St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-09-12

If the physical does not. But with the
Christian the soul cannot be starved
and despised, without its having a
reflex influence upon the physical. A
well-nourished, tranquil body never
shelters an uneasy conscience and ILL
nurtured soul.
IEVERY man that striveth for the
| l. mastery is temperate In all things"
What would you think of the athlete
who INDUCED in his every within until the
day of the race and then, suddenly real
izing that he must get himself into con-
dition, would agonize and fret in the
effort? Could he expect to win? Could
he hope to make creditable showing?
What can the Christian expect in the fall
If the summer has shattered his spiritual
health by its excuses? He cannot hope
to be in condition for the work his Lord
would have him do. At the last moment
he cannot agonize in prayer and cram
Gods Word into his soul so as to be
equipped for service. Christians too lit
tie realize that the reason for many q
failure and defeat dates away back to
the indulgence and neglect of days gone
by. The summertime excess bears fruit
in fall and winter barren of spiritual re-
Suits
The Divine admonitions: "Be instant
in season and out of season." pray
without ceasing." DO good unto all
men, are in force as much during the
summertime as during the other seasons
of the year. Your prayers during the
summer will determine how much bless
Ing you and your church are to have in
the fall. Your faithfulness to religious
obligations in the summer will determine
how well prepared you are for the work
of the fall. But it must not be supposed
that this intensity of Christian life and
service, this ceaseless prayer, this con-
slant attitude Of helpfulness to those
about are in conflict with the keenest en-
joyment of the summer time, or is a
handicap to the most refreshing and
restful vacation. To be instant in sea-
son and out of season does not mean that
you may not leave the present work in
hand and seek new scenes and surround
ings To pray without ceasing does not
mean that you must 60 around with a
prayer rug in your hands and your eyes
rolling into Heaven. These are not SO
much admonitions to outward express
sion as to inward attitude. And II the
inward state Of the soul is one Of prayer
and eager yearning for service. there
will be the constant and refreshing ex-
preston in the life of that temperate en-
joyment of all things which Paul urges
in our text. And God expects all Chris
tians to be Of this type. That He is FREE.
quently and sadly disappointed is GER
tain. But II the Christian would hope to
win the mastery he must be temperate
In all things, even in the summertime
ease and the vacation rest.
NNE other thing which is often IN
~ cluded In the Christians summer
time excess. That is the extrav-
agance which is encouraged and
allowed during the vacation time.
Many debt is contracted In
the summer which brings worry
and trouble all the rest of the year. The
desire and ambition have been to go to
a certain place, to enjoy certain things,
and when the funds are not adequate to
cover the expenses, the temptation comes
to run into debt, and the pricking con-
science is quieted with the assertion that
change and rest must be had, and one is
justified in extravaganza when the
health demands 1t. Speaking generally,
It can be asserted safely that one never
ought to obtain rest and change on Dor
rowed capital. As surely as you do, you
saddle yourself with burden which may
ride you into distress and trouble which
will more than Offset the benefit you
gained by the expenditure. The body
cannot be genuinely refreshed while the
inner conscience is condemning you.
One Of the alarming tendencies OF our
day is the reckless extravaganza Of peo-
pie generally. The Christian is becom-
ing more and more careless of observing
the Divine command: "Owe no man
but to love one another"
Debt, debt, debt, on every hand. And
not infreuuently 1t Is the summertime
excess OF the vacation expenses which
brings these blighting obligations. Don't
think for minute, Christian, that you
can secure real rest and blessing by va
cation secured at the price Of "a worrying
debt
It is not possible to be Christian on
Sunday and plunge into the world and its
during the other days OF
the week. It is not possible to do good
and effective work nine months OF the
year il the other three months are spent
In careless neglect Of Gods claims upon
you. The Christian, II Christian he be,
Is striving for the mastery, whether dur
Ing summer heat or winters cold, and
there is no period of the year in which he
may slacken his vigil or cease to fight.
He must be temperate In all things it he
would win. He may not yield himself
10 unrestricted indulgence In rest and
pleasure during the simmer time, any
more than during the winter time.
Every man that striveth for the mastery
Is temperate in all things"
The Divine Presence.
/ find that His sweet presence eateth |
,ui the bitterness of sorrow and suf- |
.orinO Samuel Rutherford