Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-11-23
LEST WE EoRGET.

~ Ut - - fTSSAoOts
Watch We. therefore. Mark xii, 30.
Personality involves obligation, priv
ilege measures responsibility, disciple
ship demands discrimination.
Thence the summons of the Master:
Watch ye. therefore
This moral imperative is not without
significance to the modern church. We.
awe throughout many years become
accustomed to the 'ells that call to-
worship, and the music oh anted there.
ana the preachings and thu prayers.
With many the habit - religion has
become so strong, SO constant, that
earnest men ask at times; Our re-
ligion.. is it only a habit after all, and
nothing more" n hymn we sing, a
prayer we say. a word we hear. A
mechanical habit lacking the dynamic
of life and heart? A cloak. comedy but
external, a language, not life?
Think of the power of habit. Men
grow accustomed to the grandestsights
and take them all as commonplace
The starlit heavens that cover with
blue and gold our homes and speak of
divine majesty and mercy-we seldom
speak of We see them not for the
passing illumination of the streets.
The, lofty grandeur of the night is
lost upon us while the cracking of
barrel burning in the street corner
compels attention. Witness the fatal
force of familiarity.
Thus is it with the hottest symbols
of our blessed faith. Think of the
cross OF Jesus. We wear it ON our
bosoms, we breathe it in our devo-
tons. we speak it softly in our pray
ers and around our chlldren'S beds, we
gaze at it in our churches. We give it
large room in art. We may, like the
beautiful and lamented Scottish Mary,
clasp its ivory form in the supreme
hour of death, and yet, IN thinking of
all the beauty ana emotion in which
religious hearts tell forth their faith,
let the power of habit never be for
gotten, lest we forget and, seeing the
cross, forget the Christ. and, loving
his church. forget his cause and the
individual ana practical work we must
uO III HIS AttA-lE dllpAAS men.
st. peter understood this tendency
and took strenuous measures against
it. when he urged, Yea. l think it
meet, so long as l am in this taber-
nacle, to stir you up by putting you in
remembrance"
You have been Christians so long
that it may be you have fallen half
asleep. and the songs that once inspired
to healthful activity and holy daring
have become lullabys soothing you to
sleep.
To change the metaphor. the will
and testament was 4rawn. and signed,
and sealed. and tied around with a bit
of tape. 1t was laid away long ago.
Since then you have never examined
it. The children have never given it Il
thought. To make my meaning plain,
hear it in the words Of John Stuart
Mil:
The r..ai tendency of mankind to
leave off thinking about a thing when
it is no longer doubtful IS the cause of
half their errors
Thus the author was trying in his
own way to stir up the minds of his
countrymen to thoughtfulness and
summon them to the energy of watch
fuIness.
Eternal vigilance is the price of
safcty-in tie nation. in the church,
and in the Individual.
Hence the value of new policies new
theologics. new viewpoints of human
obligation and duty Not that, as they
come to us rushing on the currents of
modern thought they necessarily bear
to US better modes of government or of
faith than those the Old had given;
but their boisterous floods startle the
sleeping and Indifferent into thought
fulness.
This is the best glft they convey, or
my people, saith jehovah, perish for
lack of thought
Watch We, therefore.