The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-01
THE VOICE OF THE PULPIT
SOME THINGS WHICH 1T Is .yUST as
WELL NOT TO REMEMBER.
blessed FOrgetfulness," by Rev. H.
u MacCartney, First Unitarian
Church, RockIand, Mass.

But one thing do: forgetting those things
Wnlcn are Dehlnd and stretching forward Ia
tnose things which are before, l press on
toward the goal, unto the prize of the high
calling OF God in Christ Jesus.-Phil. iii, 13.
Our conscious moments are thronged with
Visions OF the past. Our triumphs and our
deteats rise before us. Faces of friends
come to us, loved but lost; faces of enemies
VINO have injured us and whom we have in
Jured; pictures Of peace which lulI into
dreamland like the wash of waves on 2
summers night; stormy scenes which
harass and lead us back again to the sea-
sons of our most appalling fears and deem
est anxeties
There is blessedness in memory for it
is the basis OF our present experiences: vet
there is also blessedness in forgetfulness
for our greatest good if wrongly used. NAV
become our evil. The energy we put into
dreams must be subtracted from the sum
total we put into active accomplishment.
We cannot afford this, for truly in the at
tainment of right character, life is a race
and we must press toward the goal, wait
ing not an instant to look behind to see
what we have accomplished, if we would
win the prize.
To live unduly in the past is to stagnate
49, NiA~ PANoSiAls " dIcdIIl Oh the future has
the same effect. To act in the present with
our thoughts and face toward the future.
is the condition of mind which makes for
power. In this sense it is very evident that
the term forget" as used in the text. is
used in partial and not a literal sense
To forget the past absolutely is obviously
impossible. Not to dwell upon the past I'M
duly is the use made of the word
we should not lie back upon our past
successes. To do this is enervating IT is
a sure sign of decadence. 1t may be per-
Iectiy normal in one who has accomplished
MS lie work to rest, and in the sunset
hours waiting for the night of death. to
Hnger in memory over the scenes of life's
day. But to the man with the day before
him there should be this forgetfuness of
the work already done, that the work vet
to be done may be finished, that the goal
may be reached and the prize won.
To dwell on past successes in the case of
many natures, leads to self complacencv
the foe of perfection. The man who has
really accomplished a great work is gem
orally the least satisfied, for he who can
DO much is the one most capable for see
ing the lmperfection of the accomplishment,
ana the greatness of the task yet to be
completed. 1t is over our small successes
that we are apt to dwell. those which have
ministered to our little vanities, that have
flattered our pride.
But the contemplation of our successes
is not the only danger which besets rs IN
an undue dwelling upon the past. To be-
come morbid over our disappointments and
our failures is a sure means of inturinp
present action and attainment
Bitter. indeed, is the draught of defeat
In our Utmost souls during long years we
have cherished a certain ideal of life. Rut
as the weary years have come and gone our
ideal is just far from realization as
ever. Surely, but certainly, the conviction
has been borne in upon us that we were
TO fall and a cry of the soul has beep
wrung from the baffled spirit. We have
not taken our defeat with resignation: we
have rebelled. have been bitter have brood
ed over the wrong done us by providence"
and hardened our hearts against God and
our fellow-men. We have nursed and cher
ished our wound; We would not let il heal
Cynicsm and moroseness have threatened
TO eclipse any brightness remaining in our
life. Instead of the spirit which looks into
the present and the future duty we have
disconsolately bowed our heads folded our
hands and let the moments laden with op-
portunity go by us. The present, with its
rich possibilities of helpfulness has been
meaningless and the future for us has been
robbed of its significance
AS the light of day broke through the lat
tice OF your window this morning did II
speak to you of royal opportunity? Was
1t symbol of hope, or was it but a re-
minder OF the light of memory, which had