Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-08-03
DEALING WITH TEMPTATION.

zeal IN pulpltS and elsewhere about the
solemn nature of death; we are eNhort-
ed TO make preparation for it ss for the
most critical point in all human expert
ence.. Yet, when we think seriously
of it, 1t is not half so solemn q thing to
die as it is to live. To one who lives
Alright, death is but the passage from
surroundings of sin and sorrow to a
realm of purity and Joy. No Christian
was ever lost, or even harmed, in the ex-
perience of dying. =
just how to live so as 10 be victorious
is the present question of practical in
terest. We may be sure. at the very
outset, that Christ does not help us nv
keeping us out of the conflicts. Allthe
best things in Life lie beyond the fields
of struggle, and we can get them only
by overcoming. Temptation met and
VIGOROUSLY resisted puts new fiber into
our souls. 1t would be no kindness to
us were God to withdraw us into some
sheltered spot whenever there is danger.
or II tie were SO to fight our battles for
us that we should never ourselves have
to struggle. Il pray not that thou
shculdest take them out of the world
was our Lords prayer for His loved
ones, .'but that thou shouldest keep
them FROM the evil one"
HE who hath never a conflict hath never
And only the toilers know the sweetness Of
rest and calm"
we must meet temptations, and we
must make up our minds, also, that we
have something TO do in getting the VIC
tory over the temptations which we are
called to meet. Men and devils NAV
tempt us, but men and devils can not
make us yield to sin. We are sovereigns
in our choices while the right and the
wrong stand before us. Other wills
may seek to influence us, may plead,
entreat. persuade, but they can not COM
pei. We can not avoid being tempted,
but we ough: TO avoid yielding TO temp
:ation. An old divine said, in illuStra-
ton of this truth, that ave can not
keep the birds from flying around our
heads, but we can prevent them build
ing their nests in our hair" We cam
not hinder temptations from buzzing
about our ears, but it is our own fault
If they make their nests in our hearts.
We must not expect God to lock the
doors, and hold His hand OH the lock all
the time, to keep us, by force of omnipo-
tence, from letting the tempter in. This
shutting and opening is our part Of the
responsibility. Even God Himself will
never come into our heart unless we
voluntarily open it to Him. We are
never forced to do wrong. Our duty,
therefore, is unwaveriDg resistance-an
unalterable no to every solicitation TO
sin. Ii we settle this point, we have
learned one of the best lessons in spirit
ual strategy.
Often, however, dcoiddnce of tempta-
ton is the true course of wisdom. Be-
cause Christ does not keep us out of all
struggles, we are not, therefore, to rush
presumptuously into danger at every
opportunity. We pray daily: Lead
us not into temptation" We must not,
therefore, enter into temptation volun-
tarily. Lord Macaulay tells us that at the
siege of Naumur, while the conflict was
raging, William, Prince of Orange, who
was giving his orders under shower of
bullets, saw with surprise and anger,
among his staff officers, Michael God
frey, the deputy-Governor of the Bank
of England. He had come to the Kings
headquarters on business, and was
curious TO see real war. "Mr. God
frey" said King William, ".you ought
not to run these hazards; you are not a
soldier; you can be of no use to us
here" Sir" answered Godfrey. II
run no more hazard than your Majes-
ty." mot so," said William. II am
where it is my duty to be, and / may
without presumption commit my life to
Gods keeping; but you Before the
sentence was finished q cannon-ball laid
Godfrey dead at the Kings feet.
The Kings words were true, and
the truth is just rs applicable
to temptations and spiritual dangers
as to the perils of war. When duty
calls us into any place we are safe; God
will protect us. But otherwise we
venture without any promise or claim
to protection. 1t is not courage, but
foolhardiness, that prompts one to rush
into temptations, uncalled, unled and
without necessity of duty; and it can
only lead to ruinous consequences. The
true rule is: Never seek a temptation;
meet one only as God leads you up to it
in the path of duty. Most people who
fall, fall in places where they ought
never to have gone at all.
When we are doing Gods win, we
may confidently count on protection,
however sore are the dangers. He
shall give his angels charge over thee,
to keep thee in all thy ways" And,
even more than this; Christ Himself is
personally interested in each Individual
soul in its earthly struggles, and watches
from Heaven, ready, when the enemy
seems about to gain the advantage, to
give instant help, or to provide some
way of escape. When our duty leads
US through perilous paths-but only
then-we may intrust ourselves with
unwavering confidence to the Divine
protection, assured of victory.
81 have known a timid traveller. {"
says one, "whose route lay across the
higher Alps, on path that, no broader
than mules foothold, skirted a dizzy
precipice, where we saw the foaming
river, far below, diminished to silver
thread-find il safest to shut her eyes,
nor attempt to guide the course, or
touch the bride, where a touch were
fatal. throwing the steed and rider over,
to bound from shelf to shelf, and be
dashed to pieces in the valley below.
And there are times and circumstances
when to be saved from falling :. the
believer must, if we may say so, shut
his eyes, and, committing his way to
God, let the bride lie on the neck of
Providence, and walk, not by sight,
but faith. When we are walking
in darkness and have no light, there is
nothing for it but to trust in the Lord
and stay ourselves on God
There come times in every life when
this is just the picture for us. when all
that we can do is to shut our eyes and
let God lead US through the peril In
such cases He will never fail; and il we
are faithful in our duty, we shall not
fail-2 & Times