The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1903-04-17

IA not strike fundane.Ak. cfsses snl
TIE | sSies psS SsalOsopSy OsS a kie tho a 4rusR
that II shteousness exaltsth tatieg bSe
50 anafeproaeh e any peepleP rhe q,
nal, not spiritual. and so, being built upon
\ the sands Of time rhey persisted wr-h t,ne:
A nolytheistie paganism; not too much OF
God. but too many 5odsrthat-was their
undoins s.fT u 81 n
And 50 we might Aparteularise.A Whist i
| true OF nations Is true OF men, for II 10
the man that makes the nation. Any mo-
tive, other than the highest. IS fatal To per-
motto of life than that which ory Lord de-
| clares in the text-to do the WI OF God
is 10 court destruetion We reed this
warning to-day. We pride ourselves on the
fact that we are peaceablc and peaceful
| people. We enter upon war only as q der
nier resort We are seeking TO develop the
our achievements in commercial competi-
ton; that the balance OF trade ia Asgsly
| in our favor. We point to the enorn Gus
accumulation of capital; to- our ever ~
creasing exchequer. We are the wes,thfess
nation on the face Of the earth. Our re-
Of increment unlimited But herein lies
our very peril. 1t needs no figures TO de-
clare that the spirit OF rnaterialism is rife
| as never before IN our land The domina'
tion of wealth becomes daik more cruel.
The quest OF riches Is more and more
strenuous. WI
Millionaires are not numbered by the
scores, but by the thousands. Materia'ism
| is rampant. Its interests are supreme. IL
has been said that market is beginning 10
dominate literature and art, instead of
classic models and superior excellence. To-
day men no less than things have their
price, and the money value is made. The
standard of the worth OF an object. II is
true that in some quarters there is revul-
SION of spirit on this question. The pen
dulum is beginning 10 swing the other way.
! We take hope from the thought that many
are strdying with insight the gross mate,
rialism OF the age. The prophetic voices
against 1t are on the increase in the pulpit.
Ignorant, vulgar and brutal wealth receiyes
severer chastisements than a few decades
since. Empty show. -extraYagant- display
and selfish luxury are seen by increasing
numbers, according TO their hollowness
and iniquity. There is a growing demand
for simplicity Of life. for soidity. for ear
nest realities, for ethics, for spiritual ty..
for better ideals, for deeper thnkins and
for the inner as well as the outer develop
ment Of society. The leaven is working,
but as vet the lump remains practically un-
leavened
What, then. is the duty of the church
and the Christian in this matter? Do We
not need 10 stand where Christ stood TO
make the motive Of HIS life the supreme
motive of ours? Let Us remember our
apostleship. We are ambassadors for
Christ as truly as was Paul. Through us,
through ours lives, orr thoughts, our ac-
tions, God is seeking to speak to the world.
And what message would He have us
bring? Is IL a message OF worldliness, OF
selishness, of carnal desires. message OF
skillful temporizing with His commands
and skillful attempts to make HIS claims
upon US consistent with luxury and pleas
ure and worldly conformity? There is no
doubt that many in our churches are seek.
ing to apply this soporihc to their con-
sciences; to be in tins world and OF this
world, and yet belong 10 God. Let us re-
I"Be not fashioned according to this world,
but be We transformed by the renewingncf
YOUR mind, that We may prove what isbthe
good and acceptable and perfect will vt
God"
What was needed in Rome is not less
needed with us here to-day. Should there
come such a transformation, should there
be in every life the proving of the will of
God, the whitened harvest would wait no
longer for reapers; the desire of our Lord,
which with aching heart He expressed that
day Of His conversation with the woman OF
Samaria, would be fulfilled.
Elizabeth Fry was thoughtless girl of
seventeen years, used to all the rehnements
of luxury and a life of ease, wholly selfish
and wholly useless, when God came TO her
through the voice of Quaker preacher.
She consecrated her life TO God. Her meat
and her drink were the doing of the Mas
ter's will and work AT the age Of sixty.
five she wrote: 'Sinee my heart was
touched, at the age of seventeen. | believe
4 cta Il
ness or in health. by day or by night, with
out my first waking thought being how
best might serve my Lord" There could
he bat one result from such conservation.
God sent her among the outcast. and her
life became a constant benedictloD. The
work she began in Great Britain among
female convicts spread all over the cont.
nent of Europe Letters from crowned
heads, as well as from philanthropic peo-
ple in the common walks Of life began to
pour in. inviting her to visit the prisons
of other lands. and subsequently, she visited
Scotland, France, Germany and other coun-
tries, upon this errand of mercy. every.
where hailed as an angel OF peace and
good viii to men The prisons OF Europe
were reformed through her labors, and the
laws To punish criminals were greatly
modified in nearly all European countries.
Indeed the reformation spread throughout
the world. This was the work accom-
plished by one woman, who had submitted
her life wholly to the will of God. She was
changed from a thouvhtless, fr volohs girl
into a woman of great usefulness and pow
er. But the power came because the pur-
pose came. She gave full place TO God,
and to His plans she put them first, and
so God used and honored her. And what
was true of Elizabeth Fry may be true OF
each one OF us We may not be called to
so nigh a task. We may find our horizon
eircumscrihed, and our opportunities llm-
Iited. but If our meat and our drink are TO
do the will Of God, the opportunities will
be many and the results will be precious
and permanent.