The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-04-18
| to mems bodies; He enlightened their

to mems bodies; He enlightened their
minds: He cleansed their souls; He
strengthened them to realize The ideal
which His whole life WIS pouring out
for man in sacriticial love. as He hum
bled Himself and became poor that we
might become eternally rich; He gave
Himself up to death for lis miserable
sinners that we might have eternal
life. The depth of sin shows the
height Of His love. The Cross OF CAL
vary is the offering up Of self for
others.
AS we know well there is wondrous
strife of tongues. From every quarter
there are Q~uestionings. Old forms OF
belief are losing power. but the old be-
lief, we know. is not. 1t still inspires
and uplifts, because it is life in God.
Change is on the face Of the eartS;
new and strange things are taught.
| sometimes even as the gospel of Christ;
the seething waters Of life rush to and
fro, and at times one IS tempted to be-
lieye that there is a reverSion to chaos
in spiritual things. We pass from this
church. where we are gathered to wor-
ship God with the voice Of thanksgiv-
ing and melody, the sound OF prayer
| and praise, or we 20 from the quiet
silence of our meditation, which was
| all filled with Gods voice, into u life
with other men. They may have no in.
| terest in these things. or best 1t may
be an intellectual or speculative inter.
est. They are very critical
In that babel to whom shall VIC
listen, what voice will still the deep
and make Il great calm? What but
the old voice CT the TRANSPORTATION:
This is my Son. hear Him." Study
His words to ascertain the truth to
meet the inquiries of mans mind. But
with all the study that we cen give II
we can never come to +he truth Of that
which He taught until in u life we
live the l'fe Of service, as He; He
served; therefore is he great. 1t is a
blessed privilege to be on the mount
with God, but the vision must pass
into service, as we 60 down, and by
words and life declare the vision which
we have had of truth and love. 1t will
mean cost. If He found that service
Of others meant cost, bitter trial and
WEAKNESS of body and mind, can we
expect that as His followers we shall
have naught to endure? May there
not be for us misundersta ndings,
temptations from t+?ctune and power
and ambition? May there not be hard.
ships for us, does service cost naught!
It cost Him the cross. And the dis.
ciple. is not above his Master. The
nearer we come to realizing the vision
of the perfect man the closer we draw
to Calvary IN the offering up u self
for others. This mount OF service and
sacrifice is not far away, inaccessible
peak capped with the everlasting snow.
The service is here, where throLgs OF
men pass to and fro; it is n lowly
mount, the mount of service; In the
turmoil and dust of the streets. among
which should be the city Of God. 1t Is
lowly, yea, but hard to climb. Easier
far to 60 up on mount OF prayer and
gain the vision of what we ought to
be than in life of service to be what
we ought. But thanks be to Him
who is with us on Calvary as on Trans
Gguration. His spirit strengthens and
helps us and enables US to offer our
selves a living sacrifice. holy, accept
able unto God. "My help cometh from
the Lord"
Is this all-vision, service, death?
Nay, Christianity is not a law of
death, but q law Of life. Buddhism
may hope to escape life, but Christ
came that we might have life, and
have it more abundantly. Christianity
is life, not death. A few weeks after
the crucifixion. on another mount, was
a gathering Of men with loving eyes
fixed on Him who was the centre of the
group; and His form was as the form
Of Him who had been nailed to the
cross, the same, yet changed. Giving
them His command, and His benedic-
ton. He assembled into heaven. Vision,
service, life-not vision. sacrifice,
death. Through His obedience to
what He knew to +: right. through
His translation into a life Of service
Of the perfect vision, which He had,
He had come into the higher life. and
Is seated on the throne with God. 1t
was the fitting end and glorious con.
summation Of such a life, the browning
with the glory Of manhood, fulfilled
and ennobled to its greatest height.
The law Of sacrifice is not the law
VI oCutlS bul lAS VI oPililuti IN
He that loseth his life for Ny sake,
findeth it. He that humbleth himself is
exalted. He that bendeth down in
love, ascendeth up in glory.
For the truth of the Mount Of Ascen-
sion is a higher life for man into which
he through vision and through
service. Is it wrong to wish to use
Alright those powers which we feel
within; is it wrong to long for a fuller
life than that which now we have;
must we be content with what we are
in spiritual attainment. in character?
Nay, If we be Christians, w cannot
be content, as we behold the hills Of
TRANSPORTATION and Calvary, Of vision
and sacrifice, and on the hill Of Assem-
sion behold manhood crowned by God
in q fuller and larger life than that
which earth affords, with clearer range
Of vision, with larger realm Of service,
with richer glory Of the man, as He
comes more and more into the likeness
Of His Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.