Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1906-04-06
~ League.
THE COST OF SERVICE.

tpplC IOi hpiH "
Leaders: Misses Phoebe Jones ana
Rosa Wiseman.
/. The Cross of Seryice-Matt
xvi q. 25. a. 81
2. The cruciixion of the Old
man.--Rom vic, 1913.
B The sacrifice of possessions
Mark 81.
4. Cruci6xion unto the world
Gal vi Ia.
5. At expense of ease. Luke TX
81, So.
G. At cost to the Affection LUKE
tx 50, 60.
7. At.expense Of friendship
Luke tx 81, 81.
An unworthy, perhaps triAing or
even wicked, cause often makes
heavy demands for service. 1t Is
WEAKNESS to serve the world; the
votary of pleasure serves his sensa'
tions at the final expense OF his ca
pacity for enjoyment. The pas
sions Of the soul for money or
praise start men upon a life of SELF
surrender to the end OF gaining
wealth or fame. In the kingdom
of God we have the one cause that
is worthy of the complete giving
up Of self. Christ makes upon
men no less demand than the gly-
ing up Of their life and all their
powers to him. (See preceding
text.
The cost of the service of Christ
is to turn from all the pleasures OF
sin. We cannot assert that there
is no pleasure in sin. Sinful pleas
ures have so fascinated multitude'
of men that they have become in
capable Of seeking God and have
lost the susceptibility to spiritual
influences. So subtle is the sin in
volved in some forms Of pleasure
that people Of some refinement and
moral habits do not perceive it.
"Why not?" "Where's the harm?"
are questions asked when the in
ducement to participate is offered
1t is like the wine in the cup when
it moveth itself Alright. Its appeal
is to what is natural in men and
women. In many Of its forms sim
full pleasure cannot be opposed on
any other ground than that it is
opposed to the spiritual life. But
the pleasures Of sin oppose the ser
vice Of Christ and paralyze the
spiritual energies.
2. The service Of Christ demands
that his disciples give up the world
A Young man may stand at the
parting of the ways, looking in one
direction toward a career which
means wealth or other good that
the world calls good-the covetous
desire of the same assailing him
or toward eminence and reputation
tile vain pomp and glory of the
world-to noble nature not intiu
enced by lust of the flesh. Thes'
are attractive, but must be pu
aside as rnthlessly as the pleasure
Of sin. In the other direction is {
way Of service to Christ through
! the service Of man that holds on
, absolutely no inducement to tn
unspiritual within human nature
It is loss from the standpoint o
the world The poet of the still
E life may sing:
! "Better the toll Of fields like these
!: Than waking dreams and slothfu
ease."
I But he speaks the judgement o
him who is wise unto salvation
not that of the wisdom OF thi
4 world. 1t is certain-and all VIII
, have made the choice testifY-tha
, the service Of Christ has here eve
. great reward, but that is never ap
parent at the moment Of choosin!
to serve Christ. One then mus
q give up the world to serve Christ
I Of the reward we shall speak i
another topic.
4 4. More exacting and touchin!
v men more profoundly than the de
!, mand for wealth. the abandonment
; of sinful pleasure, the remuneration
of the world, and including al
n these. is the giving up of self a
v the cost of service. The center Q
!. ones choices and affections, the in
4 ner sanctuary Of ones nature, mus
b be opened to the spirit of Chris
. and subjected to his absolute con
' troll, so that one may say: 81 liv
: not, but Christ liveth in me. y
8 Gal ii 20.