The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-20

of tears in Gethsemane9 | think read in that
the meaning of certain reassuring words: I'VE
have not an high priest that cannot be touched
with the feelings of our infrmites.'
can be glad that Christs example gives to
aching hearts the warrant for tears; that he does
not crush emotion but, as one who knows what
is in man. counts that manful which gives TO
every feeling its right expression Weep with
them that weep. In our day are found those
who would rather praise something else than
Christ and Christianity and so, forsootn, they
make pet of Buddha and Buddhism Now the
philosophy of Buddhism, even more than OF
stocism demands of you that you shall come to
a. state of indifference about all pleasure and
pain; and when you have reached perfection, or
Nirvana, you care for nothing In the heavens
above or in the earth beneath or in tho waters
under the earth Thank God this is not the
style of Christianity. That intensifes life; it
ouckens sensibilities: it gives keener zest to
every right enjoyment II am come," said it's
author, that men might have life, and have it
more abundanty.'
CHRIsTIAN1TYs WORK AND IT'S WORKERS.
You will find Christian men doing all kinds of
work-the great and the small enterprises of
the world What a statesman Gladstone has
been for more than half a century? From the
beginning he has been a most earnest Christian.
Many jurists abroad and at home are devoted
Christians; many lawyers are eminent in the
church Soldiers, generals like Hancock and
Gordon, of Chinese and Egyptian fame, show
how that which seems most incongruOus with
Christianity can be done in Christian spirit.
All sorts of business, except distinctly wicked
business, may be found in the hands OF Chris
tian men. Men of nerve. like Cromwell, and
Gustavus AdolphuS, and Washington, have been
among them Al! varieties Of disposition, tenn
permanent and nurture belong to the household
of faith. For never make the silly mistake that
only those little sad, sour, or weak fit to
be made Christians of. God has not leveled men
down to some gloomy monotone. Christian men
are not by that token negative, spiritless men,
nor Christian women negative, splrltiess women.
The keenest, brightest, wittest men and women
in present life or in history you
will find in considerable numbers among the
Christian disciples. Christianity does not take
out the spirit from man or woman. 1t trains 1T
in new directions. Paul showed what Chris
tianity does for man when he turned from his
bigoted rage to gentleness like that of Christ.
You can see still that he has fiery nature; but
it takes fire in other ways than once He is as
intensely earnest after his conversion as before
He spent his energy before prosecuting men
and women. He spent his energy after in saving
them.
TO strike back used to be thought manly in
old time-an eye for an eye. tooth for tooth
He was the hero who could avenge himself
Now moral stature rises farabove physical. He
is man of highest manhood not who smte
his enemies hip and thigh. or bear away on his
shoulders the gates of GAIA. but who, like
Jesus, can bear and fOrbear going about doing
good
A foolish and wicked code of honor once de-
manded blood for what CHANGED to be thought
insult. The law of retaliation is very old.
What wonder that against such code Jesus took
extreme ground in protest IF one smite
thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other
also" This y not what the world likes. 1t is
easier to strike back than to suffer with meek
ness 1t is often called tameness and meanness
of spirit when in some this law or Christ is
followed. But there is tenfold more bravery in
it than in the other every time that it is done in
self restraint for Christs sake. Said a high
spirited man whom / knew, on one occasion,
when grlevously provoked-a man whose nature
was all force and fire, and who once could never
have brooked an insult from such assailant-
Il should knock you down but for the grace of
God" Similar was the reply of James Haldane,
an English officer of high courage, when insulted
by one who meanly presumed upon the fact of
Haldanes recent conversion to do what he
would have not dared do otherwise But men
such as Haldane and Havelock, and Christian
officers in the Crimea-bravest of the brave
would sooner die than avenge an insult accord
ing to the duelist's code Yet in face of the
opinions that prevail in camp such self-restraint
becomes heroic. He that so rules his spirit is
greater than he that taketh city. The old
selfshness clamors to have its own way
though the heavens fall. Christs law says:
Resist rot evil. Look not upon your own things,
but also on the things of others. In honor pre-
ferring one another. Therefore, slowly Chris
tianity wins its way 1t is like the tide which
you have seen advancing up very broad beach:
just ripple at time, even then drawing back,
but it moves next time little further onward,
for it is bound to come-the whole ocean is back
of 1t, and the sun and moon in their courses are
urging it on. So the power of the endless life
of Jesus is felt in the circle of His followers; but
OH not enough. Christians too often exalt their
personal interests above the everlasting veritieS
Religion is treated as if good for all fair
N
easy to be good when there is no temptation to
the contrary. Men mistake the purpose of their
Christianity if it is followed when agreeable to
their prepossessions but discOuntenanced whenit
collides with personal feeling. Now it depends
upon each true man, each true woman to make
Christianity what it shall be in the world You
cannot treat religion something separate
from daily life. You cannot set religion upon
pedestal, like a statue of god. and say
There it is, look at it-et us worship it." Those
who enlogise it without corresponding practice
try to do this. There is no religion in this alb
stract sense Religion is a mans conduct on
Chrsts pattern. The praises the pages of a
whole library would not alone be worth as much
as one homely instance of Christian life.
/ well know that the ideal which it is easy to
see is hard enough to folly. You have seen art
of speech, song, which had reached what is
deemed its perfection, the skill to conceal all
traces of art. How easy it seemed for the con-
summate orator to talk! How easy for the
matchless vocalist to sing! How easy for the
fingers of the musical artist to play with the
keys the strings Somehow it appeared thing
| of nature, done as one would bresthe. but try
| to initiate them; try to talk in public with the
ease of the trained orator; how the words will
not come and thoughts will not fashion them
selves Try to sing like the vocalist who seems
spontaneous as bird. What an ignobe falling
short. What cleaving of the voice to the
roof of the mouth! Yet the very
ease of the trained and perfected
speaker or singer is suggestive of the possibility
of doing yourself that thing which seems so
spontaneous Experience has taught you better
experience or advice. Try it, if you must.
You realize the difficulty for the simplicity of
the best style of speech is highly deceptive as to
its facility. To some favored few it may be a
natural gift. OF the pre-eminent orator. as of
the poet, it may be said, 'he is born not made. "
Now in spiritual supremacy never but one has
been born to this pre-eminence. Think of imita-
ton of Jesus. How natural He seems how true
to every situation! What simplicity and direct