West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1902-03-13

! sermon delivered 10y Rev II. c. Howard
Among the many sad scenes in our
/ Lords life on earth the one described i'm
| the FIRST eleven verses Of this fourth
| chapter Of Matt stands out in strange and
/ striking prominence. While Il is not
marked with the mental and spiritual an.
guish Of the ordeal OF Gethsemane or the
I physical torture aud suffering Of Calvary.
We are reminded that upon His victory
over ;his depended all the Other trials
through which lie was to pass.
We must not get the wrong impression
/ from the word tempted here. The primary
meaning was 10 test or try aud while this
was severe triai through which the Lord
! was pa 5sing az the same tune the tempter
was trying to entice Him TO do wrong II
was the trial of His strength TO discipline
! Him To give Him an idea Of what lay
/ before Him.
! We cannot study this scene without
/ getting an insight into the true meaning Of
! His temptation aud gain some idea OF the
| necessity OF practicing the same thing Tor
our own spiritual discipline We may
/ think lightly of the idea OF fasting aud
prayer as a preparation Tor the tempta
/ tons OF life which must be met aud de.
/ tcatod. and Tor strength Go perform the
| solemn duties OF C,,.istau believers and Tor
/ spiritual discipline but how do we answer
the question Are NC better than our
| Lord
1t is true that lie did not Institute a fast
in His own religion. nor did lie demand
it Of His church He condemned cere
monialism, but lie did realize the necessity
4 OF fasting and prayer as is shown by His
willingness to follow tie leading OF the
/ Spirit and go into the wilderness Here
| lie was shut out from the eyes of the
world and alone with the tcmptcr attack.
| ing llim at the weakest places iu His
! humanity. He gained The victory and had
/ Tor Ills companions the shining angels who
were sent in the nour Of exhaustion to
Minister unto Him
! We are now Ia the midst OF that season
/ SO well known to all Christian churches
/ known as Lent. While some agc 6bserv-
/ lug ID With greater ritual service than
! others, yet an Khan churches arc not un.
mindful Of the 80 days and nights siege
| our Lord endured that lie might be
/ equipped to make possible our redemp
/ tion. II is we'll that our minds be directed
/ TO this. We commemorate the Suffering
| OF our Lord by surrounding the Communion
/ table. We hail with gladness the day Of
/ His birth Our hearts beat with high
/ hopes OF a blessed Immortality at the
| thought Of His triumphant resurrection
| from the dead. aud We celebrate Il n
/ sermon and psalm and hymns OF praise
! and beautiful flowers the cmblcms Of
new life aud joy. Then why should We
/ not turn our minds az ,his time TO that sad
/ scene Of lonincss in the wilderness where
| the battle was fought which gave the
needed strength for the grave duties and
! responsibilities before Him
| II is my purpose this morning to bring
/ before Jour minds so far as am able The
true Spirit Of fasting and prayer. as
means OF grace
We may look lightly II We please upon
/ the observance Of Lent by churches Of
\ more elaborate ritual, but we cannot
/ deny the whoi, somcrcss with which it is
/ attended even though il continue for 90
days, taking for granted OF course that it
| Is in tho true spirit and not for show,
/ which receives IT'S reward iu the mere per
/ formancc OF The outward act such was
sevc ely condemned by the Savior.
Moreover when you fast be not. as the
/ hypocfitos. Of sad countcnancc. for they
I dis6gu.e their faces. that thcy may appear
unto men 10 fast Verify ! say unto you
| that they have their reward.
/ II is important that wc go FAR deeper In
/ our worship ihan merely Go make show
| and when the so days arc over. 90 back
/ into oar old way of living the life Of self
! influence. forgou1l that our Lords whole
| life was spent in y cplraiion for our re-
/ dempuon and min'sterlng 10 ms God has
/ eujoined upon as the solemn duties Of
| fasting and prayer
| Moses and Elijah were made Gt for their
! responsible positions by forty days fast.
/ ing and prayer which were faint though
wonderful types Of that grca, fast in the
| Wilderness Of ludea in which all true
fasting finds its meaning Jewish fasts
I were observed with various degrees of
| strictness sd umcs there was total
I abstinence from food ON other occasions
there appears to have been only a rc.
/ stuction 90 very plain diet The sole
/ fast required by Moses was on thc great
] DAY OF annual atoncmcnt and tnis seems
I Co have gained some prominence iu the
/ New Test tAcis ~ % Now when much
/ time was spent and when sailing was more
/ dangerous. because the fast WAS past.
/ Paul admon.shcd them We can readily
/ see the necessity of strict fast i1 tho
/ earlier ages of mankind when thc pro.
/ ductions Of nature and The chase formed
\ tbc principal diet go times t was unccr.
tain and fasting grew out of an abstinence
from food AS a means Of protection. 10
was easy ior supesuiiou io translate 70
into arcligious duty tls lcd on to tbc
idea tfat thc Divine will could De ap.
pcascd by offerings and sacrifices even
. thc fruit of fhc body the dear child Che
pledge of love was given for tHc tLr 800 Of
thc soul Au human cni0ym.nte we're
held Co bc dispicasine to The Almighty 1be
notion ihai thc gods were always Jealous
OF mans happiness ruos si' through thc
/ tcxturc Of Geek and Roman mythology.
Ali 0f th.s Cod spuncd When So come
to- appear before me. who bath required
this ai your hand to tread my court
Bring no more vain obauous. incense s
an abominauou unto mes thc new moons
and sabbaihs che calling of assemblies
cannot away With it is in.quty even the
solemn meeting Your new moons and
your appointed fcasts my soul hatch
thc} arc trouble uato me. am weary to-
bear thcm
Iow we afc mpresscd here With thc
utter uscirssuess OF a mere outward per.
formaucc of some religious duty when thc
heart is GAG from God Lct ns look at the
true meaning Of fast Tie meaning Of the
Hebrew word tsum translated fast s.
/ keeping thc month shut" Tie only Ter a
BOD thc law used Co denote fasting as rc-
igious ri,c IS whom translated amiction