the evil that
is within it and without it, coming finally to
that mightiest of victories the conquest of ones
own spirit, are the divinely appointed means
for developing the highest style of character,
Holiness is a far nobler spiritual state than in
nocence. The purity that has never been tried
in the alembic of temptation is negative and
doubtful. Within it may lie infinite possibilli
ties of wickedness and sorrow The ultimate
outcome of it no one can foretell. Instead Of
being the first step in an ascending stairway to
the celestial heights, it may be but the fair and
fowery entrance to down way, ending in the
abyss from which there is no return. Al
though the theologians may not teach it, there
would seem to be ministry of sin, as there con-
fessedly is of suffering We are taught that
there are uses in adversely, and that troubes,re-
verses and Affections may be helps rather than
hindrances in the religious life. So also may
we recognize the compensation of a kindly eff
cacy in the lapses into wrong doing from which
no man or woman born is free These are doubt
less part OF the divine of discipline. Were il
not for the occasional transgressons even OF
the best of us the world would be full of Phar-
isaic pride. The agency of sin, in the humil
ity and penitence it brings to US, in the senti
ment of charity towards others which it in
culcates, and the sense of dependence upon
higher than finite power for the selfmastery
we strive for, is, rightly viewed, one of the
most beneficent influences in the entire pro-
gramme of the Providential dealing with hu
mainly. Herein the Christian philosophy goes
IdI GOWdTu d SOluLlOu VI pIOUlCm VI
the origin of evil and its final cause or purpose
in the economy of the universe. No other
system can explain this tremendous fact-this
physical and psychical paradox-which has
defantly confronted the metaphysicians and
ethicists of all ages. 1t is the great apostle to
the nations who declared that sin abounds that
grace may the more abound. Were the inno
cence of the babe or of the brute the per
manent state of man, human character
would lack its most magnificent exemplars.-
Without the warfare there would be no he
roes. The glory of our race is the possession
of what Epistetus calls the approving and dis
approving faculty. Conscience is the source
of moral distinctions ana the dscerner be-
tween good and evil If we had not this en-
dowment sin would be impossible indeed; but
ON the other hand, that ceaseless and eager
quest of virtue, which appears as SO potent
force in history-and without which progress
and civilization would have remained unreal
ized-could never have inspired mankind
Men are not and cannot become angels but
they who at the end have stood up amidst much
lribulation, having fought the good fight-no
matter how often or how sorely they may
have fallen by the way, keeping steadfastly the
fath-shall be higher than the angels, for they
shall be numbered with the saints of God in
the glory that is everlasting