Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1905-01-05

f~aultless servants; we do not claim to ~
40 not claim to be better than other
people. We claim only this, az Christians.
o that we re seeking to livss.the
Of life He lays out for us. The practi.
cal James in his New Testament epistle
nuts It in a ~succinct way: You say you
are honest: very well; show me your hon
esty without paying your debts and l will
nav my debts to show my honesty. It is
the practical outworking which convinces
in Christ. But other men know that
thew are saved by the way they act.
Argument resulting, SO is worthy OF
st1dv. But it would be SO wild as to be
sil|v to expect men who look on the re-
lieion Of Christ for the outside to labor
over 600 pages of profound work. We are
turned back again to- the easier argumens
in Christ's behalf-the visible effect he
has on life around. It was possible to
study Jesus in His own character. The
crowd came that day to see Him and to
see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the
dead. Indeed, Lazarus, changed into new
life. was so strong an argument that his
enemies would have killed him to silence
him.
And it is still the commonest method to
explain away or to deny the ettects OF de-
sus in the world. IF He has LAID hold on a
people. we must find out how climate and
ancestry and customs have been the real
uplifting agencies. If He makes a charac-
ter attractive and winsome, we tall; about
disposition and training. That is, we want
Lazarus explained away unless mean
to acknowledge the power of Christ. The
changed life is the argument winch the
world finds most forceful. Inc world IS
interested, not in Christ's theory. but IN
in a large way. His influence can be
traced through the long stretch OF years.
Our own race and nation could be made
an illustration. Or the minds Of men could
be pointed to peoples only yesterday IN
savagery and now lifted into a well begun
civilization. I read recently the life OF
James Chalmers, the missionary in the
South Seas. just after he became ac-
quainted with the people n Of his wife's
friends. as a mark of respect and affection,
brought her a piece Of human flesh, nicely
cooked, as a dainty for her own table.
They were often invited to cannibal feasts.
On a new island, only four years ago,
Chalmers was killed and his body eaten:
And the gospel of Christ. with the arts OF
civilization, has taken hold upon such PEG.
pie and make them fraternal and safe and
helpful. There is no Christian island IN
the South Seas where a voyager IS not
safe: there is no non-Christian island where
he is safe.
It is a life of hope. It has not yet re
ceived its best things. The best times are
not past nor present, however glad they
may be. There are better things to come
out of the Fathers love as we go on in the
Fathers world. And this hope works into
the sight of men in the form OF cheer, OF
brightness, of encouragement. Some one
asked the other day what l thought OF
to me. We do not think much Of silly
Christians, I suppose, of shallow Chris
tians, whose Joy compares with real JOY as
a giggle compares with a laugh. But what
can one think of a Christian life whose
hope never comes out into the cheer and
brightness of a joyous life: / heard a
child say a little piece once, In which was
explained that one day in heaven God be.
came weary of the dinging of the harp.s
fenced them all and sang a strain OF music
Himself. and ere it had died away He
caught it. threw about it a beautiful plu-
mage and cast it into the air, and SO the
songbirds came to earth. They are Gods
music sent into life. And are we other
Who so well as we may catch che glad
strain of Joy and make our lives a gladden.
ing influence III CIe NCTlu. Anu u AiseSau
we droop and pine, and will not bear the
sorrows as though they were charged with
glad meaning from our Father. and will
not cast a radiance of Joy into other lives,
where is the changed life?
The Kings of the Holy Roman Empire
were crowned with a triple crown. in one
of which was a nail Of tae true cross. And
in the triple browning which marks the
changed life, u bears the nail Of the
cross. For supremely the changed life IS
the life of love. and love means sacrifice,
love means service. love means helpful
ness. No man can see another's love save
as it shows itself in the service Of helpful.
ness it renders. When men seek the SUI
preme example Of love they look upon a
figure which glorified the cross, which had
the pierced hands and feet and side-a
figure of One who came as a . e-senger OF
glad tidingS of peace-His feet beautiful
upon the mountains, but bloodstalned'
And love is the hid fact of that beat life,
and service. This is the supreme mark 81
the Christian life-such a love as makes us
helpful among men for Christ's sake. It
is no mere pity Of other mems needs; It is
no shallow sentiment which cannot bear to
see suffering. It is a far deeper thing
than that. It is the commanding motive Il,
all life-to serve. It means laying out ona
lives 1OI that Wherever ttlcf axe 1lSCN'
Sometimes it demands large things. Some.
times ii comes out in the daily. common
life. We may, not do for men what they
want, but we learn to do Tor them in one
measure what they need: And 50 life hc.
comes a constant help to others.
These arc the plainf, marks OF the
changed life, which stands as argument
for Christ. Faith, within which comes
out in view as faithiulness everywhere
Hope. coming out into view as cheerful
ness. ENCOURAGEMENT, brightness. Love.
breaking out into SERVICE Ls3yorr life IS
triply marked, not BY fortunate birth, no,
in shallow ways, but deeply and because
you have known Him? II It is, then yot
in yorr commonplace life are His daily
argument, the Lazarus Of the present ds,..
drawing men to Him.
The Highest Herolsm.
There is yet a harder and higher hero
isn,-to live well in the quiet routine 9.
life; to fill . little space because God wills
it; to &C on cheerfuliy with a petty round