The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-05-26


of the m outh of God."-MATT. ". Al
The temptation in the wilderness is
wrought in highly dramatic form; but
this is only the drapery that the writers
have thrown about an event that took
place in the bosom of Jesus. In solitude
and silence he makes final choice of his
own mission. The suggestion to make
bread Of stones, was a suggestion to
forego the high and holy purpose that
had gradually formed within his mind,
and turn himself into manufacturer
of loaves for mankind, do something to
advance the temporal prosperity of the
world, or reap profit for himself. There
was moment of struggle. The temp
tation opened before him life of
honor and riches. There was renown
to be had for the asking, there was the
qualification of every desire. On the
other hand, he saw calumny and insult,
a life of privation and an early cross.
In view of all that would come, he de-
cided, cit is written man shall not live
by bread alone, but by every word that
proceedeth out of the mouth of God"
The ordeal was passed. The nobler
manhood had triumphed.
The words which Jesus quoted were
written in the book of Deuteronomy.
They were spoken by Moses to the
Israelites. He tells them that God has
taught them by the incident of the
mama, the higher truth that IMAM
doth not live by bread only, but by
every word that proceedeth out of the
mouth of the Lord, doth man live.'
Jesus found comfort and strength in q
sentiment that had appealed to the
hearts of men ages before him. With
in him self is want for something more
than bread. There are aspirations and
purposes that fame and plenty will not
satisfy. Truth and duty are alone suf
ficient. Jesus is made stronger by the
thought that others before him felt the
same needs and left their experiences
upon record. He was one with the
race. We are one with him and with
all who have been tempted. 1t il
through the flames of no newly kindled
furnace we have to walk, when we are
called upon to decide between the
lower and the higher ends of life. The
fires of that furnace were lighted wher
the first man dawned into conscious.
ness, and millions of feet have trodden
the burning path. How well does Paul
express it when he says, There hath
no temptation taken you but such as is
common to men," How often do VIZ
think, my trial is special and pecu
liar. No one was ever called upon Il
go through just what l am suffering
No one really understands and appre
ciates my situation" But there have
been thousands of cases just like it
The same battle has been fought ovel
and over, and you may be sure that
some, at least, have fought itvictorious
ly. No one yet has been tempted be
yond his ability to resist, if he but
used his sources of power.
"Do not so misread history" say
Phillips Brooks, ''that it shall seem tt
you when you try to do right, as if yor
were the first man that ever tried it
Put yourself, with your weak little
struggle, into the company of all the
strugglers in all time. Recognize il
your little fight against your avarice Of
your untruthfulness, or your laziness
only one skirmish in that battle whose
field covers the earth, and whose
clamor rises and falls from age to age
but never wholly dies. See in the
perpetual struggle of good and evil
that the impulse after good is eternal,
and the higher needs are always assert.
ing their necessity. In their persist.
ent assertion read the prophecy of Their
final success and take courage"
/. Our TEXT RECOGNIZES THE
MANY-sIDEDNEss OF MAN. He shall
live by bread, indeed; but not by thai
alone. There is more of man thar
bread can satisfy.
Let us take an illustration: A mar
sits at his morning meal, apparently
absorbed in his breakfast. You would
not believe to look at him, that his
thoughts had a wider circle than thu
rim of his plate. You say, "Surely ht
lives by bread alone" But you
judgment is too hasty. Follow him al
he goes out, and observe him develop
Upon his way to the Office he stops tt
admire picture in some shop window
and becomes intensely interested in it
1t strikes you that there is in thi,
man the element of imagination, the
love of beauty. If you could listen al
his Office door, you might sometime:
hear him say, "This is not right" He
declines to become a party to fraud Oh
injustice, even though it might be prof
liable. You find that this man has
conscience. On his way home at night
he stops at library for books or q
stand for the latest magazines
You have not taken into account his
desire for knowledge, his capacity OF
thoupht. UDOn reaching home. he