The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-11-10
that but God himself incarnatc within

us :. lE.sF '..r
Or there is, once more, the habit OF
playing with the greater less venial sins
of life, lust. dishonesty. drink, pride,
avarice. The men are few-very fc n
III at least my eXpericnce-who really
intend to become the slave of these
destroTers. We are not wicked DELHI
erately. 1t is rather concclt, conf
dcncc, the desire for joy that Loads men
on too far. They cannot bear the scpa-
ration from old friends involved in the
struggle. the SLOW dull, weary cntiea vor.
the monotonics, the refusnls which the
strife involves. SO they cast off their
crosses and run down hill like children
But ut the foot Of the hill they find n
far heavier cross laid on their shoulders
| is I moi better to bow our heads now to
the yoke, before the inevitable self
loathing comes? Is IL not better to
hear now the lonely voice of God than
to hear at last only the cry OF nsin-
elity and weakness within? No riches
can fill up that void In the heart where
God has been but now Is not; no smiles
no shouts. no amusemnts. Surely the
lighter cross is more profitable than the
heavier, the stronger sclf-dcnial now
than lie weaker sclf-dcnial hereafter"
Il am come" saws Jesus Christ as he
las that cross of daily Sclf-dcnial on
your unwilling shoulders. II am come
that We may have abundance of life
IL is the truth. That Is indeed, the re-
ward We receive IL sacrificing any of
these sins. For purity means vigor Of
body. mind and heart; and sincerity
means an cree. head and fearlessncss
before men. and each defeat of tcmpta
ticn means step by step growth into
inward power and peace.
Take. my friend, then. the way once
more of daily self-denial: send your
prayer before you as messenger from
Your soul toward the king of all souls:
and then stumble and fall yourself on
ward and upward and forward, till you
rise Mt last Il new and better man In the
invincibc presence OF Him who loves
you forever.
Let VS. carry thus these lifc-glving
words Of Christ into the comm. week
with It's many temptations. "lf any
man VIII come after me, let him deny
htrlsclf and take up his cross daily"
We all need them Every man here
| has his weaknesses. one or two that he
breads more than many enemies, one
| or two that he knows can and 40 de-
stroy his power and Danish peace. God
visits us, indeed. in his mercy, from
| time TO time, with bright and happy
visions of what we might become If
only we were once for all free from
these. He grants us, moreover. trough
thr vofc" OF the orator or the faith of
some better, lovclicr life We honor. mo-
| nienta of fcrvid feeling. when we are In
spirit what our souls at their best would
| fain he I'm fact Then aspiration bears
MS upward. then prayer unites us
quickly with Him. then cndeavor seems
\ so easy | would not seem to say one
word against this heavenly hypnotism.
| Personally | am always more grateful
| 10 ne nan who can arouse my rcliG ious
| emotions than am To the man who tells
\ me ethical truths | have known only
| 100 well and too long. But still the old
hateful habits are strong and lirm:thcy'
! have roots which emotions can never
cut away. After the emotion comes the
l - - an Il, 4.
daily sclf-dcniai begins. NV brothers;
ana sisters, let us see Ia II that when
| The divine impulse goes. perseverance
| 10 the end" vet remains
Faiths meanest ed moro favor bears,
| Where hearts and willis are weighed,
| ihah brightest transports choicest
prayers,
Which bloom thclr hour and fade"