Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1905-10-26

Cod it says, pour into our hearts
such love for Thee that we loving
Thee above all things may at last at.
tain Thy gracious promises We can.
not love God unless the power be
given us; we have not the capacity
ourselves.
"Now, the greatest gift Of all; the
gift of His dear Son. Creation, provi.
dence, power and faculties, can have
II, reason or right of operating unless
interpreted by the coming OF Jesus
Christ to earth for you and me. This
incarnation is the key to unlock the
cause of our being. His birth is the
solution of each mans existence. He
is in this sense The Light of the
World Now God gave the best that
He had, the very best that He was
capable of bestowing-His only begot.
ten Son. Nay, more, His Son is God
He gave Himself. We shall not try
to explain its mysteries; it Is unsolv.
able. 1t is an illustration of what we
may do in small matters. 1t means
sacrifice and surrender and unselfish
giving, for He came to do Gods will.
That will was to save us from our
sins. God gave up His best and left
the joy and sanctity of Heaven to
clothe Himself with our broken hui.
mainly that we might see the godhead
bodily, touch Him with our hands and
20 to Him with our sins and knowing
Him might accept Him as our Savior.
He folded His eternal nature around
His person and He led it forth to sac
rfice, so that His earthly life was
long series of sacrifical acts. When
He lay in the manger this life of sac.
rfice had begun; when He hung upon
the cross it was the continuation of it.
In the last moment of agony and
shame He was controlling forces that
seemed to be mastering Him. He was
the priest upon the cross; He was His
own victim. His life was not wrung
out of Him: He. Himself, pronounced
its dismissal. He gave 1t up to Him
whose it was, saying: Father, into
Thy hands l commend my spirit Az
this for our redemption, for our rescue
and that we might have peace in be-
ieving and serving and following, for
our eternal joy and peace hereafter i'll
the Divine comradeShip. Now, will ye
freely give"
"Ths is our practical issue: the
question Of our life experience. DO
we give, and what. and when? But
try and consider the paradox of our
lives. What do we give? When do
We give? Do we give ourselves? Yes.
but how?, Is it unreservedly? Is it
bountifully? Yes, we give something
somctimes-SOme prayer, some wor-
ship, some money. Is it enthusiastic?
At the price of sacrifice? Does it real
~ cost us much? We give ourselves
to this world-Our time and ability,
with zeal and zeSt in business affairs.
That is right. Christ does not tell us
to be sluggards in business. But He
does tell us to give in the same meas
IRE of earnest interest to 1lim-some
measure of earnest interest to Him. I
mean no standard of gold. | am not
talking about gold to-day. l mean no
measure of payment. | mean the full
and long living surrender of every.
thing to His will. | mean the conSc-
Grafton of each stroke of the laborer's
brawny arm, of each device Of the in
yentOr'S power, the conservation OF oT
whole being and service TO the Su.
preme Master of our destiny. Such
conservation makes life beautiful. 1t
SanctiiieS labor. trade and business; it
lifts every project of human ambition
up to a Lowell on which angels tread
and where we may talk to God Him.
self. II tires itself out in its arms for
the redccming of the world. 1t sees
Jesus walking up ana down in the
earth and it must impel every human
being to follow Him. 1t impels men
to 90 forth into the world to others.
The saint leaves his closet and goes
abroad instead of pondering by him
self homeless that he may carry the
Gospel that he may lift the cover off
ignorance for some benighted soul; the
missionary makes himself homeless
that he may carry the Gospel to the
heather. Where we do the service and
will of Jesus is our free giving in re-
turn for what He has given us. Then,
and only then. do we amend the con-
tradiction There is the soul and spirit
of the incarnation. Freely give is
the word. Really that means fully
fully give 1t requires us TO say, Here
Lord am I. have 10 reservation. no
propect, no duty, no joy that | will
place between Thee and me. l yield
myself absolutely to every manifesto
ton Of Thy will. | am all the time
ca 3r to know what Thy will is. This
is my duty; show me what Thou
wouldst have me to do and give The
saint of old said Master, show me
Thyself and then show me myself
Such prayer should be offered from
hour to hour, and then at last there
will be the gradual glad consciousness
coming to us that we have freely re.
! turned to God thank Offering.
"Then the giving of our time to His
service and to other people will be so
natural that we shall do it spontan-
eously. 1t will be so easy to offer
money and heart and interest to
Christ's service that it will be second
| no 1lr -