Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1903-12-31

deffay all his expenses and secure an Dc
sired comforts and luxuries for an lndef-
mite time to come he will feel no incentive
to goirg out and earning a couple OF d9l.
lars tomorrow, and so his confidence IN the
absolute and everlasting sufficiency OF MS
present pocket eontainings may. easily is'
sue in his turning pauper. Those illustra.
tons only serve to indicate what J mean
by saying that a man may be. as orthodox
az Calvin and as wicked as he knows how.
The principle we have been discussing
also explains why it is that so many people
who show good deal OF CHRISTIAN zest az
the start so soon get tired OF being Chris;
tians. To have earnest views OF Christ ana
to be intensely interested in them and con.
trolled by them cannot, unfortunately, be
taken as a certain sign of the continuance
of that interest The falling off, the cool
inc down of Christian enthusiasm is com.
mon experience Even the disciples; at
Jesus temporary withdrawal from them
at cruci6xion, threw up the whole matter,
resumed their old life and went back TO
inc. Enthusiasm, like a burning candle,
consumes itself in its own heat. The sun;
so astronomers tell lis. would burn itself
ont and our systems fall back into original
darkness were not special provision MADE
for keeping up the suns temperature. r
At the same time there are lines OF Ell.
fort and employment where interest, on
the contrary, never does seem 10 ii iaut
where heat is not only maintained; but
with a mercury that is rather steadily on
the rise. Setting aside the familiar and
rather shop worn instance OF the money
uetter. who, the more he gets, the intenserr,
as a rule. becomes his ambition to get,
that is only one of the many pursuits
where the like enhancement of interest,
mounting up in many cases to the he,eht
Of steadily growing passion, is seen TO
evince itself Examples of this are,
should say, especially frequent among
scholars devoted to the scientific lnvestl,,
cation of nature and natures beauties ana
marvels. But in the instances OF such az
vanciny and steadily intensifying interest
the particular fact | would beg you to no.
tice is that what keeps the investigator
| heart glowing with warmer and warmer
fervor is not the array of facts that have
| been brought distinctly within the range
| of his knowledge, that he has been able
| definitely to tabulate, and Of which, IN
some time past he has issued complete
| and finished catalogue. 1t is the constant
| stepping forward on to new ground that
keeps his thoughts alert and ms heart
aglow. Whatever it be, the old IS always
tresome, only the new, is interesting. 10
! the naturalist the world retains its fasclna'
ton, although an old world, because OF the
| deener entrance he day by day gains into
! that world and the ever fresh disclosures
| of newly discovered wonderfulness ana
beauty that she thereby makes over "a
him. In the same way there are certain
books that we read and reread. In way way
they are old books, but it is not their ola
| mes. that fascinates us but certain ever
Listing newness that lay beyond the reacI
OF our previous perusals, as eyes that looh
quietly and intensely into the night-sky see
stars that are sunk too deep in the tirma
ment to be caught by first and easy
glance And that suggests TIE old hoN
book. the Bible, which is always new ah'
which the church always loves, because
there is that in it always which our las
reading was only on the edge OF discover
in,!. ii the church should ever come to th'
end of the Bible it would throw 1t away,
| Some people have thrown it away al
ready; some who seem to themselves to d.
Christians have thrown it away; 1t seem
to them they have come to the end OF II
To them there Is nothing new IN II an,
more. so, OF course, by the principle we ar
illustrating they car, do nothing put tht .o
it awav The OK knows enough 10 Zee
when il il dark, but never sees a sunset.
All OF this leads up easily to an eXpian0
ton of the fact stated a moment ago ina
so many who have begun to be Christian
yet tired of being Christians after WINE
Il has ceased to offer them anything neN
to which interest can attach and by wnic
therefore enjoyment can be kept aiv'
They reached little conviction as to III
real import of Christ, entered into eel
lain amount of relation with Him, had
iegre Of experience of Him, learned hit!
# what He could do to strengthen IN veal
ness, brighten in darkness, comfort IN so
row and disappointment, and then every
thing stopped: Instead OF gong, on
snow the Lord" drawing closer and Gloss
His Spirit, presence and companionshi
they drew up all that part OF the matte
ruminated only upon such little prospet
as had opened to taem, till they becan
weary Of it, drank the old cup OF console
ton till its waters became stale, munche
the drying crumbs of light, strength an
comfort till they were mody, stra!ne
themselves to keep warm by Il fire tina
had gone out, and ended, of course, by COZ
Guiding that whatever might be the thee
retical value OF personal religion it wa
nothing if not uninteresting, and peopl
viii not, If they can help it, permanent
commit themselves to a course of drudgery
even ii that drudgery be baptized by S
honorable a name as Christianity.
Closing this morning with the praye
that we may all of us feel ourselves move
by reverent and holy ambition to brea
free from the burden and enlargement o
| all the petty and now wlthercd experience
Larnered long ago, entering into ever net
prospects, into larger discernments, into al
ever wider world of knowledge, comior
and anticipation. TO tins end may W
have with lis j. our closets and in on
sanctuary ga5nt rings the aoounding Spiri
IF God the Father and of His Son Jesu
Christ, to whom with the Blessed Spirit b.
gwen our obedience, alteration and low
| forever and ever. Amen.