Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-01-06
A New Year Thought.

From an address at Harvard Vespers by Rev
Alexander Mckenzie, d. D..
Is there anything which will hold us to
the purposes which we deliberately and
carefully forml You answer that we must
be firm. That is substituting one word for
another. Is there any way by which we
can be firm We can be firm by LAYING
hold upon something which is firm If 1
can grasp something which cannot be
moved, there /, a chance that shall not be
moved. is there anything better than that
which Paul adopted lie gave his thought
and lie to one supreme and constant pur-
pose. Whatever happens, whatever | gain
or lose, | will win these Corinthians When
he had settled that all other things adjusted
themselves to il. We need more than res
olutions. 1 think We need to put our
thought in the singular number to have
not intentions, but intention not purposes,
but purpose not choices but choice some
one thing that is great enough TO hold us.
When we get this, then we get strength,
marvellous comfort, and achieve a wonder
full saving Of time. 1t is unworthy of us,
it is ineXpedient aud improbable, to be so
often discussing little questions of conduct,
little matters Of casustry. Cannot we set
tie these in some grand principle. so that
they shall adjust themselves to our life as
the waves adjust themselves to the ship
which is sailing through them Sometimes
We meet these questions as if they were "a
swarm of gnats, fighting them one bv one
when, If we would only move on, we should
leave them behind, and then in the cool,
clear air We could do the work which we
had determined to do
Then there comes one other
question, What is it to which a man has a
right thus to devote himself 1t must be
something which is SO high that it is right
to leave everythiug else TO secure it, u pur-
pose 50 high that nothing else shall enforce
its claim in the presence of it. Here, in
this house, III this service, over this book.
there is but one thing which man can say,
there is but one choice so high that every
other choice ought to submit to it. There
is one purpose so grand that every other
| ought to give way before it, That is, to
live for Him who is the truth the life, the
son Of COD and the Saviour of men. When
we devote ourselves to him, questions of
casuistry are answered. Whether YOU eat
meat offered to an idol depends on whether
eating it or letting it alone will better serve
your purpose to be his disciple and apostle
Whether you take this course or that de-
pends upon the relation 10 the greater
thing. GU are taken out of the little
things that centre in self Questions Of
case questions OF self-lndulgence, ques-
tions of gain they are all behind us
When We have settled with ourselves and
with our God that we will do the things
which are pleasing in his sight, then comes
the truth that, if man wills to do the will
of my Father, he shall know if a man
keeps my commandments, God will live
with him, and l will live with him if a
man follow me, | will give unto him eternal
life. In the presence of these spiritual
truths, what are these little questions of
meat and drink, Of pleasure and ease--the
trltiing themes Of popular casuistry They
fall into their proper insignifcance and
we press our way forward along triumph
ant career, honorable in its course, and
faithful to that crown which awaits all
true and constant service And, when the
Son of God goes forth to war, we follow in
his train.