The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-03-18

of the ministry of Jesus. for Him to show
the devil and the world that He could
work a miracle, and was endowed with
power from on high; that He was in rea,-
lily the Son OF God. III He refused the
challenge must he not forever be IN Sa-
| tan's power as an inferior beng who did
not enjoy divine protection which the
Scripture said the true Messiah would re-
ceive? Would tie not lose the confidence
OF the men whom he came to win and
saveP THIS IS what men say to-day. They
call IL cowardly 10 refuse a challenge.
| They must viudicate their strength and
manhood with their fists. They must not
take n dare" lest men may call them
towards. This is not what Jesus thought.
He SAID TO Satan: ut is written, Thou
shalt not tempt the Lord" He saw
straight through the fimsy treachery of
the tempter. God had not promised to
sustain HIS son III deeds of daring with
no good end in view. He did not send
II IN to jump from the Brooklyn bridge,
or to swim the rapids of Niagara. HIS OBJ
ject on the earth was not to show His
power, but to relieve distress and save
the bodies and the souls of mon from
sickness, pain and death. He would work
miracles for this but not TO please the
devil.
There remained yet one more chance
for satan to attain his end, and finally to
overthrow the power of Christ and t. de-
feat his mission. His last attempt to lead
our Savior IN sin and thus overcome his
adversary. was one of most magniil-
cent audacIty and pride. He took the
tempted Savior to the pinnacle of the
temple and showed him all the king
doms of the world. This was not an app
peal TO lower appetite. 1t was not n re-
quest for n trial of power. 1t was an Of
Ter TO give to- Christ what he came to win
the world and all tho loved ones in it
whom he wished to save. Satan offered
all this to Jesus. He could hava 1t all.
His toilsomc life and his tragic death
could both be spared if he would accept
the terms which satan offered. he coul
have his loved Jerusalem aud the hearts
of IT'S inhabitants, and do his life work
in an hour ii nc would bow
down and worship satan. L. was
hells final diabolical act. Ii was the one
grand stroke of evils prince to chain the
human race to sin and doom it to Immor-
tai woe. Ii was the decisive moment of
our destiny. The hearts of ali mankind
were trembling in the balances, aud Christ
was equal to the orleal. He threw HIM
self in the balances and we
were saved! He answered: ut is
written hou shalt worship the
Lord thy God and Him only shalt thou
serve" And satan lett the tempted soul,
while angels came tc minister to his
wants. The great ordeal was over and
God had won. The victory is ours.
Blessed is he that likewise endureth
temptation, for he shall receive a crown
of life.
Thus Job came off victorious and sur
vived his great Fiction. Thus Jesus
won for us n crown. And thus il may he
ours, not unasked and not unearned. but
gained by faithful service in endurance of
life's trials and victory in Christs
strength. Count IL all Joy, my brethren,
when We fall into temptations, knowing
that the trial of your faith worketh pa
ticnce and that he who Is patient 10 the
end shall be saved.
Job suffered as we suffer. Men came
to INN protesting to be his friends, and to
know God. They charged Job with sin.
He knew that he had lived an upright life.
His answer to his accusers has very
modern sound. He says in singing sar-
casm, No doubt ye are the people, and
wisdom shall die with you" He blamed
God for he did not know what else to do.
but he lived TO see that his Christening
was a blessing. He threw aside the the
DRY of the Scmitcs that suffering
in any PERSONS life is punish
ment for that mans conscious wlllful
SIN. TINS theory was what had misled
him to blame G. ID. He learned to know
that suffering is means of grace and
nobler living for the guitless soul. lie
learned TO trust in God within his heart
instead of leaning on the Hebrew deity
which their minds created. Thus pros
perity came back TO Job and he was
richer. stronger. better than before.
Your victory and mine lie in fidelity to
the model seen in Job and Jesus. We
conquer not in selfish case but in submits
sion TO the trials of our lot. and patient
trust in God. Let us then be very joyful
in whatever suffering comes, while we
wait patiently for the consummation of
Christ's ever brighter daily presence
teaching us to bear our own and grow like
Him who gave his blood to save us and to
crown our service with divinest ecstacy OF
10Y.