Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1904-08-04


or natural love of which we speak is indeed
oftentimes very faint reflection and i'm
ace of that perfect love toward which
Christianity calls us. And SO we turn back
to the text. and hear The words that st.
Paul said: "The aim of the command
ment. the whole aim of the Christian In,
stitution, is love out of pure heart, ana
out of good conscience ana out Oh ia''h
unfeiCned." t,,.,;..,
have to do with such divine forces in their
operation upon human nature as yl'ld
homes of even this great result. 1t is not
that we expect ourselves to attain any
such goodness, but is it not possible that
He who made this thing VIC call the human
soul with all its varied powers OF observa'
ton, reason, imagination, fancy and mem
ory, conscience and will, lie who maze
this-strance subtle Intangible thing. VIC
call the human soul, may not lie remake
the soul, enter into its proioundest aep,hS,
So reconstruct. recorder and inspire 1t that
II NAV shine in all the likeness OF God! Is
it not said, "He will do for us far more en- n,
ceedinciy than we can ask or think
And that is the warrant in this CHRISTIAN
church, and in all these Christian churcnes
for the high aspiration toward whlch
Christianity points us. 49,
And the other thing to be sad Is .n's,
that however true it is that most OF ns
who profess and call ourselves ChrlStn'hs
come far very far, short OF TINS h,sfi ldeh ,
of character: however true it Is that with
MANY of lis our Christianity Is SIMPLY, as
it were. an attempt to secure sell -weii,be-
inc in the long reaching futurc-alas! that
it is such narrow form of Christianity as
that-however true that may be, neverthe'
less | take it for granted that perhaps
every one present has during some; tune ~
his experience come IN contact WIN so,'e
soul. has become intimate perhaps WIN
some life, upon whom the divine truth, the
divine providence and the divine insplra.
tion has so operated in Transforming power
that the soul seems to have entered INTO
the very fellowship of God. even has be-
come radiant with divine life, the features
have been chiseled by the soul within: the
eve has looked tender,y out toward all
men whom it has met, and now and then
the very habitation and habit OF such
person becomes unspeakably endearlnG, pe-
cause Of this dwelling of the Lord CHRIST
within.
not only out of pure heart but also out
of n good conscience. That is TO say, ITS
aim is not a mere sentimental overflow OF
tears and pity; it shall be living, and
mighty engine within, under the guidance
of God as to method, and as to measures,
of widely instructed moral sense Chr!S'
tianitv is something beside mere happiness.
1t aims at the great soul of life under the
guidance and shaping OF an instructed
moral nature. -, -,
And finally the love at which Christian
itv aims is love out of faith unieigned:
Let faith return. Bring back your Bible.
Behold one living and eternal God. II" IS
love. and He has loved this poor world so
that He has effected redemption Tor man
kind and lifted them across the heavens.
Has thrown His arms around man, IN or
der that He might lift him up BY II is Holy
Spirit Prayer, so that the broken hearted
and the sufferer and desolatc may go apart
from the eyes of man and pour out their
hearts to God, whose ear can catch Their
faintcst sigh. and whose eye bcholds the
falling tear. Providence. No sparrow falls
to the ground without His knowledge. and
the very hairs of your head are numb,cd.
Death: transformation. Life here; nitro
duction to the life eternal. Let these
truths enter and live within human souls,
and somehow the human race has become
transformed by these facts. ] cannot meet
man, woman or child. but at once know
there j. one whom God loves. why should
| nct love that one? And so it comes to
pass that wherever Christianity Is there Is
still love where it was not.
Two differences are interesting. Ihere
NAV seem to You to be various defects IN
the historical parts of the Bible. but II YOU
will only tell me where there Is system
whose breath is love. whose inspiration Is
love, which makes this earth paradise
and a very heaven of love. Ii YOU tell me
where that comes from ! am sure | shall
know how God comes down to our word
in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Second. How much Christianity have
,.o,D n, bnu, much rnliuinn The Brah-
min, the Mahommedan have religion; that
is common to all nations, but how much
Christianity have Won? There is one an
swcr SO much Christianity as W" have
sclfforgetfuness, self-sacritice, charity; so
much and no more. May God help us
There is infinite resources for us. Let ,s
look to heaven. and let us look to earth.
and do the little things at hand in order
that when the opportunity may. come We
may nourish within ourselves the victor
ious forces of heipfulncss until at length;
if it please God. we shall be like our Lord
Jesus Christ, who was the very fulness OF
love toward man.