The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-03-01

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we contemplate that fast IN the wilder
ness long years ago. the agony and
bloody sweat. the cross and passion, tho
death which means 80 much to Us; un-
III at last we have the true spirit Of
Lent in our hearts. And what peace
fil and blessed season II 10. How
strangely still and beautiful the days
seem, when we have shut the world out
OF our lives, as far as we may, and
dedicated ourselves anew TO the con.
temptation Of grave and hallowed
things. -
Now many matters proper to other
seasons Of the year. are improper 70
the Lenten season. Thus we Fenounce
amugements In Lent, and do not free
duent places Of public entertainment
and festIvity. not because they are
wrong, flor II wrong In Lent, they are
Of necessity wrong at any hme), but
because they detract our thoughts
from higher, nobler things which we
set ourselves to do.
Another objection brought against
us, and for which we are styled like
Roman Catholics" Is the teaching Of
the necessity Of fasting during Lent
Yes! and we are not willing to allow
our Roman brethren monopoly In
the question Of self-denial and sacri-
flee They know its value, so do we.
/ think It would be very difficult to
show that the people OF to-day would
be any the worse for q little restriction
as to the quality OF their food. Fasting,
Il should be remembered, does not nee
essarlly imply total abstinence. In
yalids should not fast, but continue TO
eat or drink what 10 good for them.
But what Is Of far more importance to
US all, Is to fast from sin. We refrain
from purchasing luxuries during Lent,
and by this act Of denial, cruelty our
Wills, that we may have the more to
bestow upon the poor, and that our
Easter Offering may not be unworthy.
The age in which we live seems par.
ticularly to bear the stamp OF the
world So much thought and attention
Is given to business and pleasure; to
thoughts that crowd out all that looks
beyond the present hour and its graft.
ficatIon. While here and there we find
one who treats the great questions Of
our times with serious thought, the
great majority are frivolous, thought
less, careless.
While there never was an age more
deeply in earnest to realize In what real
manhood and Womanhood consists, yet
It is the few who are serious. The
great masses think more OF gain than
OF godliness.' There are so many who
seem to be perfectly content with the
present, living from day to day. with
out very much thought or provision for
anything beyond.
These are facts so plainly manifest
that they require no argument to en-,
force them. And they are facts that
prove conciusiveiy that every man, wo-
man and child ought to be led into the
wilderness for a time, to take true
account OF things: to get at the heart
of life; to study ones surroundings; to
ascertain how much they have been in-
fuenced by silly, Bhallow-minded peo-
pie and their as silly thoughts; to an
swer the question, Who am I? Why
stand here? What am doing here?
Lent Not Church-Bound.
You perceive. therefore, that Lent is
not for Episcopaiians, or for Roman
Catholics, or even for Christians of
any particular name. The requirements
of Lent are by no sense church-hound,
but are as broad as humanity, and as
YoFId-wIde as truth. It Is for the use
OF everyone in whose breast burns the
desire for true manhood or woman
hood. 1t is for everyone who recog-
nizas Jesus Christ as the representative
OF our race, who Is willing to follow
HIS example. Every man Is prone to
mistakes In life, to errors In thinking.
that ought to be adjusted, to tempta-
lions yielded to, that ought to be over
come; to habits-bad habits-that
ought to be corrected, How are these
results to be accomplished? Will any
one reach them by going on In the
same old round Of occupations, by con-
tinuIng in the same paths Of pleasure.
by thinking the same thoughts, and
doing the same things? Never! We
must demand a halt, shake ourselves
loose from our surroundings, look care
fully about us, search more deeply our
hearts, examine with greater scrutiny
our lives, and break each cursed habit
that brings US regret or shame: Yes,
we must keep Lent; we must let the
Shirt OF God lead US up into the wilder
neBs-everyone OF us-or s!snelly tet;
While It is the duty OF all sorts and
conditions of people to observe the sa-
cred season OF Lent, It Is given to
Christians to lead the way. The Chris
tians In every community are the
thoughtful, serious, earnest people.
There are some silly Christians,
thouEhtless and careless, who touch the
outskirts OF the Christian life, but have
never Imbibed its true spirit. But,
generally speaking those who fall up
on their knees In prayer. those VINO
lift the voice in the melodies OF praise
to God, those who resist the inclina-
ton to case to take their place in
church. those who ore willing to do
Christian work, are thoughtful people.
They acknowledge that there Is a
spiritual world and that there are
spiritual powers; that there Is a God,
and that they are His servants; that
there Is a Savior, and that they are His
followers, They look deeper Into life
than others, and, because they do so.
there burns in their breasts desires and
lonRinFs that are deeper, purer, truer
than can be found In many other
breasts. It Is this fact that makes
Christians the light OF the world and
the salt OF the earth. They are the
worlds leaders to the truest MANHOOD
and womanhood, developed IN Christ
and under the influence OF Christs gos-
pei. ',,-o
and will he answer as many careless
person must answer: ut Ii only va
por, that Rppeareth for a little time
and then VanIsheth away" No! He
can say: 1.-THE life now live. live by
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, by
whom the world Is crucified unto me,
and I unto the world"
Therefore, Christians should be very
careful to observe the season OF Lent,
to keep It thoroughly, earnestly, ser
iouBly, that they may lead the world to
its Redeemer. Ought not the strong to
help the weak? Ought not the thought
full to help the frivolous? Ought not
the wise to counsel the foolish and lead
them away from their follles? Most
CpTtalnly II is for this purpose the
Christian lives, and, It IL TO this work
OF leadership he conHecrates his in
fuence. We are sons OF God, and we
-. !. a. 49,. .-.n-lL .-tkaL Tho Enn Of