The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1895-11-28

the material itself seems hopelessly OBJ
stinate. How often does his desk, hi,
machine, his counter, loom up before q
mans eye like dark and heavy cross
Now, there is where the chance for in
dolence comes in, there is where the
great tempter stands by our side. But
there, also, is where Gods lonely call
for perseverance strikes upon the soul
and the chance for self-deniaI halls Us
like friend from some passing ship on
the ocean Of lite. / say God calle lis
then. Do you think He only calls us
Nay ! He helps us; He himself, incar-
nate In our being, helps US.
l remember the story of the Dutch
mathematician, who for many months
had tried long and wearily to solve his
problem. Then, one night, in dream
the solution flashed like an inspiration
into his mind. So it is often with our
selves. The steadfast, lnexorable re-
solve to overcome Incidence does tri-
umph at length. God hears our dumb
prayer; ne helps US almost uncon
sciously toward himself. Unseen of us
the body accommodates itself more
easily to the weary task; invisibly the
brain responds more clearly and firmly
like furrow to the ploughing thought,
step by step, the mans being enters
more fully and powerfully into what he
does. What is that but the prayer for
self-sacrifice made into our flesh and
blood? What is that but the word OF
God coming to dwell in our hearts? ?
What is that but God himself incarnate
within us?
Or there Is, once more, the habit of
playing with the greater less yenial sins
of life, lust, dishonesty, drink, pride,
avarlce. The men are few-very few,
in at least my experience-who really
intend to become the slave of these des-
troyers. We are not wicked deliberate
ly. It is rather conceit, confidence,
the desire for JOY that leads men on
too far. They cannot bear the separa-
ton from old friends involved in the
struggle, the slow, dull. weary endeavor.
the monotonies, the retusals which the
strife involves. So they cast off their
crosses and run down hill like children.
But at the foot OF the hill they find a
far heavier cross laid on their shoulders
Is it not better to bow our heads now
to the yoke before the inevitable self
loathlng comes? Is it not better to
hear now the lonely voice of God than
to hear at last only the cry of insincer-
ity 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 am usements. Surely the
lighter cross is more profitable than
the heavier, the stronger self-denlal
now than the weaker self-denial here
af;er." II am come," says Jesus Christ
as he lays that cross of daily self-denial
on your unwilling shoulders, 81 am
come that We may have abundance OF
life" 1t is the truth. That is, indeed,
the reward we receive in sacrificing
sny of these sins. For purity means
vigor of body, mind and heart and
sincerity means sn erect head and fear
lessness before men, and each defeat of
temptation 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 your
self onward and upward and forward,
till you rise at least new and better
man IN the invinciblc presence of Him
who loves you forever.
Let us carry thus these llfe-giving
words OF Christ into the coming week
with its many temptations. "lf any
man will come after me, let him deny
himself 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 destroy his
power and Danish peace. God visits
us, indeed, in his mercy, from time 20
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, through the voice Of the
orator, moments OF fervid feeling, when
we are IN spirit what Our souls at their
best would fain be in tact. Then aspi-
ration bears US upward, then prayer
unites US quickly with Him. then en-
deavor seems so easy. I would not seem
to say one word against this heavenly
hypnotlsm. Personally l am always
more grateful to the man who can
arouse my religious emotions than /
am to the man who tells me ethetical
truths 1 have known only too well
and too long. But still the old hateful
habits are strong and firm they have
roots which emotions can never cut
away. After the emotion comes the
test of life Then the real struggle of
daily self-denial begins Nv brothers