The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-12-12
THE TRUE" SELF-|NTERES7
Rev. C.. B. Allen, Jr., Points Out
the Way to Gods King
dom.
He Who Faithfully Seeks the
Highest Good Always
Wins It.
Though Possessing All the Treasures OF
Earth Yet One May Still
be Poor.

At the evening services yesterday at tho
Baptist church the pastor. Rev. q. B. AL
len, Jr., took his text from Matt. vi:33.
But seek ye first the kingdom Of God and
his righteousness and all other things shall
be added unto you" He said in part:
The savior here appeals to a true self inter
est. Seek first the highest and bsst-the
spiritual and the needed earthly good will
come. As men seek gold because they
think the possession of wealth will bring
pleasure, position, power and influence. rs
the devotee of pleasure seeks enjoyment,
studies to devise new means of qualification
and roams she world over in his guest, so
seek ye first the righteousness of heart
which God requires-the Joy, peace and
blessedness which tho gracious rule Of God
over the heart and life assures to men.
Seek this first, before you strive for any
thing else. Seek this before you enter
upon your avocation in life, before you
seek wealth or power, before all else seek
the kingdom of God and his righteousness.
Seek this as you seek nothing else. Begin
the year, the month. the week, the day with
this your supreme purpose, your noblest
endeavor. Why?
First. Because he who seeks thus the
kingdom shall win. This Is the promise OF
the scriptures. Men have searched for
wealth. fame. power, and have failed to
realize the expectation. One wins success
in business, 100 fail. One reaches the presi.
dency of the United States, 100 who hope
for it and try to reach it fail. But he who
seeks this highest good wins always.
Second. Because every. needed earthly
blessing will be added. Not all we want,
not all We may fancy we need will be given
us. The Saviour says do not be distressed
by anxious thought; do not suffer your
mind to be narrowed over. whipped into
shreds by consuming worry about how you
9 hall get something to eat. or get clothes to
wear, but let it be your first and chiefest
concern to love, serve and honor God and
seek the spiritual blessings of His kingdom,
and what you need of material comforts
shall be forthcoming.
Third, Because II You do not make it
your first concern to seek the kingdom of
God and His Righteousness. it will likely be
no concern of yours at all. Ii this be not
the first concern, then other things oood in
themselves are likely to assume to your
thinking an importance which their value
does not justify. Wealth in its If is good
but Righteousness is better. When a man
makes his first aim in life-wealth getting
he is apt to let righteous winning alone.
10 acquire fame, honor, power, influence,
10 worthy of any mans endeavor, but to win
heaven ls a worthier endeavor. A silver
dollar shuts out the whole of heaven from
many a mans vision. 1t is true that heaven
is yielded for trif1es. Men and women
most bent on acquiring the pleasures and
the treasures of earth hin least of the
riches that work doth not corrupt and
pleasures that are eternal.
Fourth. Because the kingdom of God
and his righteousness are of infinite value.
Earthly pleasures. sweet though they may
he, vanish. Many n cup that sparkles has
the gall OF bitterness in its depths. Wealth
may reach the millions, yet it can only
crafty passion. 1t can minister to pride
by adjoining the body with costly raiment
and flashing jewels. 1t cannot buy love. it
cannot purchase health, il cannot procure
peace of mind, it cannot commend US to
God. 1t can purchase passage to Euro,e Q,
but not admittance through the gates to
eternal life. Possessing ell the treasures
of earth, one may still be poor. Possessing
the treasure of righteousness, one ia rich
though he have not u dime.
summon You tonight to listen to the
call of a true self-iDterest. Let not the
flash of pleasure blind your vision of SUPER
nal Joys. II to gain the kingdom of God
ana his righteousness be the supreme goal,
both now in this life and the life to come,
why neglect this for trifes? You do il TO
your hurt-hurt of body. hurt of soul, hurt
for time AND for eternity. Seeking first the
Kingdom of God and his righteousness
stands nowise in tho way of your progress
toward Il noble achievement in auv walk of
life. 1t robs you of no earthly enjoyment,
it despoils YOU of no earthly good; it in
sures your highest earthly good and infinite
eternal blessedness. Listen to the voice of
reason, the voice of your own self-interest
the voice of conscience and the call of
Gods word, and seek ye fret the kingdom
of God and hia Righteousness.