The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1905-12-27

And Joy and strength and courage afe
s~ .,.s Archbishop Trench
tH7 i1 Duties and Privileges.
LIZ Wherein @eI ys greatly Fsi0iy are snoufln II
heaviness hem M Though manifold temptations"
II Pet 1. g.
1t is a curious fact that in the New
Testament, which is revelation OF
I God to man and equally revelation
Of man to himself, the word "duty"
should appear only twice.
In the popular conception of religion
there is one very grave mistake--a
mistake which has done much to dis
turb cur filial relations with the AL
mighty. and to make the religious life
tiresome routine. a sort Of a hard
days work for the sake Of the wages
4 to be received at sunset. Nothing
\ could be farther from the heart Of the
Christ, and nothing could more ef-
fectually check the generous ardor
With which tried and troubled souls
should seek the divine presence FOR
advice and sdccor.
We are called the "children Of God"
I do not imagine this 10 be tgure of
speech, but the statement Of a literal
truth. Well, to draw an illustration
from home life, would you say that It
is the duty Of a son to lose his mother.
or Of a daughter to love her father?
Should the boy feel that while he
ought to love his mother, it is very
difficult to do so. because if he fol-
lowed the bent of his nature he would
be indifferent 40 her? 3@E
In a like manner. it is not mans
/ duty to love God it his inalienable
right and his inestimable privilege.
From the moment when he appreciates
4 Gods love for him his heart goes out
ia unrestrained confidence and trust,
and that confidence and trust are the
cornerstones of the temple in which
he worshins And when he comes 10
see what this life is for. and how the
Almighty has SO arranged events that
he can weave them into a wedding
garment to wear in heaven, then he
has the religion which Christ preach
ed, and his gratitude SO far from be-
ing an irksome duty. is as irrepress-
ihle as the waters that bubble from
the spring on the mountainside.
While in our relations with God
there are no duties. but one privilege.
in our relations with ourselves and
cur fellowrnen there are many OF
them, ard it often requires an effort
/ to perform them. For example. il is
. duty to love onr enemies, and that
Is hard; it is a duty to bless them
that curse us, and that is not easy.
and it is a duty to resist the tempta-
tions which creep into the soul to
corrupt ii. 1t is something of a task
to keep ones self unspotted from the
world, for the spirit OF evil knocks at
the door with gay impudence and
makes a thousand promises with no
intention Of keeping any one Of them.
But even these duties would be
/ transformed into privileges If we
/ lived on a higher religious plane.
Christ alone possessed perfectly
rounded system of religion. He had
tne whole. while we enjoy only a
small part It was not an irksome
task for him to pray. Father forgive
1 them: for they know not what they
/ do'-not in any sense q duty, His
nature was such that he could not
have done otherwise. He lived spirit
-aiy on the mountain top. while We
are in the valley. Our feligion. beau
! tsfCl as il is. has still an element OF
the EarbarIc in it, God is near us.
always near nsabut we have not yet
invited him to occupy orr house. AE \
can be grateful when he does what
We think he ought to do. but when he
does what contrayenes our wishes.
our state OF mind is peculiar and for
bidding. fss.skg ,s~r -
The ideal religion II the first gray
streaks Of dawn are So inspiring.
what will be the perfect day? When
universal love Of God gives rise to
Universal love Of man. and real re-
hgion first checks then destroys the
! selfshness which Is our bane. and
enables IT'S to cling to him with even
Drofounder fiIiai affection when dear
cnes are being borne to the church
ward or when misfortune robs us Of
the comforts OF life-and that time is
surely coming then duties Will De
/ sltogether abolished. and We shall do
bis will simply aud only because 1t is
better than our own win. and do it
| giadly.-Rev. George II. IIepworth
I ~-
Tbo re. ~ c@rs,t~a 49,