Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1898-09-08
SATURDAY SERMON.
For Sunday Perusal and Every Day
Guidance.

Let every man prove his own
work -Galations, vi, 4.
1t may seem very strange
thing to say of this intelligent age,
but the plain truth is that the
average man does not use his reas-
onlng powers to any purpose.
Some good people tell us chat it
is dangerous TO use our minds
freely, especially on religious sub~
jects, and assure US that it is de-
structive of faith. But our i'm
preston is that religion more than
any other subject demands the ex-
ercise of the intellect, and that
the faith which will stand the test
of life's strange experiences and
burn with undimmed flame in the
midst of them all must be based
on conviction. Mere impulse is as
hartful in religious matters as it is
in business or IN scientific research.
A blind faith is worthless when
compared with open eyed and
open minded faith. 1t is sure to
desert US in the pinch of circum
stances.
If we reasoned more about our
selves about our duty and our des-
tiny, we should be far stronger
and nobler than We are. 1t is be-
cause we do not reason enough
that we both fail and fall. The
same intellectual energy which
makes discoveries in astronomy or
chemistry if applied to the conduct
of life would form a foundation on
which to build an ideal charac-
ter.
| Does the man who is addicted
to vice in any of its many phases
use his brains? On the contrary,
he ignores them, pushes his logi-
gal faculty into a corner, and fool
ishly allows his enjoyment of a
temporary pleasure to interfere
with his lasting good. If he were
to spend half an hour day in
examining himself, and could do
it as impartially as the naturalist
examines a weed Or an insect,
would he voluntarily allow him
self to be poisoned by an evil
habit or would he expect to avoid
the consequences of immoral
courses? His difficulty is that he
does not think half enough, but
! even makes an effort not to think
at all, knowing, in vague sort
| of way, that if he thinks he will
} be forced to condemn himself.
If we could persuade men to
!, think more profoundly about
their souls, about conse quences
which are the effects of causes,
we should be benefactor of our
race.
The man who has an aim is the
man who thinks. The man who
accomplishes something worth
his while has a clear idea to work
Oh. The man who drifts never
6 thinks, for the moment he began
r to do so he would put his hand
on the wheel and steer his craft
3 into clear water. The worthless
/ lives are without a fixed purpose
and the great multitude who
l yearly ruin themselves by yield
ing to temptation and vice in the
guise of pleasure are the mer
who were intended to be archs
angels, and who have the capas
city to become archaD gels, bu'
who do not recognize these facts
Il because their intellects are under
the influence of habits they de-
+ sire still to crafty.
Il In order to fit himself for the
= best uses man must recognize
b several important facts. Wher
. . he begins to think he begins tt
i be godlike, and soon reaches {
! level which the animal can never
:, attain. He keeps company with
u the brute creation longer, for he
has caught a glimpse of heroism
s of manhood, of God, of eternity
n He is transfigured, his body j:
subordinated to his soul, he ha.
something TO do, there is some'
= thing for him to become, his am
s bition is reused, and nothing viii
$ satisfy him but heaven and hi
II own fitness to enter therein
r. When he thinks of the Provi
dence above him, of the goot
lGod who will lend him some
thing of His own omnipotence il
time OF need, will send His angel
to guide in hours of darkness
b and guard in time OF danger. ha
T asked him to weave out of tn
-