The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-02-21
TIE PULPIT.
Ali ELOQUENT SUNDAY SERMON 81
DIS, OHIO :. sARTHOLOW.
Subject: The Limitations Of Life.

Of Life" Tile text was chosen from
Colossiaus WIS: "Klm,mber my
bonds" DR.. BarthOlow said:
1t is hard to conceive how the gov
ing and comprehensive :.tements OF
the hrst three chapters Of PaulS Epls-
tie 20 the Cor .ians could be rein.
forced. Each sentence is so full o!
divine truth, it fairly orerf1oWs VIII
its sIhrisuy all"dan, ). Yet with the
words of cur text Paul id most posi-
lively and b ,utif Ill. reinforce every
other sentence Of this intensely splr-
itual epistle. He did it in that charm
incly inferential way that added the
warmth of the heart TO the purely
logical statements Of the mind. In writ
ing to the Colessians of Christs divin-
ity and of the complete Il joyous
loyalty every soul should render to
Him. Paul in the few words OF our text
delicately refers to the example u
in his own experience. Remember
my bonds" This was an infusion OF
experience to all the preceding pre-
cepts that developed on incalculable
force in that unlimited element OF
sympathy which were at once opera
tive.
Paul had no intention Of clarifying
himself or his sufferingS, neither did
he s~entimentally long for human com
fort. This very brief allusiOn to HIM
self in Il text was but to strengthen
and confirm that feeling which would
exalt and glorify Christ Jesus the Lord.
What Christian in CcioSse could have
read or heard Paurs letter and not
have felt when he came to the words,
Remember my bonds,' this man
writes out of life's experience and or
what he knows-not like s many OF
the religionists and philosophers of
that time out of his ~imaginations and
dreams.
Yet another inference is contained in
out text. 1t is that which emphasizes
the fact Of life's limitation. In writ
ing his a6vices and directions to the
Colossians. Paul did the very best his
position would allow him to do. He
wished and prayed to do more. That
more was to be with them IN person.
to give them all that he felt was in
personal effort for Christ and His
kingdom. Over against this wish.
this desire, this prayer, was his phys-
cal imprisonment-a limitation. Paul
was chained. The things he would DO
he could not do.
The fact of LIES limitation, its rec
ognition and resolution are SuggeStiVely
presented in these words of the heart.
The fact of limitation is apparent
everywhere, in everything and every
person. Go to the uttermost bound
aries of space-to the sun and stars,
limitations are there, their boundaries
are fixed that they cannot pass. GRAY
i~tation- chemical affinity and other
agents of law bind them with invisi-
Bile chains to their limits. AS with
these mighty spheres. so with the Il
e.. est atom; the plane OF activity and cx-
preston is fixed. The reign Of law
marks inSuperable barriers.
In persons as we'll as in things the
fact of limitation is strikingly mani
fest. The body in which We live is
clearly confined in bonds. Each body
has an amount of nervous and muscu-
lar energy which limits all that may
be received or given. The bonds Of
place and leredity bind each man to q
very narrow one Of physical and
mental activity. That q man is what
he eats and where he lives is 4 certain
degree manifestiy true.
The spiritual in man is limited in
all its expression and life by the pres
ence of the carnal. PauPs pathetic
cry: 20, wretched man that l am:
who shall deliver Lie from the body Of
this death?' is applicable to all the
children Of Adams ace. These dis
tinctions are the marks of q general
Limitation, the bonds that all men in
their investigations and experience
must remember because they are Of
themselves. Within the general limit
ations there are special and personal
limitations. Mental endowments, dis
determinative in establishing the indi-
yidual bonds that cannot be passed.
This fact is so around us, within
us and above Us, it is indeed strange
that we should be called upon 20 re-
member it. Yet when We consider
losses and pains in other lives and in
our own life, also the insists in posi-
tons and office because men will per-
sist in trying to 90 things to which
they are forbidden because Of bonds
QimitationS), We are sure that we need
give to this injunction q careful and
continuous attention.
The nervous prostrations, the brain
fag, the strokes Of apopleXy, the creep
ing .aSsitudeS that seize so many Of our
bright and energetic peopl4 ale in a
great majorit.~ of instances but evil
dences of failure to know or remember
the physical and mental limitations
to which life is conditioned.
The u of the failure of the reli-
gion of Christ in many lives may be
discovered here. The world is so much
with the people. all energies are so
completely exhausted by its business,
its society, its ambitions and it's pleas
has but little to draw upon.
The spirit may be never 50 willing
and %favorably inclined. it matters not.
when the limitations are reached there
can be but little o. nc response to the
high calls and privileges of Christ.
THE spirit is willing. but the flesh
is weak" was the loving explanation
of Christ for the sad future of the dis
ciples to watch with Him in that dark
hour of G~eth:bmane. But why was the
flesh weak? Was it not because all its
energies had been exhausted in other
channels than in the great one for
which they should have been con-
served?
Failure to record and recognize per-
sonal limitations and to be directed by
them auses not only lapse and disas-
ter in our service to Christ, but Oft
times the essential breaking of the
moral law. Our fathers were accus-
toned to keep the commandments. to