Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1905-01-27
DEDICATION OF LIFE.
BY DR.. John Balloon Sha W,

st John xii, 24.
There are four things one can do
with a kernel Of wheat. 1t can be
ground into flour and wasted. Or it
can be Immediately consumed, in
which case its benefit is only tempor-
ary and limited. Or it can be stored
in some bin or bag for future use but
if this is done its value will gradually
deteriorate because it's vitality steadi-
ly lessons. Or, last of all, one can
plant it, and then what? 1t begins
and continues to decay until it reach
es certain point, when it reappears
in another vital form and in the har-
vest it yields is largely multiplied.
Life presented precisely these four
choices to Jesus Christ-self-destruc
ton, self qualification, self-preserva-
ton, or self dedication. The first of
these, wasting his life, was unthink-
able to him. The second was settled
once for all in the great wilderness
struggle, where Satan sought to per-
suade him to live his life for his own
sake, and utterly failed. After that
the choice lay between self-preserva-
ton and self-consecration. Should he
store his life or plant it? Should he
lay it up for future and, perhaps,
larger good, or should he lay it down
in immediate and unreserved surren-
der? The decision was forced upon
him by this visit of the Greeks Was
he within three days of his death and
yet the great Gentle world was un-
reached, even untouched? Moved by
this fact, there came to him passing
temptation to postpone the cross for
little.
Whereupon he reasoned with him
self, as only Jesus could reason: He
that loveth his life shall lose it, but he
that loseth his life shall keep 1t unto
life eternal. Except corn of wheat
fall into the ground and die, it abideth
alone; but if it die it bringeth forth
much fruit" And so reasoning, he
flung the temptation from him and re-
sumed the rugged road up Calvary,
stopping not until he had poured out
his rich, full ,life in an unquestioning
: sacrifice for the larger eternal good,
: not of the Jews or the Greeks alone,
but of the whole world.
Askest thou in eXultation
What the cross of Christ has done?
Ask the splendors of creation
If they feel the MONDAY sun.
Ask reviving vegetation
Springing forth on joyful wing
= If it feels the inspiration
OF the misunderstanding spring.
g The same four choices confront ev-
l cry man. Few would chose deliber.
ately to waste their lives, though many
are actually doing so. No high mind
ed person who feels the responsibility
. Of living and realizes what a holy
=. thing life Is, would think Of living his
life unto himself. To most people who
$ will read this sermon the choice lies
. between self-preservatiOn and self
e dedication. Shall l store my life oil
plant it? Shall my motto be "Spent
y thyself' or Spare thyself?"
+ Here | would locate your tempta
!. ton, and it is most subtle one. Be
e ally an unselfish purpose behind it
e You do not want to store 1t for You
L own ultimate consumption, but for the
!. future dedication of yourself to Others
\ You have decided to plant your life
:, sometime, but for seemingly good rea
sons you do not want to plant it now
, This Is the high minded young mans
q temptation. He wants his life to tel
= for the good of his fellowmen, ant
n he means that it shall, but he Is go
ing to wait until he makes success
d in business or in his chosen profes
sion before he puts his ideal into com
u mand. In other words. he decides t,
:, store his life for future sowing in
" stead of planting it at once, and nin'
l. cases out of ten sowing time will
t, never come for him.
J. This is the successful business man
temptation. He Is public spirited
70 large hearted, conscientious. 1t Is hi
II honest conviction that no man shoult
's live unto himself. But ask him to al'
YOU I'm some ministry to our ignoran
= and degraded classes, where money i
y not called for, but the giving of one
It self in immediate and practical self
v. dedication, and he will excuse himsel
on the basis of his now strenuous lif
and tell you when the stress Of lif
'r lessons, as he means 1t soon shall, h
is going to give himself unstintedly t
such work. He is storing his life
a laying 1t up for future sowing instea'
q. of laying 1t down In present plant
g. ing.
II This is the rich mans temptation
He, too, does not believe that a maj