Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-02-24

| empty church. Neither the parson nor the
sexton carries the key to it.
'Take heed what We hear" do not un-
derstand that to refer only to the hearing of
religious truth. 1t applies to any kind of
speech. Listen, our Lord says, but take
heed how, and to what. This concerns us
every hour of every day.
1t is true that religion has to do with an
other world, and with a life to come, but no
less true that its province lies great deal
more in the concerns of this Ii e and this
world. 1t is true that the religious teacher
must speak "as a dying man to diving
men," but truer still that the religious
teacher ought to speak as living man to
men who are alive, and about the things
with which our lives are full. 1t is signifi-
cant that when St. John saw the vision of
the blessed future he beheld, coming down
from God out of heaven, not a holy sep
ulchre, an abode of the dead; not holy
temple, SET apart for PRAYER and worship,
but holy city, the symbol OF the sanctifca-
tion OF labor. of love, Of
COMMON LIFE.
We are only beginning to realize how far
reaching the Christian religion is We are
only learning the alphabet of the language
we eat, or drink, or:whatever homeliest
thing we do, we may do all to the glory of
God.
See how Christ's caution about hearing
touches such seemingly secular, literary, ,and
not particularly religious themes, as books
and reading.
The words apply equally well to reading
as to hearing. Reading and hearing are
but different ways of doing the same thing.
The thing to be done is to get fact or a
truth into the mind. 1t matters not at all
whether the fact or the truth enters through
the ear or the eve. 1t is true that the eau
tion of our Lord was directed against wrong
hearing; but this was partly because He
was Himself at that moment speaking; and
partly, no doubt, because most of the learn
ing of that day came through the ear "Faith
cometh, St. Paul said, 'by hearing" But
it is the same, whether we hear or read.
And as it is our lot to live in a reading
rather than in listening age, am sure that
we do not depart from the Masters mean
ing, but do rather. on the contrary, bring it
closer home to US, when we understand Him
to say to US, who live in this century OF
steam and type: 'If any man have eyes to
read. let him read; but take heed what ye
read"
The words suggest two questions: Why
to read? and
WHAT TO READ?
We ought to read, then, if we are to set
down reasons for reading; because we havt
eyes and a mind. God gave US eyes and 8
mind to use. Those significant parallels ofth
talents and of the pounds touch not only
all that we have, but all that we are.
We are under obligations to use for Gods !
glory all that He has given US in trust,
whether money, or strength, or time, or
eyes, or lips, or understanding. If we do
not make good use of all the powers with
which God has gifted us-and to make good |
use of them is what is meant by using them |
ito the glory of God'-we are improbable |
and untrustworthy servants. We are intel |
lectual or spiritual defaulters. He who |
gave us eyes, meant that we should see, and |
see all that we can. He who gave US mind |
meant that we should strengthen and de- /
velop our mind, and make it treasury for
wise and good thoughts. The question
at the Day of Judgment will be this,
in some shape: How have you used
what gave you? What have you done
with your hands? Where have you gone
with your feet? What have you seen with
your eyes? What have you learned and
and planned and resolved with
your mind? Some people go through life
as some visitors go through Westminster Abb