The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1886-05-06
Thoughts for the Thoughtful.

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1t is not conformity to q creed that
is required, but aspirations after
state. 1t is not demanded of as to
perform a number of duties, but to
yield obedience to certain spiritual
law.
Where is the professional man,
secular or clerical, who will so speak
of another of the same profession,
while struggling with him in honor
able rivalry, or so assist him, as to
insure that the brightest lustre shall
shine upon what he really is9
It is great privilege to know that
the Gospel is a system Of resources
by which we are to become purer and
better day by day. It is a grand
thing to be christian. It is mag
nifcent hope that we are ever to be-
come partakers of the Divine Nature.
To be humble and loving-that is
true life. Do not let insult harden
you, nor cruelty rob you of tender
ness. If men wound your heart, let
them not embitter it; and then yours
will be the victory of the Cross. You
will conquer as Christ conquered, and
bless as He blessed.
Jesus did not talk of the progress
OF the species nor the growth of civil
lization. He did not trust the worlds
hope of liberty to right division of
property. But he freed the inner
man. that so the outer might become
rec too. eye shall know the truth,
and the truth shall make you free"
The fact is, we have one thing, and
only one, to do here ON earth--to win
the character of heaven before we die.
This is practical and simple to UNDER
stand. We cannot do it alone; but
the spirits agency is given us, under
our present dispensation, to mould us
by His influences into the image of
God
Christ is Diety, under the limita-
tons of humanity. But there is pre-
sented in Christ for worship, not
power nor beauty, nor physical life
but the moral image OF Gods per-
fections. Through the heart and
mind and character of Jesus it was
that the Divinest streamed. Divine
character, that was given in Christ to
worship.
'Should any OF you have to bear
attacks upon your character, or life,
or doctrine, defend yourself with
meekness," says Robertson; s'and il
defense should but make matters
worse-and when accusations are
vague, as is the case too often-why,
then commit yourself fully to the
truth. Outpray, outpreach, outlive
the calumny."
Christianity by the force
of governments, counterfeited by
charlatanism, sneered at by philoso-
pliers, cried down by frantic mobs,
coldly looked at from a distance by
the philosophical, met by unions and
combinations Of trades, having array
ed against it every bad passion Of
humanity-went swiftly on, conquer
ing and to conquer.
The Church exists for the purpose
Of educating souls for heaven, but it
would be perversion of this purpose
were we to think that goodness will
not be received by God because it has
not been educated in the Church.
Goodness is goodness, find it where
we may. A vineyard exists for the
purpose of nurturing vines, but he
would be strange vine-dresser who
denied the reality of grapes because
they had ripened under less genial
soil. and beyond the precincts of the
vineyard.
There is something awful in the
thought of q man who was so thor
oughly in the next world that he
needed not the consolation of this
| world. And yet, observe, there il
nothing encouraging for us in this
It is very grand to look upon, very
commanding, very full of awe; but i
is so much above us, so little like
anything human that we know of
that we content ourselves with gazing
on him as on the gliding swallow
fight, which we wonder at, but neve,
think Of initiating.
Observe to distinguish between th,
act and the actor: It is not the thing
done, but the doer who lasts. Tn
thing done often is failure. Til,
cup given in the name of Christ ma,
be given to one unworthy Of it; Blu
think ye that the love with which i
was given has passed away? Has i
not printed itself indelibly in tn
character by the very act Of giving
Bless, and if the Son of peace b
there, your act succeeds; but If not
your blessing shall return unto yo'
again. In other words, the act ma,
fail, but the doer Of it abideth for
| ever.