The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-09-03

But, above all, it makes us grateful for spiritual blessings, that is the blessings which help us to compass our salvation in Christ Jesus, help to fit us for eter- nal life, and are to us the means Of grace and the hope of glory. And the spirit of gentle resignation to God, how necessary and how superb quality is that! It makes us, when those We love are taken away, or when our worldly hopes are blighted, feel as did the sore ly stricken Eli of old, when he cried, in the face of overwhelming diversity, Tt Is the Lord, let Him do as seemeth to Him good" Yes, when trouble comes, when sickness lays us low, it illumines the darkness about our path and turns away the keen edge of sorrow.
 Blessing Promised.
 What seemingly strange and impos- sible blessing Christ promises the meek" or gentle-that of inheriting the earth. It would appear more ft- ting if He had said they should inherit heaven. But not so, for His Gospel is intended to make this world better and brighter, and not solely to fit us for heaven as many vainly imagine. Then. too, our Lord means to enforce the great truth that the Christian life Is not to be cut off. and set apart from, the things of earth. He did not so deal with His own life. Nay, everything in this earthly life God sets us to live our home duties, for instance, the du- ties arising out of our social relation ships, and our duties as citizens--all are embraced in those duties we owe to God, and properly belong to us as Christians. So the Gospel teaches and so we believe. Moreover, 1t sanctifies them, for the Gospel of Jesus Christ is l intended to reach every sphere of hu- man activity. bringing to it's duties & spirit which ennobles, dignifies and purifies them.
 Neither does 1t stand aloof, although narrow minded unsympathetic bigotry teaches otherwise-from those inno- cent joys and social amusements which are essential to us if we would be- come well-rounded Christians. The social in man is as trnly God-given as the religious.
 Now, what does our Savior mean when He says of the neck the gen tle," they shall inherit the earth? Surely, He does not mean It in the sense we ordinarily understand. For, the popular idea of inheriting the earth Is having riches, fame, power. These things belong to the eonquerors of the earth whose chief characteristic is not usually meekness. On the contrary, ii Is generally the opposite. For an im- perious will and interruptions methods too often dominate them and make 1 them trample down, with remorseless cruelty, all who stand in their way. Yes, they are the conQuerors of the earth. But, thls is not saying they in" merit it, for inheriting the earth means to possess the real beauty of life, to enjoy it's highest, best. purest bless ings, and above all, to enter into and have it's true goodness. There is Il vast difference, you know, between possessing the outward form of things and possessing their inward spirit. And r. is the meek who possess their in ward spirit and who inherit the earth For, 1t is they, whether at home oi abroad, who draw to themselves the warmest affection of others and have likewise, the greatest happiness, fol these necessarily flow from the practice of patience, kindness and gentleness Persons possessing these qualities, ana only the meek possess them, radiat' brightness and sunshine. They get ou of life the best both human and di' vine, that is in 1t, and so Indeed, inner 1t the earth.
 How all these truths about meeknesi or gentleness should prompt us earnest lv to strive and pray for that virtue should inspire and urge us to follow in spirit and in truth. Him who Is th' l Lord and Master, Who designated Him self as meek and lowly in heart"
 If We shall be so. then, whethe prosperity shines upon us, or adverstt! sits beside the hearthstone we shall en
 joy the enc in @ spirit of Christian thankfulness, and endure the other II a spirit of Christian cheerfulness Moreover, the greatest blessing of al shall be ours, that of giving happiness to others for sympathy and gentlenes shall radiate warmth from our heart on all around. We shall be following the Master in His life of meekness. S
 shall we inherit the earth, inherit ev
 erything in it that is best for us, in herit all that ministers to the Divin
 within us, inherit all that Is beautiful and enduring. So shall we be fitted fo
 the Eternal Abode of meekness, gen
 tIeness and love. even the new heaven 2 and the new earth.