Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-03-11
TEMPTATION.

Lead US not into temptation, bur de-
liver us from evll.-The Lords Prayer.
In the prayer that teaches to pray.
Jesus takes sull account of the periis
OF life anG teaches His followers what
tc think concerning temptation. 1t is
signifi eant that the petition gives eH-
preston neither TO a hope of escape
nor to sense Of despair. II is into
temptation, but not into evil. that we
are led it is from evil, but not from
temptation, that we are to ask TO be
delivered None knew better than Je-
sus that temptations are at once a
menace and an opportunity, and as our
secret of safety He indicated a two
fold attitude of mind, a sense OF
shrinking lest we be overcontident and
fail of our equipment. a sense Of secur-
ity lest we falter and fail of the vic
tors crown.
Tie petition is not cry tUr escape,
but a confession Of dependence. There
is no escape possible but victory. To
ask to he taken out oe temptation is
to ask TO be taken out Of the world. In
the old parable of Eden the tree which
represented temptation stood with its
fruit low-hangng and inviting.
standing challenge, in the very center
of the garden, where all must pass it
every day. For all men all life is a
series of testings; every day is judg-
ment day. The da ~ decisions CT life
test and attest us. Here is some call
to duty; shall we accept it or decline
IT? Pain comes to us; shall we fret
and chafe under it or bear it bravely,
and try to see it's deeper meaning!
Some richness of life is ours, knowl-
edge, position. ability, money. Shall
we clutch these things for ourselves
or hold them in trust for the enrich
ing of another's life? 40 man can eS-
cape these questions, and upon his an
swer depends his value OF the social
order.
Temptations are the penalty of man
hood they are the sign of progress
upward. Only moral nature can be
tempted Temptations are the appeals
OF the lower nature, the impulses TO be
untrue TO ones highest vision, and TO
carry into a higher stage of life the
characteristics of a lower. In the
nature of the case, therefore. they do
not separate us from God. Only yield
Ing does that. There is no experience
of human life that lies outside the
sphere Of His purposes of grace. Cod
never meant our lives to be artificia!ly
screened from danger. The safe life
is not the sheltered life, but the vic
torious life Infested virtue is only
possible virtue. The process of PROV
ing is for the purpose of approving.
Testing manhood temptations reveal 1t
and prove its worth.
Every morning brought chance
And every chance noble knight.
But testing implies the possibility of
failure and a moral failure is no rriv
ial thing The issues of eternal life
are at stake upon the battlefields of
the heart. Temptation met means the
molding of character; yielding means
its sure and terrible prevention. Con-
slider it matter of no moment when
$ tongue Of fame destroys a canvas De-
yond price, break without a thought
an infinitely precious vase, but do not
call it a tri6e when the higher facul-
ties of the soul are deadened, when
lofty ideals are eclipsed, when one is
severed from the greatness and the
glory of life.
knowing human frailty, Jesus did
not hesitate to teach US to walk war-
fly. His own prayer in Gethsemane is
the exact counterpart of this petition.
He shrank from the trial whose shad-
ow was dc pening over His life. yet
He did not decline to meet it. Tae
bravest are not those who know no
fear He who alone of all men was
never found wanting, taught that the
only way to be safe was never 20 be
overconfident. Had the disciple who
denied Him gone into the palace offer
ing Jesus prayer instead of Wanting
his own strength, he W uld not have
gone out into his night of bitter re-
morse.
II the inevitable testings of life are
q menace. perilous indeed are the test
ings that can be avoided. and if the pc
tilon invokes a spirit of dependence
upon God. moment by moment. SUI
premely does it rebuke spirit OF pre-
sumption. While it is profoundly true
that God leads us into temptation, he
does not lead US into all temptation.
Into some we lead ourselves. But
when one willfully makes a choice of
circumstances or actions that are hos
tile to the higher life of himself or of
others, he simply places himself at the
mercy of the forces of evil. Compro-
mise is fatal. There is no possible Sc
curity outside the pathway of Gods
guidance.
A prayer of dependence and a pray
er of confidence. Not a request that
we be taken out of temptation, but
that we be kept in temptation. We
need falter in no testing into which
duty shall lead US When in loyalty 70
nfe's highest standard it is your pur-
pose TO try as best you can to do the
right thing, count it all joy when you
fall into manifold temptations. They
are a bugle,call to battle in which you
may win the crown OF an eternal life.
Yet ever let him that thinketh he
standetE take heed lest he fail.
WHO Is THE DEVIL?
BY Rev. r. 4. white.
Evil is whatever harms men. Ii