The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-08-02

as an Israeiffe that he made a dreadful
deduceaon from his manhood for the pri-
viiege Gentle birth. sckno xledge1 taiens-
gorgeous Surroundings. repeated public
applause. fashionable ecaas. beauty OF face
or figure, are all innocent and even corr
rnsnaaoie possessions untu they begin 20
feed personal pride. They may be sources
Of strength under certain conditions: but
ne moment they consrfcafe 20 a con-
eci0aEnsss OF strength on the part OF
their possessor, a strength 50 important
that IL seems IL foundation for life
70 bald on. that moment they become per-
feet weakness. There is no man 50 i'm
potent as he who relies solely upon his
es-tbborn power. Pride only weakens the
grasp upon forces that raight ennoble the
Hfe When you have congratulated your
self upon your position in airy line, you
have detracted from your account. and
therefore have lost something from the
fualness OF your life. There are some who
openly pride themselves upon their pride.
They might as wei compliment themselves
upon diseased heart. Or distorted foot,
or a cisordsred brain The higher a man
IFS himself in his own estimation. the
lower he sinks In the opinion OF those
whom he Classics as his interiors, but
who, by reason OF their humble estimate
OF themselves rise head and shoulders
above him. II must never be forgotten
that He who was the REORGANIZATION OF
meekness Upon earth lowered up so high
that even angels fell In alteration at His
feet. Solomon was wise enough in his
day TO understand the debasing power Of
pride and placed among che seven abomi-
nations before the Lord, "a proud look,
lying tongue and hands that shed inne-
cent blood" and thought them nearly
enough related 20 pack them IN close
quarters fE the same sentence. And why
not? Pride administers TO selnshness. and
seghshness is the soul OF sin That which
flung an angel out Of heaven cannot be
called an addition 70 your life, my brother.
However you may be ar bitiously adding
story after story TO pride. the whole
structure has got 10 tumble In ruins at
your feet. and be counted rubbish. II you
would in the truest sense win Christ.
self-satfsfaction q Minus Quantity.
Again. whatever produces a spirit OF
self-satisfaction should have minus mark
before II. Paul thought he was about per-
feet. and therefore stopped growing, I'M
I'll he found that 10 be blameiess touch
ing the righteousness which was IN the
Law did not amount to much after all. Fer
years he was so well satisfied with his ex-
ternal morality that he made fearful lee
way. and only realized after grace had
touched his heart what a loss self-satfs-
faction had been TO him. Can we not learn
a lesson here? Do any OF you think you are
about good enough? Please remember
that the next stage after ripeness is decay.
Active hands, for while folded In idle
ness. soon lose their capacity for work
Eyes forced TO remain in darkness for a
season are blinded when exposed to the
light. Any faculty unused becomes be-
fore long a faculty unusaole. The quick
est way TO lose talent ID to hide IL In
q napkin. And the quickest and surest way
TO lose a soul is TO do Ii up in cotton wool.
and let II swing lazily IN the hammock OF
dissatisfaction. After brief treatment OF
luxurious Incidence Il viii not have
strength enough left 10 stand decenuy
upon its legs. There are victories which
are pretty sure TO be precursors OF fast
following defeat What do / mean? l
mean that the boy who graduates at col
iege and fancies that he knows every
thing. anu need not study longer, VIII
find IN after years that he has lost nearly
all Of his originally acquired stock OF
knowledge. mean that the merchant who
reaches his frs. tide-line In the rising
swell OF fortune, and subsequently ne
elects hts business. will have the fun OF
being a bankrupt in the most ignominious
way. / mean that the Christian who starts
out In the service OF God, and for while
Is alert and active. and then, consratu-
lasing himself upon his advancement in
the divine employ. thinks he had better
retire from business and live on the men,
ory OF what he has done In the past. will
find that q starving income. and viii
either have TO get 20 work or die. A drift
ing boat always goes down stream. None
are in SO great danger as those who think
themselves entirely safe.
There is no habit that viii faster man.
acles on the faculties so quickly as Idle
ness. You can find ample illustration at
the street corners: on the benches OF our
public parks: tilted back IN their easy
chairs az home behind some blood-and-
thunder novel, so completely exhausted
thar they cannot drag themselves out TO
church, and promiscuously scattered
inside the churches. where. sitting IN
comfortable pew while the minister and
the choir and the organlst are doing the
work, Is not so very fafigulng after az.
and that Is all they expect 10 do, even
IL their covenant vow reminds them reg
ulariy OF their shortcomings. Mouths shat
in the prayer meeting. pockets shut be-
fore every call OF distress; hands shut to
every demand OF duty: hearts shut 20
every influence Of the Spirit: how can
such stunted lives be acceptable IN the
sight OF God9 Beware OF a spirit OF self
satisfaction. IL means subtraction, retro
erosion. loss. Certainly. II you can feed
upon our own vitality. and sustain life
ana character. you will feel Il no ad-
vantage to win Christ. II any of you are
baslriug IN the beams OF this ccmplacency
I sneak o.. seeing no reason why you should
enter the struggle and nerve you for the
constant battle OF the Christian life. I
u~he you TO A consideration OF the fullness
OF your being. reaching hither and thithe-.
crossing the tracks and inanencing the
rrowthS Of other lives. Inspiring courage
in others with SIS bravery. strengthening
endurance IN others by It's resistance %
evil. combining Win others and accom-
rltShfnx for the right what 70 one Of them
could Do alone cemsnttug through SYM
nathy interests which asserting thsm-
selves Unfortunately would Re sure to
clash. losing sisht % individual ease ard
comfort in the thought % general as-
xancqneat ana good. ard. on the othsr
hand. damminE back every onward wave
OF progress by these dISes % resolate in
ertpeSs against whieh Am warning yoa
no YOU need 20 consider which IA the
rabler COURSE in view 90 al this inter
fsinrlinx q the c1rrents % oar common
,if., "a, YOU rot So that Ne who gives
az his ACTIVITY receives from the source
O.. al heusvolence 3 larger supply Caa
v0u not see that he who stops acting for
Co.'S. staps also asking for power 10 act
sto7s receiving the unasEed power, STOPS
develorirx, and then begins 20 retroSrada
because Ne fal1s 20 hold his own That,
therefore which administers 20 ease de-
tracts from eusrvy and therefore from iifs-
Another Confusion OF signs
Rat there Is ere more rIas Indicated in
PauTs statement ~ experience wht.h
want - Erlfe auwn minus, I shall caAl f.
zeal without knowledge. II the apostle :
casa q showed itself n persecution. L has
g. - -saa