The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1897-03-05
4 PASTORAL.

ing pastoral W lHc CouSiC SaIiohoi iii'
Church, which was printed i'll leafle1
form and distributed on Ash Wednesday
My DEAR PARIsHIoNERs:
In the cycle of the Christian year, the
Holy Season of Lent is again at hand
Truly thankful should we be that our day
of grace has thus been melted out another
span, the better to prepare usfor eternity
The Church at this Solemn Season
lovingly addressing her children, calls to
mind the SORROWS of her Lord. She car
ries us in spirit into the bleak Wilderness,
where the worlds Redeemer tasted and
prayed, struggled and triumphed.
"Fortv days and forty nights
| Thou vast fasting in tn g wild
| Forty days and forty nights
| Tempted, yet undefiled.
..Shal not we Thy sorrows share.
| And from earthly joys abstain,
| Fasting with unceasing prayer,
| Glad with Thee to suffer pa,Ii:
That direful scene in the earthly life OF
| the Saviour opens to view world OF Sin
which must be overcome and the means by
| which alone we can conquer.
| The mighty forces of evil are still in
the world, and every Christian must in
| the nature of the case be Soldier of the
| Cross.
| No struggle, no triumph no pain, no
palm; no cross, no crown.
| I'VE wrestle not against flesh and blood,
| but against principalities. against powers
and naught will avail but the whole armor
| of God.
Looking around us in the world, can we
not see fellow mortals the victims of sin
and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. to vice-intem-
perate, profane, given up to carna! appe-
ttes, beings created in Gods own image
and destined for Immortality walking I'M
worthy of their high calling.
Many also are slaves to ignorance, su
perstition, bigotry and all uncharitable
ness.
Yea, when we look down deep into our
own individual hearts, dare we for one mo-
ment confess ourselves without sin?
A holy Apostle has said: II zoe sdY thai
ZOE hUu- 10 sin zoe dec ice UurHtfctS and IN"
tr,f'h is not in MS.
What we all need is heart and life ami
mated by the pure loving spirit of Oh list.
A heart in every thought renewed
And full Of love divine;
Holy and right and pure and good
A copy, Lord OF Thine.
Lent calls US to an earnest self-exami
nation. The whole life must be laid open
before God
Let us bear in mind that the great
lesson of this Holy Season is self sacrifice
the recognized law of Heaven and
earth.
True discipleship, true Christianity can
mean nothing less than willing subsection
to Him who loved US and gave Himself for
us.
who o tile Holy Place word enter in
Must pray and fast, must pray for stea fast grace
To turn from all that hides the Fathers +, ce
Must fast from every sweet that tends to sim"
The Church enjoins fasting; but not a
narrow asceticism such as suggested by
that false philosophy of the Medieval Age
which regarded the human body an evil
in itself, but such abstinence from
pleasures, innocent in themselves, that we
gain true self-mastery, and flesh and spirit
be brought into harmony with the will OF
Christ.
Your body" says St. Paul, sis the
temple of the Holy Ghost If any man
defile the temple of God, him shall God
destroy.
The key to true fast is given US in the
words of the prophet Isaiah, 5Sth chap
ter:
Is it such fast that l have chosen? a
day for man to afflict his soul? is it to
bow down his head as bulrush, and to
spread sackcloth and ashes under him?
wilt thou call this fast, and an accep-
table day to the Lord?
Is not this the fast that have chosen?
to loose the bands Of wickedness, to
undo the heavy burdens, and to let the
oppressed go freey
Is it not to deal thy bread to the hun
cry, and that thou bring the poor, that
are cast out, to thy house? when thou
seest the naked, that thou cover him;
and that thou hide not thyself from thine
own flesh?
closer walk with God, deeper
spirituality, more abundant life should
be the chief aim of every soul and the
rich fruits of such Lent would be a more
heavenly mind, a nobler character, more
fervent charity and a sweet good will for
all mankind.
And while free to enjoy the great
blessings of our Holy Religion, let US not
forget our suffering fellow Christians in
Armenia, who are this day subjected to
the most direful prosecutions for
righteousness sake.
May God in His infinite mercy deliver
them and hasten the day when the bar
barrie Turk shall be brought to the feet
of Christ and all nations shall praise the
Lord.
In conclusion let me give you few
plain rules as helps to a Holy LENT.
Spend few moments each day in
Secret Communion with God-Jesus wi'h-
tlre,o himself from the m"ltituds
Let no day pass without reading some
portion of Holy Scripture-a single cord
from. ihe mind Of God is a mighty tdtisman
dyninxt sin.
Call to mind your Baptismal and Con
firmation vows.
Esteem it the greatest earthly privi-
lege to receive the Holy Sacrament-and
pray to BIZ ,cO7fhy.
Seek new opportunities of doing good
and bring others into the fold of Christ.
Practice rigid self-denial that you may
have larger gifts for God.
A Lent thus kept will be season of
refreshment, spiritual joy and true
Faithfully Your Friend and Rector,
CHARLES F. SONTAG.