The record-union., 1899-03-06

me and neither eat nor drink three
days. / also and my maidens will 1hst.
The people of Ninevah tasted at the
preaching Of Jonah, and by repentance
and prayer averted the impending
doom.
Times of special interest were marked
by fasting. Moses on the mount With
God, tasted forty days. Elijah tasted
forty days. Jesus tasted forty days and
nights in the wilderness. The church
at Antioch tasted when they selected
and sent forth Barnabas and Paul to
preach to the regions beyond. Jesus
said to the disciples who had failed to
cast out the evil spirit from the boy
at the foot of the mount, This kind
goeth not out but by prayer and fast
ing
These passages and incidents help us
to gain scriptural understanding OF
the place and use of fasting. The New
Testament does not impose or COM
mand stated fasts. There is no New
Testament decree that certain periods
of the year shall be observed as fasts.
But we do we'll to bear in mind the fact
that fasting has been observed by de-
vout souls from time immemorial. Our
Savior sanctioned the principle and en-
courages us to believe that it win bring
spiritual benefits if observed in a right
spirit. Fasting is the natural express
sion of intense sorrow for sin. 1t is
the effort of the soul to come into closer
fellowship with God. The Lenten sea-
SON is an opportunity for the cultiva-
ton of the devout life. Instead of crit
icising those who observe this season,
we do well to ask ourselves what we
spiritually lose by not observing it.
1t is surely wise for men and women
to withdraw at times from the activi-
ties of life, that they may be alone with
God. Our Savior on many occasions
took His disciples apart into a desert
place, into the mountain soiitudes, that
they might have time and quiet for
meditation and prayer. The merchant
finds it profitable to shut the doors Of
the store and take stock. The time
spent in this way is wisely spent. He
is in danger Of making losses if he does
not do this. So it is well for Christian
men and women to examine their lives.
to consider their ways and discover
whether they are gaining or losing in
divine things. 1t is well to confess our
sins and seek a closer walk with God.
Life, death, judgment, sin, salvation are
great themes and demand more serious
consideration than we usually give to
them. The infinite worth of the soul,
the subtle and awful power of sin. the
fathomless depths of iniquity into
,aI, II ~ CT II 80
which we are all exposed should be
wildly before US. The blessed gift of
saving grace in Christ, the measureless
nights of holiness to which angel hands
beckon us, the splendid possibilities of
character and service held out to us
in the gospel, the glories of the eternal
world, are themes that should occupy
our thought and time much more than
they do. We allow puerile, frivolous
things to monopolize our time and
thought and conversation. We impov-
erish our souls with the husks and chaff
of earth when we might be feeding at
the very banquet of Gods own provid-
ing. We need more quiet retreats from
the noise and vanities and ambitions of
EARTH that we may be alone with God
and our conscience. We need to hear
and heed the invitation of Jesus ''come
We apart and in communion with Him
receive an amounting of spiritual power
that will make US strong to resist
temptation and strong to do Gods holy
will It is only thus that we will be
able to keep ourselves unspotted from
the world.
The reason why many people are not
living religious lives is not because
they deliberately reject or despise re-
ligion, but because they are SO absorbed
in the business and pleasures of the
world. Like Martha they are troubled
about many things. and have no time
or strength left to choose the better
part. Business, society, pleasure-le-
climate things in themselves-monopo-
lie their time and thought and energy
to the almost utter neglect of religion.
AS Jesus said, the cares of this world,
the deceitfulness of riches and the lust
of other things choke the word and
make it unfruitful. The demands of
the body for food and clothing are more
imperious and clamorous than the cry
of the soul for the truth and grace of
God. Thus the soul is famished while
the body is pampered and gorged, and
man becomes animalized instead Of
spiritualized.
Now the Lenten season comes in to
correct this evil. 1t enjoins abstinence
and self-denia1. 1t compels the clamor-
Gus crowd of physical desires and secu-
Lar ambitions to stand aside and take
subordinate place in order that love
and holiness and God may occupy the
thought and energy Of the soul. By
special communion with God, by medi-
tation on His word, and by prayer,
pride is humbled, worldliness isrebuked,
passion subdued and the spiritual life,
the life of God in the soul, is nourish-
ed and refreshed. It helps us set our
affections on things above. 1t opens
the soul to the incoming of the divine
life. We need to take time to be holy.
We should set apart hours and days
for the cultivation of the devout life.
We take holidays to recuperate physi-
cally. Why not take holidays to recup-
crate spiritually. Take time to be
holy
The Lenten season is to be commend
ed because 1t lays wise and needed
restraint on pleasure getting and pleas
ure going. We are social beings and
should cultivate the social life God
never intended US to live as hermits,
isolated from society. Jesus was not
a recluse. He loved the cheerful walks
of man. His first public act was to
lead His disciples to wedding feast in
Cana of Galilee. He performed His
first miracle to augment the joy of that
festal gathering. We need recreation
and amusement. Religion recognizes
these needs. But the fact we need to
consider is this, multitudes of people