Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1904-08-02


in the visible church, sharing her
struggles and aspirations. We look
before and after. Our past NAV
kindle inspirat ton or remorse, accord
ing as we have been faithful or unfaith-
full to the best that we knew. Our
future may fill us with hope or despair
according to our temper of mind, and
to our use or misuse of the past. But of
the past and of the future we are not
masters; we command nothing but the
present. The past is past, the future
is Gods, the present alone is ours. We
cannotschoose in the past; it is gone,
and with it all power of modifying it
by the free exercise of our will. We
cannot choose IN the future; we may
never see the day to which we post
tainly we shall never see. The pres
ent only is the time of choice.
It is often said that most men live
in the present. In one sense, that is
true; in another sense, it would be
nearer the truth to say that few men
really live in the present in any pro-
found sense of the word live" at all.
The old man lives proverbially in the
past, with its memories of the good old
times; the young man lives in the fu-
ture, when the tolls and hardships of
the present have won for him means
and leisure. We live in any day and
every day but the day that is ours, the
day that is passing-to-day.
It is so hard to realize the infinite
value of the present day. The past,
which we think to be so fair, as it lies
in the golden light of memory, was
once the present. Did we think it fair
then? The future, whose rosy bril-
lance beckons us across the years,
will one day be the present. Shall we
think it so radiant then? No sane
man would dream of despising the
pleasures of memory or hope; but the
present, with its claimant opportuni-
ties and its solemn responsibilities,
ought to be as inspiring force in our
lives as the past with its memo ories, or
the future with its hopes. The pres
ent. which we think so commonplace,
will some day be a past, which we shall
proba bly, think beautiful. Why should
we not think it beautiful now? This
day holds in its bosom the memories
of the past and the hopes Of the future.
But it is greater than the future and
the past, for we have it, but we have
not them. We, then, who arc alive
this day. breat hing Gods air, looking
up to His Heaven. have still tie pres
ent in our hands, therefore let us
choose. 1t is to-day that is the accept
ed time-to-day, and no other day.
Day by day God is pouring upon His
thoughtless children His treasure of
golden hours. They will pass all too
socn away-and then?
We are yet in the enjoyment of
health and strength and unclouded
mental vision. Whether our brain
will be clear tomorrow, and our pow
ers of resolution unimpaired, we do
not know. Reserves come like tiiief
in the night. The indecision of to-day
cripples the resolution of tomorrow.
'{t is always to-day with God" said
Origen-but it is not always to-day
with us. Therefore, while it is called
to-day. let us harden not our hearts,
but choose. If we refuse to enter now
into the beautiful house in which
Christ is longing to spread His table
when the door. will be shut.
The Importance of choice is obvious,
the time t4e choose is to-day. But
what are we to choose? The path of
service. eve will serve the Lord"
The noblest and the rarest choice is
the choice of service, and the wisest
service is the service of the highest
and best. The only choice on which
anything really vital ever depends is
the choice of that which we shall
serve. Serve somethinr we must. We
were born to serve. Day by day we
have humbly to serve Natures great
and unerring laws, or she would sweep
US out of existence; and hour by hour,
in the problems that cross our path,
we are serving God and Christ or our
selves-if not God or Christ, then our
selves. No man is so profoundly the
slave of himself as the man who
thinks he is his own master. Jesus
choice was the choice of service. He
was in the form of God" sharing His
ineffable glory; but 'Ha made Him
self of no reputation, and took upon
Him the form of servant, and was
made in the likeness of man, and
humbled Himself, and became obedi-
ent unto DEATH" That was the hard,
rough path that Jesus deliberately
chose for US men and for our saliva
ton; and, as the Father sent Him, so
He sends US on a mission of service to
all whom we can help. It is this that
gives unity to His life. Il am among
you as he that doth serve" And it
was He Himself who taught US that
we serve Him by serving those who
need our service. "Inasmuch as ye
have done it unto one of the least of
these my brethren, ye have done it
unto me-"