The Tupelo journal., 1903-10-23

glories of mountain, of woodland, Of
meadow, with waters shimmering and
splashing in the sunshine, and birds
sailing in the blue vault of the heav-
ems, but Notwithstanding the keenness
or the natural vision which enables
them to drink in the beauties of ma
ture, they may be woefully and dis
tressingly near-sighted. The spiritual
vision is defective. The eyes of the
soul are not trained to see beyond the
present moment, or circumstance, or
condition, or need. There is no look
ing off to the distant triumph and
blessing of the Lord, for the eyes are
holden by the stress of present circum-
stances, or the glitter of present gain.
1t is as though the Christian used the
little end of a telescope when looking
at the things of God, and reversing 1t
and magnifying and bringing nearer
objects when looking at the world.
Jesus charged His disciples with hav-
ing eyes and yet seeing not, and the
type of the near-sighted Christian is
not extinct. He is met with or every
hand. Yea, perhaps we will not have
to go very far at the present moment
to discover such an one. Almost all
Christians are afflicted with spiritual
near-sightedness at times, while with
others the condition is chronic. This
is a disease which Is distressing to the
Christian and limits his efficiency in the
service of the Lord. The Christian
who permits this disease to fasten
itself upon him is handicapped, both
as to his personal relationship to his
Lord and his relationship to the world.
There is confused uncertainty attend
ing his movements and he is unable
to see far enough to appreciate his OPP
portunities and blessings. Take for
Illustration the person who is suffering
from near-sightedness of the natural
eye, and whose defect has not been
cured or corrected by p~roperly-fitted
lenses. What a great disadvantage he
labors under. He is never quite sure
of his footing, and everything is con-
fused and misshapen before his imper-
feet vision. And it is 8 % with the
Christian who suffers from spiritual
near-sightedness. He is not able to
look far enough ahead to walk with
any certainty or courage, and his eff
cheney in service is curtailed. or even
wholly destroyed. because of present
stress or difficulties or present pleas
ures and hope of gain.
DUT what connection has the near
ID sighted Christian to the words of our
text? Much, because the Christian whe
frets at the success or prosperity of evil
doors, or who is tempted to meet evil
with evil, or trickery with trickery, or
questionable shreYdness with question
able sh~rewdness, is the near-sighted
Christian. The whole thirty-seventh
Psalm is splendid eyesalve for this dis
ease of near-sightedness. Our text is the
urgent admonition which introduces to
the rest of the Psalm. The Psalmist I'M
folds in great richness and fullness and
clearness the reasons why the Christian
should not be near-sighted. Doubtless
in David's day there were a good many
people afflicted with this disease. In one
of the Psalms ascribed to Asaph-the
seventy-third-the troubled and per-
picked and near-sighted poet exclaims:
'But as for me-, my feet were almost gone;
Ny steps had weil-nigh slipped.
For l was envious at the arrogant,
When 1 saw the prosperity OF the wicked.
For there are no bands in their death;
But their strength is firm.
They are not in trouble as other men;
Neither are they plagued like other men.
Therefore pride is as a chain about their
neck;
Violence covereth them as a garment.
Their eyes stand out with fatness;
They have more than heart could wish.
They scott, and in wickedness utter op-
preston;
They speak loftily.
They nave set their mouth in the heavens
And their tongue walketh through the
earth.
Therefore his people return thither;
And waters of a full cup are wrung out
by them
And they say. How doth God know?
And is there knowledge in the Most High?
Behold, these are the wicked;
And, being Away at ease. they increase in
riches.
Surely in vain have 1 cleansed my heart.
And washed my hands in innocency;
For all the day long have l been plagued,
And chastened every morning.
If / had said, 1 will speak thus;
Behold, l had dealt treacherously with
the BeHeFdllOH Ol thy cHllQren.
When / thought how l might know this.
1t was too painful tor me-"
And if he had looked nowhere else than
upon the picture which he has painted in
the preceding lines, surely his feet would
have wholly slipped, but he goes on to
tell us:
ct went into the sanctuary of God,
And considered their latter end.
Surely thou ~settest them in slippery places;
Thou easiest them down to destruction"
Asaph's near-sightedness was cured by
a glimpse of God and His large purposes
and ultimate triumph, and so may the
near-sightedness Of all Christians be SO
cured. The thirty-seventh Psalm un-
folds the part God plays in human at
fairs, and supplies the reason why The
Christian should not fret because of evil
doors, or because of their prosperity.
Read 1t carefully and prayerfully.
sighted Christian: One frets be-
cause of the prosperity Of the wicked; the
other frets himself into wrong-doing.
The first is q passive condition; the other
Ia active. Let us look at the first type
of near-sighted Christian. He OF all
Christians is miserable. He has his eyes
Axed upon the world and the things and
people of the world. He is In a perpetual
unhappy state because the restraints and
restrictions of the Christian life chafe
IT, 4h;o1vc tho Uor,d opd fha poorlo