The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-02-19
KEEP ON THE ARMIOR
Rev. j. II. Rangers Sermon at
Christ Church on Temptation.
Rev. VI. i. Haines Talks at the First
Church on ''The Kingdom Jesus
Planned and Established"

Rev. ]. H.. Ranger, Of Christ Church,
preached yesterday morning on the text.
Then the devil taketh Him up into the
holy city and setteth Him on a pinnacle Of
the temple and saith unto Him, If Thou be
the Son of God cast myself down; for it is
written He shall give His angels charge
concerning these; and in their hands they
shall bear Thee up, lest at any time Thou
dash Thy foot against a stone. Jesus said
unto him, it is written again, thou shalt
not tempt the Lord thy God" Matt iv,
5, 6, Z.
clustering around this scene" said the
rector, there are some incidental things
worthy of note at which We only briefly
glance. Jesus was here in the wilderness
by the will of God. To go apart from the
world and to commune with God and our
own souls is good for all. To go into soli-
tude under the guidance Of the Holy Spirit
Is to know ourselves and to be taught of
God. But solitude is also a place OF great
temptation. Let no one think TO free him
self from sin by going apart from men.
We may leave the world behind us, but the
flesh and the devil will be with us still.
Whether In solitude or in company, there
is need for watchfulness, and Jesus is, in
both, our guide. We see that one victory
does not mean eternal life. So long as we
are in this world, let us not hope to lay
our armor by. The second temptation fol-
lows quickly on the first. Successful re-
sistance of one temptation brings another.
The world, the flesh and the devil will never
cease to oppose him who is In q way to do
good. Here is not our rest.
Even in Satan's mouth there is here a
truth Of great spiritual comfort, He shall
give His angels charge over thee So long
&c A1f. r.
appointed for them, they are shielded by
angelic guards. Gods angels succor us here
on earth, and they stand ever watchful be-
tween us and our invisible foes. The chief
thing is that this was a temptation to the
commission of a presumptuous sin. They
who know God, they who are consciously
the recipients of His benefits, they who
have the experience of His grace and are
recognized subjects of His kingdom are the
very people who are liable to be open to the
temptation of presumption. There is the
presumption which comes from the love of
ease. The Christian life is an arduous life.
It calls for self-discipline and se~lf-examina-
ton. 1t needs the strong effort of the will
In curbing passion, The true Christian must
acquire much God-giVen knowledge. He
must regularly engage I'm spiritual exercises.
Through an OVermaStering faith his whole
life must be a work for Christ. Even then
he will be hard pressed. Is it not the height
of presumption then for a Christian without
these strong safeguards of hard-earned
1 " lnIOM himself lnIO tile mi1SI OF
the snares and the. temptations of the
world? To live in spiritual ease and yet to
trust that God will take care of us in any
case is a presumptuouS sin. So is willful-
ness. The willful mar has taken his own
| course. He will not take his course into
his chamber. He will not lay it before God
and find out whether his course is also the
divine course. Neither will he come into
the Lords house and TO His table that he
may school his pride into lowlinesS and his
ignorance into wisdom. He will go his own
way. on that way, and 1t is an exceedingly
dangerous one, there is no promise of di-
vine help. Many are presumptuous because
should be one OF large seriousness and deep
earnestness: of seriousness and earnestness
so deep that they become a joy to the soul.
But these qualities are never won by those
whose days are largely given up to pleas
ure. To be in a round of social gayeties and
public entertainments is to starve the soul
and to fall TO a low spiritual plane. 1t is
levity, and worldliness. and irreligion. 1t is
70 meet the great possibilities and the crit
zeal crises of life not with vital faith, but
with dead sentimentality. May God defend
us all from such presumption.
Shall we," concluded the rector, mot
watch and pray and fast with Him that
through Him we may win the victory fer
His glory and the salvation of our own
souls? Lent, with it's call to special acts
of devotion and denial and service, is to
deepen within us the grace Of God to the
end that our whole life may be one act of
self-sacrifce to Him who for us overcame
the wicked one. Let us humbly and de-
also from presumptuouS sins lest they get
the dominion over me; so shall L be IN
defled and innocent from the great Of
tense"