The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-12-06
TRUE CHRISTIAN AMBITION.
IMPRESSIVE SERMON BY REV. PROF. blLADD, D. D., AT BATTELL CHAPEL.

sphere of Bodily Contest.
 Rev. Prof. George T. Ladd. D. D.. preached a most earnest. helpful and instructive sermon in Battell chapel Sunday morning before large congre- gatlon. It was a discourse that could hardly have failed to most deeply im- press all who listened to 1t. His subject was: "The True Ambition" and his text was, Philippians, III. 12-l4
 The speaker defined the word ambi- ton, spoke of its Roman origin and added that 1t had in all ages been used chiefly with an evil significance. To- day. however, 1t is used also in higher sense as when we say. ''laudable am bition," or speak of young man hav- ing no ambition.
 In Yale to-day what Is needed and most 10 be prized than the prevalence of noble, manly and
 CHRISTIAN AMBITION"
 an ambition such as Paul means in the text. Paul must have admired true manliness. His writings indicate his love for athletic games. He was at tracted by them, and very frequently referred to them by way of illustra- tion. Let us notice what the apostle has to say of the point of starting for Christian ambition. This starting point, the speaker continued, is erected in the felt sense of deficiency, in the strong and even startling consciousness of need. 'Tis not the pursuit of hap piness alone which spurs, and measures and rewards all real manly and Chris tian excellence. Like as with the phy- scal nature the ideal ethical life is ever born and nourished by the same pain full sense of need.
 There has been and still is widely current a shallow sort of optimism, which hold that it is the pursuit of happiness which spurs forward all real manly and Christian excellence The absurdities to which this view has led, have brought out another extreme view the pessimistic view.
 For the namby-pamby motto-"Be good and you will be happy" it substi- tutes the exhortation, Be heroic in the pursuit of moral ideals; and never mind whether you are happy or not. The very pursuit originates in the pain full sense of need, and the ideals will most surely outstrip you; the more you pursue them the further off they will seem, and the more you will suffer from this painful consciousness of de- ficiency. Therefore, rather take Goethes motto: Thou shalt dispense, dispense with what thou vainly think eth will make thee happy"
 And this pessimistic philosopher ever reminds us that very, very often, the best of earth have been the most un- happy; that the one perfect man in all the worlds history is described as the man of sorrows-manifold and heavy the man chosen of God to bear the bur den of suffering and sinful race; and that the most distinctively in exhorta- tion which the New Testament utters to every follower of His, is the exhor- tation to help fill up the cup of His Masters self-denying sorrows.
 Undoubtedly there is much which is extreme and perverse in this view of modern pessimism. I have not brought it forward to commend it, although believe that many of it's views are the much needed corrective for the shallow current optimism, and that it is this latter that is eating the manly heart out of our national life, and rendering virtually unChristian, because foreign to the temper, the doctrine and the life of Christ, much that is connected with our Christian churches.
 Thus much is, however, beyond ques- tion as respects Paups doctrine of a truly Christian ambition. It is matter of fact that we all stand in need of Christian living; and that we Christian attainments; and that we shall never make those attachments, un- less we take our point of starting with the clear recognition and intense, albeit painful feeling of this need.
 As to the fact of such need no argu- ment-and scarcely the mention of it is required. He must have low notion indeed, of the finished product of Chris tian endeavor who supposes that he furnishes it in his own person at the present time. Mot as thought I had already attained or were already per feet" Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended," says the Apostle Paul. Do require to take testimony to show that there is no man among us who does not need-Oh! how sorely, how desperately, He alone among men can ever know-to be something nobler, truer and better that he has ever yet been.
 But htis fact of need must be appar- ent to the man himself if he is ever going to set out with diligence to run the race of Christian ambition. Man is by far the unhappiest of all beings upon the face of the earth; and this is largely because he is constituted to recognize and keenly feel his needs, God means to sting us as men, and as Christians into an eager ambition.
 But when men have once started in the Christian life nothing more quickly ruins and degrades everything than the upspringing of self-satisfaction; or even the loss of dissatisfaction with ones self, the toning-down and surrender of