Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-17

Woven into the very fiber of human nature
is the instinct OF happiness The man
whom the lovely picture of fame inspires
TO noble toll seeks the same object as his
shiftess, indifferent neighbor. the untiring
man OF affairs and the young spendthrift,
the devoted friend and faithful lover yield
to a common impulse-happiness. There
are not wanting scenes of consistent devo-
ton to duty, generous self-sacrifce. noble
aspiration, and yet In so many lives there
is the sense of incompleteness, dssatis-
faction failure, and experience of catching
at the shadows of things that appear not.
Consequently, the life of the soul, grown
weary and petulant with the vanity of ex-{
istence, seeks an inexhaustible and un-
changeable well-spring of peace. It cannot
be found In the pursuit of the world it
must be sought elsewhere. ~Christ alone
could say. These things have I spoken to
you that your joy may be filed John,
xv:11.) 1T is only in possessing the spirit
of Christ that your joy may be filed" that
true and lasting peace may pervade the
observance of His commandments, the deep
and tender sympathy of Jesus for man
urges Him always to proffer the object of
mans natural desire joy and peace-happi-
ness Too many hear His teaching only to
repeat to themselves, This saying is hard,
peace l give you, my peace l leave you"
They do not study the lineaments of the
true Christ who in His earthly career was
at once manly and tender above all His
friends imaginings. His exterior conduct
that rebuked the intolerant austerty of the
Pharisees and the Journalists is not i'm
pressed upon the weak and self-indulgent.
They fear virtue because they taste not of
it's sweetness they throw off self-control
because 1t means present suffering. They
often through much tribulation and chief
ly through self-imposed pain.
The Savior leads man through the pangs
of self-restraint to the ecstasy of spiritual
pleasure. the world allures him through the
self-indulgence of the senses to the re-
morse of a reproachful- conscience. The Cos
pei does not condemn the good things of
life, but blesses their use in moderation
The happiness we look for in friends, In
home in kindred, in reputation, in success,
in pure and unsefsh love- in whatever
sweetens the springs of life, has had, in
word or example, the approval of our
Blessed Lord. The primal hunger that ac-
counts for our unrest Is satisfied only by
the mamma that came down from heaven.
Self-balance, an equable rounding out of
the mind and soul, sober employment of
Gods gifts, are the notes of the Christian
character fashioned after our Lords ideal
of self-discipline for the kingdom of heav-
ems sake.
The nearness of Christ through medita-
ton and preaching, through sacrament and
feast, presents the ideal; it is guarded in
watching and praying. The tender invita-
ton of the Savior to all men breathes the
sweetness the contentment, the joy, the
happiness Of practical Christian life.
Come to me all We that labor and are
burdened, and l will refresh you. Take
up My yoke upon you and learn of Me.
because l am meek and humble of heart
and you shall find rest to your souls. For
My yoke is sweet and My burden light"
Matt. xi:2s ct seq