The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-06-28
WHY ARE WE TEMPTED

II may seem a strange thing 10 say,
hut there are very few joys In this
world which equal that which follows
victory over an evil habit There is
something which approSimates to the
supernatural in the consciousness that
you are at last master ot yourself
one Of the oldest facts connected
with human nature is that Il is So very
easy TO fall down and SO very hard
to get up again--so easy to acquire an
injurious habit and So hard TO break
away from it.
And yet 1t is not SO VERY odd. after
all, Their Is reason for all things, and
II YOU look long enough YOU win ind
that il is a good reason. II is not true
that the Lord has failed to make the
best possible world Tor the purpose He
had In view, but 1t certainly is true
that many times we lind fault with
Him when We ought to find fault with
ourselves,
Moreover, the fact that life is full VI
obstacles and that temptations lie In
ambush on both sides of the road is
one OF the strongest arguments Tor im-
mortality. II man looks into the in
evitahle entanglements ~ this life, and
then remarks with care the eftect pro-
duced on the soul by It's constant ef-
fort to overcome the obstacles and to
rise superior 70 the entanglements he
mus, surely convince himself that the
soul only begins its long career in this
primary school Of existence, and that
somewhere there is a university in
which he win enter on the higher edu-
cation for which his experience here is
preparing him,
a great light breaks on this subject
when you remember that Gods purpose
is to develop all the faculties and quail
titles which lie hidden in your nature
Under the best Of circumstances this
cannot be accomplished in our lower
world. II therefore you declare that
there is no future in which we shall
have a greater opportunity it is like
asserting that God planted an orchard
OF apple trees, poured the sunshine and
rain upon them until they broke into
blossoms, and then. when the fruit
was turning from green TO red. cut
tho trees all down with the assertion
that He never intended the apples to
ripen.
No man ever yet built strong char
acter out OF self-indulgence. II you
wish to get to the top OF hill you
must climb. The vessel that drifts
in ocean currents never reaches its
destination. But when the sails are
properly trimmed. and the right man
is at the wheel. the steady craft bounds
over the waves like a thing OF life, and
even the head winds contribute to its
progress.
The evils OF the world have a won-
derfully benehcent mission. in spite Of
the fact that they cause so many spir-
itual disasters. God gives you a nail
to drive. and if you do it so elumsily
that you bruise your finger it is not the
fault of the nail. nor of the hammer,
nor yet Of Him who gave you both
hammer and nail. So life must be skill |
fully handled or you will surely fall !
upon great ills. People seem TO think |
that TO be a good carpenter or archi- |
tect or physician one must put him |
self into long and patient training and |
so learn the secrets Of success. but in |
order to become a Christian one need |
not be thoughtful or observant. In |
truth, it is harder to buii- a character |
than a house, and IL you acquire the
knowledge how TO build the house from /.
some master Of the art you must learn /
how to build a character by listening
to the words Of the Master Of all mas
ters.
Resistance when tempted. putting
aside an evil habit, carefully reckoning
the cost when wrong allures you, keep
ing your self-respect, your personal
honor and, above all. your destiny in
view. and refusing to yield just as you
would refuse 10 put your hand into the
1ame-these constitute the gymnastics
1f the soul. Gods law so works that
when you begin to win victories over
yourself life becomes brighter. the sky
seems clearer, the stars are more bril-
liant and an indescribable something
steals into the heart which is beyond
he price of rubies.
No man can say he is perfect. II he
iares to do so 1t is because he is either
gnorant or hypOcrite. You can't find
and mathematicians in a
school; neither can you find a
perfect soul this side Of heaven. But If
you are making a brave fight, II you
nave set the wonderful enginery Of
will at work, If with your brain you
understand what God would have you
make Of yourself, II with your heart
'ou see the beautiful ideal which He
las given, and then, calling on the
losts Of heaven for help, undismayed
y repeated failures, you slowly cleanse
our soul Of its impurities, you are
ruly a child Of God. and around you
re cloud Of witnesses who will never
cave you until you safely arrive in the
ome on high. Religion is simply an
ther name for the military tactics Of
he soul. Life is a struggle, a glorious
truggle, and IL the right means are :
mployed it is sure to be a victorious
truggle.
GEORGE H. HEPWORTH.
TIE TnEAI.