The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-13

It is always instructive to mark how a
man regards the close Of his life work-how
he sums up the testimony of his experience
here upon earth. What thoughts has life
brought him? What ideals have come to
win his respect?
One says, Il have made money and now
my work is done" Evidently the world to
him is a big mine from which to dig gold.
Another cries, knowledge is glorious. Oh
that might stay here for ages to see the
new truth men will discover" A third
cares only to say, II have had good time.
/ hate TO grow old and lose the powers Of
enjoyment"
Notice how Jesus in our text sweeps away
far above all such associations. He is very
solemn He speaks rather to himself than
TO those around Him. While His mystified
disciples listen He tells them He is moving
not to All earthly throne, but to a cross
His path to glory leads through the valley
of the shadow. II, If / be lifted up, will
draw all men unto me-" There is the calm
joy as He stands very near the cross in the
full strength of early manhood that His life
will bless the world He passes beyond the
mere law of duty to the delight Of duty.
AS the end draws near He rejoices that He
has made goodness beautiful, that He has
made truth and love attractive, that His
character will draw and warm and cheer
men. There was a warmth, a spirit of love
breathing from His character that caused
His virtues to sparkle. His life was mag
netic. Men felt in His presence that good
ness was lovely, and longed to be good
themselves.
Jesus is unique in the spirit of His life;
in His eager. absorbing wish to make godli-
ness beautiful before all men, 1t is as if a
~ ,,,A r1c
love the sunlight, took the prism and broke
the white rays up into the seven requisite
colors that compose them.
cannot appreciate flowers which have no
perfume. Those dainty violets that grow
wild and seem twin brothers of our garden
violets, bring me kind of sadness. They
shed no sweetness. They wear the gar
ments and features of my friends, but they
cannot speak to me. Do people really love
chrysanthemums? With all the maryels of
form and color, is there not a suggestion of
hypocrisy about them: They have no fra
GRANGE They are proud. They selfish
and cold. Take in one hand chrysanthe-
mum and in the other a. rose. Both are
beautiful. If you try TO match their charms,
what grace, what purity what delicacy.
Yet the rose appears 70 give itself to you,
tender, modest perfume. 1t seeks your
love. 1t makes it's beauty attractive.
So l judge the influence of Jesus. Place
beside Him Confucius, Buddha or Socrates,
and He still stands alone in the divine per-
fume of His character, in the charm that
Ills heart diffuses throughout His every
virtue. He wants to win the world, and to
do it He makes goodness sparkle.
The question must sometimes arise in
every true soul, Am / getting beyond a
religion of selfshness? Is my morality any
higher than self-culture?" The standards
of life among respectable people are not
worthy of them If they can count up a Ger
tain list of virtues; if they can run over a
number OF good Deeds they seem satisfied.
Poor chryanthemums, it is but long sys-
tenn of getting. Get honesty. Get culture.
Get a fair reputation. 1t ends where it
starts-in self
What il the deepest Joy that can come
to any man? All, it takes fifty years for
most of us to learn it. 1t is the joy of
loving and being loved, of giving and re-
ceiving the treasures of the heart. No
pleasure imagined by the most worldly
mind can approximate to il. If it is shrewd
10 estimate actions by the degree of pleas
ure they yield to the doer, then i appeal
TO the experience of the daily life and say
that the very climax of joy is to know 81
have blessed many others; Il have done
them gooC." Man will be wisest, happiest,
his richest self when he lives, in the spirit
OF the cross He will see the beauty of hoi-
ness, tue delight of being good and OF doing
good, when he makes his character shine
warmly and brightly in order to win Others
to God. Who will estimate the moral pow
er that is lost to society because honorable
people are repellant? They carve statues
cold and solitary. Their virtues are all for
themselves They are lakes, lying calm and
majestic in the chill mountain air, not riv-
ers that carry fertility along their course
Name any moral quality you may-eithel
it is like ice or it is like fire on the hearth
in December 1t repels or it draws men to
it. There are hosts of admirable folk, who
are hateful-great, cold monuments .oi
goodness-grand cathedrals, dark, empty
and full of ghosts. They have no perfume.
They arouse no emotion of sympathy OF
love. As well company with u marble
statue. We go into their presence, as a
ship sails in the vicinity of an iceberg The
air becomes chilly and we wrap ourselves
tightly up 1t may be that they lead men
to hate goodness, for they seem to have no
heart. / have known Christians who made
me eager to get away and find some gener-
Gus, jolly sinner for relief, just as l have
hurried from a display of gorgeous chrys-
anthemums to commune with the humblest
flower that gives me the sweetness of its
heart.
Have you ever tested yourself by this
rule? AS you move among your neighbors
what impression do you make upon them.
Not any special thing you do, but simply
being what you are, what do you make at
tractive to others? The responsibility can
not be evaded. BY the law of God EACH
man sheds abroad his personal influence.
You are, for instance, mingling with men
IN trade. The standards are low. The
level of morality in the business commu
nifty is no higher than profit and loss
What conduct will pay best?" You are
there with your decent character. The
sense of duty, the echoes of the Goldman
hood within you, are pleading for your de-
-~votion. The only miracle that heaven will
work to purify life in the stores is to send
you. Not as a doInineerng Pharisee-not
as a palefaced monk in a strange dress
and ghostly yoice-but as clean, earnest
man. God sends you. Does your conduct
shine out Light Does your integrity APP
peal to men. as sunlight does 10 the child
Does the cleanness OF your lips make mer
feel how filthy it is TO be vulgar? Does The
simplicity, the whole atmosphere of youi
character. suggest to others that IL is good
10 be- what you are? This adds a fresl
luster TO every virtue a man has Any
IL.