The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-12-09
81 AM HOLIER THAN THOU"
Shallow Streams BrawI and BabbIe,
Deep Waters Flow on Silently.

|
London, on this text:
Philippians iii: ID, IL" Brethren, |
count not myself TO have apprehentletl
but this one thing do FORGETTING those
things. which are behind, ana reaching
forth unto those :hings which are before,
l press toward the mark for the prize of
the high calling of God in Christ Jesus"
Far TOO often OF late have come across
the path OF those who speak as If they
3pprchended-bret whose own lips
praise them, who descant upon their own
fullness Of grace, with an junction rather
too unctious for my taste. l am not
about 10 condemn them; | cannot say
am not about to censure them, for | in
tend to do so, from Il deep sense of the
necessity that they should be censurctl
These fri ends assure us that they have
reached great heights of grace, and are
now in splendid spiritual condition.
should be very glad to know that it is so,
if it were true; but am grieved to hear
them act as witnesses for themselves, for
then know that their witness is not
true: if it were so. they would be the last
men to publish it abroad. There are
brethren abroad whose eminent gracious
ness is not very clear TO others, but it is
very eminent to themselves and equally
vivid is their apprehension of the great
inferiority OF the most Of their brethren.
They talk To us, not rs men OF like pas.
sions with ourselves and brethren OF the
same stock, but rs demigodS, laundering
out of the clouds, giants discoursing TO
the little men around them. If ii he true
that they are 50 superior. ! rejoice, yea,
and will rejoice: but my suspicion is, that
their glorying is not good. and that the
spirit which they manifest will prove IL
snare to them | meet, say, sometimes
with lYpt IA Vvhn feel rnnInntpI V-i,t,
their spiritual condition. They do not
ascribc their satisfactory character to
themselves, but to the grace of God: but
for all that, they do feel that they are
what they ought TO be, and what others
ought to be but arc not. They see in
themselves i grent..deal that is good, very
mitch that is commendnblc, and IL large
amount of excellence which they can hold
up for.the admiration of others. They
have reached the higher life and are
wonderfully fond OF telling us so, and ex-
planning the phenomena OF their self-sat-
isiicd condition. Though Paul VAS com
PEELED to say: In me, that is, in my
flesh, there dwellcth no good thing. = their
flesh appears to he of Il better quality:
whereas he had spiritual con hicts, ami
found that without were fightingS, and
within were fears: these very superior
persons nave already troddcn Satan under
their feet, and reached state in which
they have little else to do but to divide
the spoil. Now, brethren, whenever we
meet with persons who can congratulate
themselves upon their personal character,
or whenever we get into the state OF self
content ourselves, there is an i'll SAVIOR
about the whole concern. ! do not know
what impression ii makes upon you. but
whenever | hcai II brother talk about
himself, and how full he Is of the Spirit
of God, and all that, am distressed for
him. think hear the voice OF that
stately proft Ssor who said God, thank
thee that am not as other men are
feel tina; | would prefer to listen to that
; other man, who said, God be mcrciful
to me n sinner" and went down to his
house justified rather than the other
When hear man crow about himself
| think of Peters declaration-''T Though
all men should deny thee, yet will OF -"
and hear another cock crow. Self com.
pacency is the mother of spiritual declen.
sion. David said, My mountain stnndeth
firm: | shall never be moved;' but ere
long the face of God was hidden and he
was troubled. In the presence of II pro
fessor who is pleased with his own attain
mentS, one remembers that warming text:
Let him that thnketh he standeth take
heed lest he fall Great j. great l..
Wherever thou art, thou must come
Gown. treat Is always opposed to great
Christ. John the Baptist knew the truth
when he said, ''IIe must increase, but
must decrease There is ITO room in
this world Tor Gods glory and man $
glory ne VINO Is less than nothing mag
mines God; but he who Is rich, and in
creased IN goods, ana hath need of moth
ihg' dlsnonors Gon, and he himself is
iith :" anu poor ana miserable.
ftftheiiiore' we nave observed that
thc Dest oil men do not talk OF their at
t1lntnpntS. their tone is sci Instrumentation