The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-02-09
L PATHS TO SUCCESS OPEN TO ALL.
ssafe IL Endccd Hard to nfan5-The
Isl Communal Sin Is Ours-"WhoHi
the Lord Lovcth He C~hastencth'
-Many Blamcless Ones Suffer
i Learn TO Judge Yourself.
{By CHARLES JAMES WOOD.
Rector Of ST. Johns Episcopal Chure''
S5G8E York, Pa.)

and attested, pieces OF the true ctsss
Of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ'
THE quantity is sufficient to buiiu an
ocean steamship. Ergo, mistakes Nr.e
been made All this Is n ia
II BILE which should teach us, trouoles
4 have a way of magnifying themselves
land then they generally succeed In
s. keeping their memory green. When the
81 hour of joys has passed we scan aiappi-
ness through the wrong END OF a lele-
scope, which is always ienethenihs
! out. Consequently woe and WOUNDS oc.
cupy the larger part OF Il we" oi
! life-that is, OF our own life.
Perhaps we get full of pity for our
( eelyes. and with WEAKNESS of the world.
& Now, I am quite aware of the useless
ness OF ordering the respondent to cheer
up. Only In the luxurious nursing OF
our voc with which we are prone to In
dulge ourselves, let US not piously fiat
ter ourselves that we are testing the
certainty of saintship, n that W.
are bearing the cross that Jesus badc
his followers to take up. There Is IA.
more of the spurious and counterfeit
than of the true cross In the world. and
II neat that the traffic in the manufac-
Stured brand-new pieces of the holy
cross Is profitable, n that the supply
will assuredly always meet the demand.
However, there are more kinds of
crosses than one. All your troubles are
4 not divine martyrdom, though very tor
turing to you. The robbers were cruel
fled as well as the Christ. Two to one.
They also had crosses. Thieves have
crosses Us well as saviours
1t Is important for us not to deceive
Yourselves with regard to our crosses,
y and how we have come by them.
Otherwise we may make the mistake OF
thinking that the Just reward of our
misdeeds is the very passport to para
u disc. Then are we almost certainly lost,
for we have become fools too dense to
u be conscious OF our f. lousness. and
u like Gloster-
Clothe VI naked villainy
With odd old ends, stolen forth of Holy
Writ,
And seem as saints. when most we play
the devil.
Perhaps that is putting 1t too strongly
for the average soul. Well, lei this be
"a oug ct the tragedy. that by reason
9A OF this self deceit we lose the room TO
become better, to use and develop the
u power OF character, we daudle our
Sssouls In a placid self-righteousness and
become bitter and gl-,omily pious and
~ IeilGlously arrogant and narrow. That
IS what mean by being lost. 1t seems
10 me bad enough. 1t is by the way To
eternal death. 1t is the diving of tho
soul. '
II Is only a commonplace to say that
We are sure TO get eur hurts and
Wounds. our mockery and scosrging. in
hhis world, but how small a part of ali
THIS misery which makes life a burden
Is u to u holiness!
we nave been fools or we have been
Hiaceors In Two cases out of three.
we therefore suffer Justly, for We re
y csive the due reward of our deeds" Our
c~rucinXion, two to one. is not a divine
martyrdom but a well-deserved penaltv
nevertheless. it has one immense
4 Value ana power In it. The pain and
Y shame Of the punishment brinr ne
Jesus. though it is for our
BINS mat we get crosses by his side. we
see calvary In its entirety, because
lieu upon II: We get a chance even
mere TO have him say. This dav thou
shait be with me in paradise" Yet he
VIII not say 1t If we confuse our cross
Win his. How are we to be saved from
me 1atal mistake Of supposing that our
cross is a %saviour's and not q sinners
cross? tei >
we nave only to observe whether II
pute NE into anything. Does it incite
10 70 hVe for Others instead of our
eisss Does IT make us determined
" serve u fellows In some way. light.
en- their burdens, soothe their griefs.
take away the hindrances to their fulla,
enjoyment of life? That is the fact
which proves that a cross is a Savio,,r,s
ana not a robbers cross. When we
come 10 the mind of Paul. that we are
6iillns TO be accursed for our brethran,s
SAKE, we shall not be concerned SO much
aouul our W qualification and ulti.
mate heavenly reward. The great nur
p mat some II else shall no,
nnnna sne JOY OF God. When we have
tban uns where near the mind OF Christ
snu we snaii be glad TO lose ourselves in
any way in the land Of the dead VIA,
DID," a chants o.
.mhen n one Of US has got to the In
~ secret OF the cross of Jesus thar,
VIII be more OF calm satisfaction tho,
I VI agony. The soul has gained a mr.
I pose beyond self, and with far-off ga,
ss,s onward through life with an insensi
hand. NN' peiore
Have we. then. a heaviness ~ so,,,
81 or some sharp pangs Of the heart -
jAsofne duii dreariness which dimc ~
Lace OF the sun for us, and wondar 90
question IL this indeed be a mart ns 49,,
sc SNIistian experience and probation NJ
snail discover the nature of orr ~ :"
py observing whether It puts NE !,
atnlngs dead. Not whether II chang.
loT.us INTO a cross Of flowers, but r.
This is the YER essence Of christ,a,
2verlng. It has been like the ,or ~
tnderings for the fountain of etorn
nth. eh
70 not think 1 wish to present IN
1th In an austerity and repulsivene
iohd what Is true and what is diyin