The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-03-30
The Basis of Happiness.

The Basis of Happiness. ae
The gospel title of this lesson isln
"The Beatitudes:" but a modern y,
preacher doubtless would have am.
nounced his subject in such languagefV
as the essential grounds of bliss" oful
the rationale of spiritual joy" Ia
The days of beginnings and initiaia
ceremonies are Iew PAST and Jesus.
boldly and unreservedly enters upon
his great work as Il teacher of rightI
eousness and salvation. v
The negatives OF Sinai, which were 4
useful in their age and which never,
can be supplanted or destroyed, are.N
now to be hidden like foundations
stones by a superstructure of living0l
principles which all may see and un- a
derstand
Children are freely to know the :,
gladness of Christs love; yet philoso-
pliers are to be charmed by the bliss SC
fulness of his grace i
Far more than we usually have
been taught, was Jesus a philosopher: /
he also was a poet. Hence only by
coming into a sympathy with him in
his deeply significant meanings and
his sublime imagery. may we be able |,
to interpret his teachings.
There is an Inherent analogy be-
tween the spiritual and the natural,
between the truth TO be taught and
the symbolism by which it is to be
taught
The old table of the law was double .
or two-sided, one dealt with mans
relationship toward Cod and the other
Ia n1nf IT,
The same poetical duality is seen (
in the Beatitudes.
They point out the souls inner life,
as related to God, and its outer mani
festation toward other souls.
l. Who are the poor in spirit4
They are those tested in character.
l. Who mourn on account of the
sinfulness into which they have fallen.
II heard a voice in truths pure word
A saint who sorrows yoke had
borne;
Blest is the man thou chastenest,
Lord,
Blessed are they that mourn"
Whittier.
2. Who hunger after righteous.
ness, and who eating, live and grow.
20 for that grace which springs from
thee,
And quickens all things where it
flows,
Which makes a wretched thorn like
me
Bloom as the myrtle or the rosel"
-Cowper.
3. Who are pure in heart, and so
are guided by holy purposes.
"Blest are the pure In heart, ~
For they shall see their God;
The secret Of the Lord is theirs:
Their soul is Christ's abode"
-Keble. /
Those so fortified with internal
principles Of grace, while ever con-
scious Of past transgressions are also
conscious of trustful dependence up-
on God as the source of all righteous
ness through the operation of a
strongly implanted moral purpose.
such character is not proud and
self-trustful, but is God trustful and
dependent it is not vain and boast
lui, but is modest and reasonable.
In those possessed of such a char.
acter there is nothing leading to abb
1ect meanness or unmanly servilitv
still in vain may we seek for a better
title for them than to say with Jesus:
The poor in spirit"-of themselves
weak and poor, in God incomparably
strong and rich.
II. What are the poor in spirit7
Those internally poor in spirit" Of
necessity manifest what they are
and so the world will see them.
1. The meek" not proud and arro-
gaut not boastful and vain, neither
servile nor obsequious.
Meekness is gentle, though II 'IR
q converted wolf" it is strong though
1t appears in many things to resemble
weakness; 1t is self-controlled though
Its fists of retaliation are clenched. h
Is contented though all earthly treas
ures nave been lost; it is bold though
lts enemies are many and powerful.
IL has full exempliflcation in Jesus
driving out the money changers, re-
ceiving the kiss of Judas, hearing the
denial OF Peter, standing before
Plate, bearing the cross and rejected
by mankind; and yet in his own time
the earth will be his and no one will
dispute his glory.
z. The merciful," ever conscious
OF their own weakness and of a divine
iorgiveness, are ready to pity and to
deal gently with all who are weak and
erring.
HE that is merciful unto the bad.
Is cruel to the good. Randolph.
The generous heart should scorn n
pleasure which gives others PAIN
Thomson
Man may dismiss compassion from
his heart, but God will never."-CowD-
ers Task.
g. The peace makers" being them
selves above strife and able to see the
causes OF offense between others.
their strength and glory is to adjust
dinerences, to remove misunderstood.
ings and to stop contention wherever
II exists.
The Fruits Of Grace-Persecutlon.
Jesus knew and all men of exper-
l0nGa EnnW hof