The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1903-08-28
nal soodness-and ye, a.cribe seduction to

nai goouhess-dnu wv asNi'oe seeuSbsoh W
Him.
James holds up the lustful human heart
| and contends that no external clrcum'
stances constitute IN themselves a,one q
seduction 10 SIN They may provide the
| occasion for wrong doing. They may make
a powerful appeal TO the passions and ap'
petites of men. But they would be utterly
futile 10 influence conduct aud choice but
Tor the corrupt longing of the heart. The
trouble Is this, James explains: Every
man Is tempted when he IS drawn away OF
his own lust aud enticed. Then. when lust
hath conceived. II hringeth forth sin, and
SIN, when II rs finished, brinseth forth
death"
But will yoa make no account of hered.
itys Certainly, the children OF the opium
eater, the user OF intoNlcants, the glutton.
| Gus. the laseivious. will bear IN their en-.
feebled wills, impaired nerve centres and
, scrofuloas blood the teul taint ot sinful
parents. And may God lity the progeny
OF the vicious! But shall the victim OF a
fathers sins yield weakly TO the propensi.
ties he has inherited. and plunge deeper
| into the turbld pool of inlqultys Will n
excuse a mans bloodstalned hand that he
received a fiery temper from his ancestry.
and IN moment Of ungoverned fury mur-
dered his fellow
But will you make no account OF envlr.
onmenty Certainly. the generations rising
from ;he slums of the great cities can
| scarcely be expected TO come naturally TO
the virtues of your c.ean|faced. church.
bred BOYS aud girls. What then-shall the
| soul make no effort 10 RE superior 10 its
| surroundings L. there any environment
In which alurements 10 evil will not exist
Do they not obtrude themselves upon the
scene OF public worship and private devo-
tom Is there exemption for any oncy
Surely not, but in the last s7alysis the
temptation is not IN the enticements of
ones environment. but in a heart that
lusts after evil. and which must be denied
Its desires. If good character is 10 be made.
Temptation 10 evil. then, is a matter in
which our personal moral fiber IL m
volved, Just as IN trial through suffering
| our powers of endurance are tested. What
is your attitude toward evilf l. il one Of
apology and oondonements How perious!
Is II one easy familiarity God pity your
weakness We have duty TO ourselves.
Luther used 10 say: I'VE cannot keep the
birds from flying around our heads. but we
can prevent them from building their nests
IN our hair We may not be able TO keep
temptation awav. but We need not let IL
in the house. We should not expect Gsd
TO lock the door and keep His hand upon
II. We are the doorkeeper OF our own
| souls
Naturalis;s tell us that the scorpion will
never use his sting Of which he is exceed
| ingly careful, unless he can find spot on
the bouv OF hls Oesirtd victim sufnClentiN
| soft 10 admit its insertion without fear of
| injury. Temptation never assal.s the soul
except at vulnerable points Our own lusts
determine the spots which the enemy
| strikes
But fortunately the whole burden Of re.
sisting temptation TO evil does not rest
with us. Divine help is promised. IF any
| Of YOU lack wisdom, let him ask God"
Wisdom rs called 10y sound writer "the
art of Christian conduct" That art can
be acquired of Christ Himself. He was
| tempted in all points as we are, vet with.
out sin. He can and will impart the power
| OF successful resistance. Moreover. there
Is specihc promise in the premises. There
| hath no temptation taken YOU but such az
| rs common to men but God is faithful.
who will not suffer you TO be tempted
above that We are able, but will also with
the temptation make a way TO escape, that
We NAV be able To hear it,"
For him that endures there is the blessed
recompense OF the crown OF life What the
sculptor has wrought il not TO be shattered
by the hammer of judgment. When the
ship comes bounding over the stormy sea
she is not 10 sink IN view Of the barbor
But after the struggles Of this human life
will come the felicities and fitness OF the
perfect life. May the victor's wreath be
| ours.