The Tupelo journal., 1904-11-04
RECEIVING GOOD THINGS.
Some Practical Thoughts by Rev. :.
B. Meyer Based on ! Tim
othy 4:4,5.

This was one Of st. Paul's last Epis-
ties. 1t is supposed that it was writ
ten after he had been emancipated
from his two years confinement in his
hired house. that OF leaving Rome he
went again to the east, spending some
time at Ephesus, Crete and elsewhere,
and that it was during these journeys
that this Epistle, which shows the
mellowness and ripeness Of his nature.
vas indited to his son Timothy. A
good deal of what had been strong and
hard had passed away beneath the
touch of life's sorrows and the Spirit
Of God, and now, as Paul the aged, he
gives his last counsel, not only to the
young Timothy, but to young men and
maidens, and, indeed, to all Christian
people everywhere. 1t is in this strain
in the autumn time OF a great and good
man that he utters these words. May
they be written upon your hearts so as
never to be forgotten, but to serve as
the molding principle of our after life.
In this passage there are two princi-
pies to which the apostle alludes: The
one which he repudiates, the other
which he adopts. He describes GER
tain men who forbid to marry and in
sist on abstinence from certain meats
and drinks. Speaking of these he uses
their position as a foil, in order to
show that in Jesus Christ there is
something better-the position of ac-
cepting whatever God creates and &C
cepting it with thanksgiving. The
word thanksgiving is Eucharist-so
often used of the Holy Communion,
and If we understand the principle of
this verse we will find our whole life
becoming a Eucharist thanksgiving
service.
/. Let us for a moment consider the
position which the apostle repudiates
that of prohibition, of those who
forbid to marry and command to abb
stain. 1t was this that actuated the
hermit of the early church. He with
drew himself from the world of men,
and in some lonely cav spent his days
and nights. No child's laughter nigh.
ring upon the desert air, no woman's
touch might soothe his forehead when
furrowed by car or pain; no tender
help might alleviate the severity of
his lot. Unloved, unattended, and alone,
he must live and die, prohibited from
home and friendship, from other mems
meat and drink. and from the ordinary
avocations Of human life.
The Puritan, also, was full of prohi-
billions. He frowned upon the joys of
men, and looked askance at much
which we hold almost necessary to the
regimen of a true life or culture of our
nature. And that spirit of prohibition
is one which the church, still, is toe
constantly listening to. Men prohibit,
refuse, forbid-and it is much easier
to forbid for other people than to for
bid for yourself. 1t is easy to issue
the command, but not so easy to full
fill it.
This spirit runs through the life of
many of us who would not range our
selves with the hermit or the Puri-
tan. We are always afraid of good
things. If God places a cup in u
hand, trimming with happiness, We
put it to our lips with a trembling
grasp, and dread lest we may be hav-
ing too much happiness. We never ex-
pect t have a day of perfect pleasure,
we think it would be too good to hope
for; there will always be some freckle
in the lily, some thorn in the rose.
some cloud in the sky. When we take
our joys, it is with forboding. We
tread the happy path with fear, or, if
We let ourselves go, and have one long
blessed day; if we let ourselves go into
a friendship, and drink and drink
again; if We allow ourselves to de-
light in some avocation, accomplish
ment or interest, We always fear that
some days or weeks have passed, God,
who cannot trust us with too much joy,
will see to it that our life is plunged
in gloom and sorrow to make an equiv
alent.
If there be a burst of sunshine, we
go about the world, saying: you may
depend upon it, we shall have to pay
for this" This spirit is perpetually
casting a shadow over u happiest
days. The mother takes the little
child in a perfect ecstasy to her bosom,
but as she looks upon its face she says
to herself, l must not be too happy.
for fear God will take him away. The
young man who recognizes his twin
soul says to himself, l must not be too
happy, for such happiness as this can
not last. This is the way so many Of
us go through life-afraid to drink the
cups of joy, which are ready in u
hand.
There is another phase of this same
experience-we shut ourselves up with
our sorrow. And yet the darkest day
that ever came had some alienation,
and the saddest hour that yer struck
had something in it to make life posi-
BILE. But too often we wrap the man.
tie of grief around our person, and, al
though the child's hand reaches out its
flowers, although the sky sends down
a CLINT Of smiling sunshine, although
there are waited to us some beautiful
burst of music which should lift US
up on its wing, we shut ourselves up
in u sorrow and say: No, we are too
down and dull to-day to be able to en-
terrain and accept joy. How often the
good love of God, therefore, through
surrounding u path, is sent away