Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1897-06-03
THE DUTY OF RESISTANCE.
Fortify Weak Points In Your Chara9-
ter and Guard the Approaches.

ter and Guard the Approaches.
That it is right to pray Lead
US not into temptation" was taught by
Christ Himself. Not that the Father
would lead us into temptation; but that
He may so lead us that we shall avoid
temptation such as we may not be able
to bear. 1t cannot be Gods design to
tempt us. We are told that He tempts
no man and is tempted of no one. New
ertheless, we are all in a world in which
evil exists, and we cannot escape con-
tact with it. Even if a man shut him
self up in cave, there are causes of
temptation within himself. Christ did
not escape temptation by going solitary
into the wilderness. We cannot flee
from it entirely, but we can avoid much
of it, and particularly such as may have
strong influence upon us.
wise man measures his powers and
weaknesses, and learns what he can do
and what he cannot do. If he has little
power to acquire and none to impart he
will not try to be teacher; if he has no
imagination he will not attempt to be.
painter. He will recognize his limita-
tons and choose his vocation accord
ingly. Some are conscious of tend
ency to observe certain virtues and to
contract certain vices. They do not
need to fortify the virtues, but to de-
fend themselves against the vices.
There are various besetting sins; but
they do not appeal to ALL Nothing is
more certain than that the natural
weakness of one man differs from that
of another. A plan of defense must
therefore vary. A man may keep him
self unspotted from the world without
going out of the world. That is the of
flee of religion. There is no ground
for the fatalistic argument that man
must sin in one direction or another.
This is base appeal to cowardice. No
man is born with an overmastering pas
sion for evil. He may by constant sur
render to temptation reduce the power
Of resistance; Guiteau had original
power of resistance, but he allowed it
to be broken down. The commander of
a beleaguered fortress will bring all
his resources to bear in strengthening
and defending the weak places in the
walls. 1t is only the coward and traitor
who stands by the impre enable posi-
tons and allows the weak ones to DO
forced
If the weak points in character are
stormed by the enemy, of what avail
are the strong points? If one point is
captured the soul 10 prisoner. That
enc point is. the strategic point, the
key to the situation. When Miluna was
stormed and Tyrnavo taken, Larissa
was untenable and all Thessaly was at
the mercy of the enemy. The taste for
alcoholics may be one mans weakness,
predisposition to dishonesty anoth-
er's; tendency to doubt may be strong
in one case, a love for the superstitious
i'll another. At these points the de-
lenses need to be strengthened in every
possible way. Avoidance of persons,
places and things which stimulate these
desires is the first duty of defense. If
you pray LEAD us not into tempta-
tion," be watchful lest you be led of
your own lusts. Lusts are bad leaders;
they must be held in captivity. So held,
the man is free; not so held, the man is
bound.
~ man VINO knew his own weak
nesses was asked by friend 70 read
a certain pamphlet. what is it?" he,
asked. "Oh," said the other, "some-
thing which - Ga notorious infideD
has written. I want you to read it."
II would rather not" why not? Are
you afraid to? 1 believe you are. You
don't dare to-" "No, sir, don't dare
to. l have enough doubts of my own.
l don't want anybody to suggest more.
There are several things l don't dare
to do. That is one; to taste wine is
another. l am afraid of these things,
but I'm not afraid of you. 1 am only
afraid of wrong-doing."
That man is strong because he knows
his weaknesses thoroughly, will not in
dulge in them and will not suffer him
self to be tempted by others. He will be
stronger, too; for the practice of re-
sistance increases the power of re-
sistance, just as concession weakens it.
AS teacher said to scholar who was
breaking an important rule: ''It is a
temptation, I know; but you don't have
to yield."-N. Y. Independent.