Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1899-04-03


erty and purity and mastery. When
God created the desire He made TIE
realization of that desire possible.
| God made the eye. He gave also the
light and the world of beauty to please
the eye. He made the ear to receive
the sound, and the music of the hu-
man voice to please the ear. Can He
have given to the soul these exalted
hopes and ideas and then have left
this life without means for their full
! fiIlment? Most certainly no! More
than all that, God in His word had de-
clared that man can and should &C
quire self mastery. The mark Of per-
lection is set before us and we are to
reach out after it with all earnestness
and singleness of heart. Jesus said:
''Be We therefore perfect even as your
Father in heaven is perfect" These
words are of the nature ola command
and with the command means have
| been provided. 1t remains for us to
notice what they are. These means
are comprehended in the terms econ
version" and "sanctifcation." The
former begins, the latter completes
the work.
We attain to this state Of self mas
terry by taking heed Of Gods word.
The Psalmist said: THY WORD have I
hid in my heart that I might not sin
is a kind of weapon with which to
fight the adversary of the soul. We
are well armed when we have Bible
principle for every emergency. The
Bible is an authoritative book, and on
the question of upright living before
God and man it gives no uncertain
sound. There are many questions
about the Word that trouble US. But
when it comes to practical life it is
yea and amen. The knowledge Of the
Script is Gods means Of inspiring in
us the spirit of self mastery. The
knowledge of the Word is, therefore,
an essential part Of education. How
is it friends with you? Do you find
your knowledge Of the Script a help
to ruling Of your spirit? Let some BIZ
O1C SO1A1O 41AUO Gay .
perience to guard our minds and
hearts. Another aid to ruling of the
spirit is loyalty to conviction. Did
you ever think, friends, what noble
convictions we all have? We see such
opportunities for self sacrifice. There
is SO much to be gained by bringing
into subsection the heshly desires,
and yet often the convictions are
never acted upon. We allow our
emotions TO soar but nothing comes !
of it. Now, friends, that conviction
is God inspired. It is divine call to |
duty. You and feel that we ought I
and might keep the evil self in sub
lection. When we are putting forth
an effort to be loyal to that conviction
we are working together with God.
We are forsaking our sins. Like the
Prodigal who SAID, 81 will arise and
go to my father" we naver shall
rule our spirit until our shame and
self reproach leads TO action. At
great price perhaps we shall purchase
this freedom, for it costs to be loyal
to conviction. But it pays in that
self command whichis Of untold value
A greater aid to ruling of the spirit
is reliance upon God. E'The soul that
on Jesus hath leaned forrepose, [ will
not, | will not desert to his foes; That
soul, though all hell should endeavor
to shake, I'll never, no never, no
never fOrsake." The PSalmiet said:
''My strength is in God, from Him al
SO, cometh my salvation" So say we
in the hour of our need. The prophet
centuries before Christ. said: "He
gives the power to the faint; and TO
them that have no might he increas-
eth strength. Even the youths shall
faint and be weary and the young
men shall utterly fall: but they that
wait upon the Lord shall renew their
strength" These are not meaning
less words or the dream of mystical
soul. They are inspired thoughts
whose utility will become known
when the help ofGod is sought. When
that day comes, that the word of God
is hid in the heart, when there is 10y
atty to conviction even at a cost, whe1.
there is prayer in the heart God
help me-" there can be no less an ex
perience than conversion. The
change may be sudden or gradual.
The result will be practically the
same. How many there are are to
day in our community, both young
and old, who need to learn the hero
ism Of self mastery. righteousness
would spring up in our streets and