Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1906-06-20


ever Is legitimate in the pursuit OF il.
But 1t rather is this. That happ-
ness and satisfaction and lie are not
10 be found in scrupulously seeking
those things which would seem TO
minister thereunto.
Here is Lord Byron. In his youth
the favorite OF fortune, lowered with
riches, beauty, genius The whole
world was his. Wherever his heart
might turn, his genius of intellect,
beauty Of person and abundance OF
wealth gained him entrance and APP
plause. His own country honored
him, while the continent placed him
next to Shakespeare in English verse.
Yet Byron turned to vice. He
drank more, lived faster and with
more abandon than any other in his
abandoned age, He was seeking for
life. This genius must have satisfac-
ton The life within him was crying
out for realization. And to satisfy
these cravings he turned to passion.
Did they satisfy? He was all but
driven from England. He fitted from
city to city. Remorse began to prey
upon him. He suffered all the pangs
OF sot aggravated by the finer APP
probation of the genius. His verses
degenerated till we can no more read
them for their smell of rum, and be-
cause he was man his soul re-
belled. Shelby wrote Of him that the
best gift would be a violent death,
while Byron himself was almost like
a serpent surrounded by fire, about
to strike his poisonous fangs into his
own body to escape the fire about
him. Gle that hndeth his life shall
lose it."
Other incidents were sighted such
as the life OF Napoleon, Goethe,
Raphael, and the Greek story of Tan
latus.
What then does this all mean
What but this, that human nature was
not made for sellshness, and that sin
cannot satisfy. 1t was not by any ac-
cident that Byron failed, or Napoleon,
or the great German poet. These all
succeeded in the worldly sense to the
greatest degree and yet were misera-
bic failures. He that seeketh to save
his life in lust or selhshness or even
culture for its own sake shall lose
t." Man was not made for sin. He
was made for holiness. Righteous
ness eXalts and satisfies. Sin de
grades and dissatisfes. Sin adds moth
ing, and selhshness though refined
adds nothing.
?. He that loseth his life for my
sake shall find it"
Here for example is Adoniram Jud-
son. He graduates from Brown Uni
yersity recognized as a brilliant stu
dent. Becoming a Christian he goes
70 Andover to prepare for the minis
Try. He finishes his course and at
once flattering positions open before
him. He may become an assistant
minister in one of Boston's famous
or instructor in Brown Uni
lersity. But he is interested in the
new project of foreign missions. 1t
S pioneer work he is doing, but he is
Interested in it. He does not feel
lie is throwing away his life. He
;nows something of the advantages |
lie is leaving behind, but he does not
ear TO do it, He left them. He went |
'ut not knowing whittier he went. He |
Imprisonment and insult and |
hame. He lay down his life, but
he years rolled on and he took it up
gain. His sufferings ended. His
work. prospered. Where he had hoped
or one or two churches there were
wo hundred. and Judson had written
lis name not only on the page of
burmese history, but that of the whole
world, one with the apostles and
rophets in honor and love.
My friends is not that the mean
lg Of it all? To take our lives, to
axe our crowns. our love. our SER
ice, our all, and lay them at his feet
r with them crown his head. Life
'as not made for selfshness, nor for
lst, nor for culture, nor yet for sacri-
&c. 1t was made for God In mans
ature there is the image of his God.
)r holiness. His nature responds to
oliness. 1t revolts against sin. Sin
cd is holy, therefore, man is made
lnnot satisfy, because man is Gods ,
Mid.
Man was not made for sel6shness;
,lhshness cannot satisfy For man
elongs to God. God is his father, he
1ds his rest at home with God. He 7
part of the great scheme of things.
There is some far off Divine event.
ward which the whole creation 7
owes, and man may help in the