The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-02-04

Again we say that we nave surrend-
grown lukewarm because the act itselr
| seems so uncertain and III defined II
has easily slipped away from our con-
scious life.
NO UNcERTAiNTY.
There is no uncertainty however. as to
4 the reason why Samson broke the vow
there any doubt as 10 this being a typi-
| cal illustration OF what takes place I'm
the lives 0f tho1sands lie had set t,drp up
| OF worship. His affection for Delilan
| had become stronger than his allegiance
been ms eonseeratsd 70 ar" ~no ramnsod m S or
| the saying Of Jesus that whosoever lovetn
| father or mother or wife or children or
| his own life more than Me is not worthy
God demands a mans first love- his
wholechear allegiance. lie Is teal-
| ous God for a mans first love. his
| whole hearted allegiance, IN his religion
and the character OF that religion de-
pends upon the character Of the object
he worships. He broke his vow TO Goo
because more than God he loved Delilah.
Delilah is an immortal creature taking
many forms and finding. many Worship
profession. Frequently IL is a more ex-
acting God.
SIGNIFICANT HERALD.
A New York paper recently published
picture OF a well,known and historic
significant phrase: "The temple where
the Bostonians worship themselves.
These temples are not rare. The wor-
shippers are numbered by the millions.
There are men who refuse TO worship a
God on the basis that IL. IL beneath their
manhood TO worship any being who are
daily burning incense and lighting can
dies In a ritualistic service to their own
souls.
Vice. is not a monster Of such fright
full mien that TO be hated needs but 10
splendid garments, speaks with an elo-
9uent tongue; liz Is master In logic.
ductive speech. Men turn from God ana
worship many Gods. when TO accuse
them OF being polytheists would arouse
all their wrath and indignation. Yet
how often self-interest comes before the
interests OF Gods kingdom. How often
their own opinion is more dear to them
How much more enthusiastic they are
over the success OF their plans than they
would be over the success OF tine right
plan.
wORsHIPPING THEMSELVES.
These men believe they are worshipping
themselves. They have broken their
re reeafl the W words 9sS" of our % text that sam.
son spoke To Delilah: There hath not
come razor upon mine head, for | have
been a Nazirite unto God from my moth
strength will go from me. and ] shall
become weak and be like any other man.
locks we're but TIE outward symbol and
expression of his vow. The strength
was in his conservation. II had welf
nigh passed as II was. Only the form
was left This too. now goes and with
II his strength.
What il IL goes when once we have
broken our vows To God and ceased 20
serve him? The rewards OF heaven? Yes.
I1,t. thov Ia Avgf No ~
regreat Il because OF the fear of the pen
slties God will infiict? Yes. perhaps. Is
it that the sting of conscience troubles
us and gives us trouble and pain?
Doubtless conscience does that
How many Of us actually realize that
what goes from us we break our vows
TO God and cease our allegiance to the
best, Is our power. our might our
strength.
THE QUALITY OF LIFE.
That IL the quality OF life that makes
life effective and successful according 10
the highest standards.
A scientific man relates an experience
that came into his life that illustrates
this. An indehnable presence came In
his youth to assist and aid him. He
says: 1T was on my side, or l was on its
side. however you please To term Il. in
the particular trouble. and II always
strengthened me and seemed to give me
endless vitality TO feel its underlying and |
supporting presence. In fact. IL was an
unfailing source OF living justice, truth |
and strength, 10 which / instinctively |
turned at times of weakness. and II al |
ways brought me out.
81 know now that II was a personal |
relation l was In TO 1t, because OF late |
years the power of communicating with |
IL has left me. and ! am conscious of a |
perfectly definite loss"
Further on he says: life has become |
curiously dead and Indifferent: and I can |
now see that my old experience was prob
ably exactly the same thing as the pray
ers OF the orthodox. only did not call |
them by that name. What have spoken |
OF as Tt was practically not Sponsors
but just my own instructive
and individual God whom / relied upon
for higher sympathy. but whom some
how / have lost"
THE FEELING OF MANY MEN.
An unfailing source of Justice. truth
and strength which somehow l have lost
and life has become curiously dead and
Indifferent are words which might ex-
press the feeling OF many men once con-
secrated 10 the source OF all strength and
who because OF greater love for another
god have broken their vows and their
blighted faith and who In proving false
TO God have become aware that they have
proven false TO themselves.
They have become. as Samson said to
Delilah that he would become, as other
men. II there Is anything that ought to
distinguish the character Of the conse-
Grated man from the character OF those
who are not IL is strength. II there is
anything that men ought TO seek IL is
that The work about us demands the
power OF n Hercules. OF Samson. No
human power can accomplish IL.
We rely In our prayers on Gods strength.
IN our labor we rely on our own Yet
when we pray that God may accomplish
Ind perfect His kingdom in society we
io IL aware that God does this through
nen. He does it through men conse-
rated TO him and n IL is 10 be accom-
,lished at all II Is TO be accomplished
" our whole hearted. unrestricted con
ecration TO his will. This and this alone
will suffice.
SIMPLE TRUTHS FOR ALL.