Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-09-02

Al Is 10 1se acquired by Conflict with
and Victory Over the Evil That Is in
the World.
One OF the strongest proofs of our
Divine religion is its high standard of
character among men: BE ye holy,
for l am holy" 1t makes Christ's sin
less life the pattern of all human lives.
Its standard is absolute and invari-
:able-is never lowered to meet the
peculiar circumstances. temptations
and weaknesses of individuals. To
every man, in the very thickest of the
worlds contagious, it says with an I'M
wavering voice: keep yourself I'M
spotted from the world" Worldlings
say this is impossible, and even Chris
fians sometimes speak of Christ-like
purity as difficult and rare attain
ment; but Christ says to every man:
- Follow me-" and Christianity could
not sustain its great claim to be from
God unless it took this high ground.
that whoever names the name of
Christ must depart from all iniquity.
Our religion could not be true if it did
not require purity, and have power to
make and keep men pure. in every
conceivable situation of life. The
universal aspiration for, and the mis-
taken and abortive efforts to attain.
purity are humanity's unconscious
testimony that a Divine religion should
require it.
There are two ways of seeking puri-
tv. One, a mistaken way, is by SIM
ply trying to abstain from evil. This,
at best, produces only 4 negative good
ness. 1t puts men continually ON the
defensive, and has led them to shut
themselves up in monaster.es and nun
neries to avoid contact with the world,
for fear of contamination. A kindred
error has crept into Professionalism. and
manifests itself in a negative picty
which is more occupied in trying not
to do wrong than in doing good. Some
people seem to think that Christian
purity is a sort of dollhouse plant that
is grown by shutting themselves up in
the sanctuary, and praying, and sing
ing holy songs, and telling how they
feel or wish to feel, and by being al
ways on the watch against Grant de-
sires and thoughts. They are so afraid
of doing wrong that they never do any
thing really right, never add any thing
to the worlds moral force; just as the
man who, by constant watching over
his own health, barely keeps himself
from dying, contributes nothing to
the worlds vitality. We do not ac-
~quire purity by taking ourselves Out
of the world, but by conflict with
and victory over the evil that is in the
world. As well might we expect to
attain physical grace and strength by
lying still and studying the laws OF
growth, as to expect spiritual excel
lence without constant exercise in
working with and for men. The bet
ter way to guard a castle is not to shu
ourselves up in it and watch every
loophole. but to make it center o
operations from which all the sur
rounding country may be subdued
Work, absorbing. self-forgetful worl
for God and humanity, is the roya
road to purity.
So Christ, our model. taught by pre-
-cept and example mot every ont
that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall
enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, I'm
he that doeth the will OF My Fathe
who is in Heaven" '.Inasmuch as y,
have done it unto the least of these
my brethren. We have done it unit
Me-" Not to the man who hid hi
talent, but to him who put his out t
service. was it said: .'Well done
Enter thou into the joy of tn,
Lord" Everywhere in the Gospels j
plainly taught this truth. that
is by Christ-like dedication to tn
world that we are to be kept pure from
its corruptions. To the man VIII
prays: 20 Lord, wicked men ar
tempting me; fear the stains of thi
world; how shall escape them? shal
] hide myself from the world in lif
of seclusion and communion with The
to escape them?" and the answe
plainly comes: mo; go We into a
the world; pity and help it; sacrific
yourself for it. Lo. l am with yo
always. So shall yoa be safest froI
its infection; 80 shall you be surest NJ
to sacrifice yourself to it. If you hav
= friend who Is dishonest aud impurl