The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-09-09
A SERMON FOR SUNDAY
AN ELOQUENT DISCOURSE ENTITLED
TRIALS AND TEMPTATIONS"
The Rev. George P. Eckman Dinerentiates
Between Enticement to Evil and Temp
tatfon in the Sense of fProvidential Trial
-Takipc Account of Herediry.

The Rev. George P. Eckman Dlherentiates
Between Enticement to Evil and Temp
tation in the Sense of fProvidential Trial
Taking Account of Heredity.
New YORK CITY.-The Rev. George I.
Eckman, pastor Of st. Paul's NJ. p. Church,
preached Sunday morning on Trials and
James i: u: Blessed is the man that en-
dureth temptation; for when he is tried,
he shall receive the crown OF life, which
the Lord hath promised to them that love
Him" Mr.. Eckman said
The beatitude chosen for our text stands
central to the discussion of temptation
which James pursues in this chapter. The
subject is considered under two aspects.
The writer begins with temptation IN the
sense of providential trial, and concludes
with temptation in the sense OF seduction
proceeding from God, though it. is per
mitted by Him in the process of human
discipline. The one is hailed as an occasion
of good. The other is denounced as the
source of injury. Before the one the au-
thor sounds trumpet of gladness. Be.
fore the other he waves signal OF danger.
Toward the one we should assume an attl-
tude of friendliness. Toward the other We
must maintain bearing of hostility. 10
are bound to be subjected. From the con-
test with each we may return triumphant.
Over the victorious contestant In each
combat the author shouts, Blessed is the
man that endureth temptation. Let us
turn to the apostles discussion OF this ever
important theme.
"Count it all Joy when We fall into divers
temptations!" he exclaims. Observe that
these are providential troubles. They are
not self.inficted The sufferer has fallen
into them. They are unsought, unexpected
and unwelcome. They constitute what IN
worldly parlance are called calamities: Yet
in the very midst of the maelstrom of mis-
fortune the Christian is urged to rejoice
with exceeding great joy.
Jubilant in trouble-the thing is utterly
preposterous to the mind which knows
nothing higher than earthly philosophy.
Shall the merchant sing cheerily while his
commercial structure is crashing in ruins
about him? Shall the youth smile serenely
while the fondest ambitions of his life are
being ruthlessly defeated? Shall the just
man be exultant while society condemns
him for his piety and goddess. men hate him
James would reply. Let him count it all
joy when he falls into these dire straits.
They are deeply significant Of good to him,
however difficult it may be to discover
their value. What madness this seems to
A moments reflection will prove even to
the children of this world that joyousness
in affliction which at the first appears to be
an unnatural and superhuman temper un-
der the circumstances, is actually easier
and more philosophie then mere resiigna-
man in the midst of "a rushing stream to
race the torrent, breast the waves and
stride up against the current than to turn
his back upon the flood and try to stand
erect where be is? Will he not be sure to
fail to keep his feet in the latter instance? ?
Will he not have immensely better chances
to stem the tide IN the other fashion? 1t
is much the same with trouble. He who
submits his back TO the stroke of adversely
and strives to bear calm countenance and
a brave heart while his head is bowed with
grief, will succumb more easily to the sor.
rows of life than he who has thankful
JOY in his heart born of the knowledge that
to Christian all the miseries for which he
is not personally RESPONSIBLE are intended
for his advantage. With such fate the
sufferers face may shine, his heart may
leap and he may assert himself with won
drous aggressiveness. So he will stalk on
against the current, throwing off the bill
lows as they pile upon him, and shouting
for joy m the very mid-stream Of affection.
There is something deeper in the philoso.
ply of James, however, thar. the mere Of
fering of a wise method of confronting
trouble He sees a close relation between
trouble and triumphant life. Count it
all joy when We fall into divers tempta-
tions Tor troubles); knowing this, that the
trying of your faith worketh patience.
But let patience have her perfect work,
that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting
nothing" There is the formula for produc.
ing strong and symmetrical character.
It reminds one of Paul's statement, 1--WE
glory IN 'tribulations also, knowing that
tribulation worketh patience, and patience
experience, and experience hope, and hope
maketh not ashamed" The person of
good character has no ,casion for shame,
being perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
But sue b fulness of life can only be OBJ
tanned through ministry Of trial.
We can. at least, measure some of the
effects of this kind of discipline. The try
ing of faith, the proving of ones conf.
dence m the invisible but eternal admins
tration of God is not the least of these re-
suits. Who will deny that without faith
in the unseen it is impossible to construct
a great character? Said distinguished
teacher; '"Great imagination may make a
philosopher; great faculty of observation
a great scientist, but nothing makes a
great man ,lt great faith" 1t is only
small people who insist on walking by
sight. The great souls dwell in the invisi-
BILE. The cheap crowd call such persons
dreamers. But these dreamers alone attain
eminenI, and power.
1t was the faith of Columbus which
swung the Western Hemisphere out of OBJ
livinl into light. 1t was the faith of Luth-
{hok I'D
and civil and religious liberty to Europe
and the western nations. 1t was the faith
OF Lincoln that swept "the sum of all vii
lainies from our borders and sent millions
of ebon-faced men from chains to sover-
eignty.' 1t is the faith of some valorous
soul that removes every mountain of diff.
Guilty, straightens every crooked path and
solves every problem that balks the pro-
gress of truth The list of faiths cham
pions lengthens with each decade. Bright
are the glories, of those who through faith
obtained promises. stopped the mouths OF
lions: Guenched the violence of fire, es-
capped the edge of the sword, out of weak
ness were made strong, waXed valiant in
fight, turned to flight the armies of the
aliens" By faith the greatest achieve
ments of the spiritual as well as of the ma
terial world are won.
Endurance is the test of character. Is
there any permanence in its fiber? Mis-
fortune will answer the question. A great
conhagration sweeps over a city. Struct-
ures of wood are devoured with avidity.
Stone edfces resist the flames with some
success, but they, too, crumble and dissolve
under the intense heat. The steel safe
drops from the counting house and is
frightfully bent and blistered. But heaps
Of gold coin, now mere molten mass, from
which image and superscription have en-
tirely faded, still reveal the quality of the
yellow metal. Society discloses in its ca
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