Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1906-07-19

passive qualify, e. 3 Sell-COnCrOI.
1t is also negative. But 1t is neither
passive nor negatifS until certain &C.
tive graces and positive virtues enter
in and make 1t so. I mean by self.
forgetfulness the becoming oblivious
to those desires and demands Of YOUR
nature, the remembrance OF which
make you self.contained and Ill at
ease, even miserable and sinful. To
become so, possess faith, belief in
some personality greater than your
self. Belief in any objective fact or
person more important than yourself.
and they all are; for you are very
insignificant factor in the life prob.
lem, a mere atom in the midst of the
sensualities, will produce self-forget.
fulness. The greater the object of faith
the greater the oblivion of self, for
1t gives self chance to expand
along the line Of the other PERSONS
excellence. and gradually newer.
larger self takes the place of the old
In your consciousness. 1t Is a fore
gone conclusion that faith in God.
through Jesus Christ. enlarges and
regulates the life as can no other per.
son, for YOU are Immediately given
the worthiest possible object on which
to fix your attention.
Then trust. Do not be afraid to
trust somebody. Test. then trust.
More loss comes to us mortals through
under trust than through over trust.
1t Is hard to believe 1t. just as hard
to believe as to believe that sins Of
nyofccsNy, vJo ,1o of
the hand of God than sins Of comm'e.
sion. Sins of omission are so vague
and attenuated that thev cut little or
no figure in our consciousness. We
need to be preached to that these arc
the great lack among mortals In the
consciousness of Almighty God. The
higher and grander the object OF your
trust, the more beautiful the charac.
ter fashioned. Really remarkable that
we are so constructed that we can
trust beyond sense perceptions. It
shows us to be shirt more than anght
else. The heart in lis all was destined
before the foundation of the earth to
be Gods guest chamber. Forbid him
entrance. entertain less important
guests. and the spirit ia burdered.
and the heart is sad. 1t is His resi-
dence, by both creation and rodcmn-
ton. And still We arc such foolish
children not to yield to God and find
rest. eternal rest. infinite calm. that
no turmoil in time or eternity can
overthrow. All this helps us to see
why trust in Jesus produces beauty
in the life. He was the beautiful life
par excellent" All the virtues hos
somed and emitted fragrance in Him.
OF course, self-forgetfulness is en-.
HANGED and made more sure through
love, And faith and trust always
blossom into love exercised toward a
spiritual object. Love is the peerless
transformer Of our life. All else Is
medal. Love only is ultimate. Love
only is all-powerful to mold like unto
itself. Love God and you become God
like. Self sips out the same door
that God comes in. They pass each
other on the threshold The cvlctcl
tenant goes out bruised, defeated.
friendless. The victor. ruler Of our
fate, comes in with all strength Of
cheer and grace of countenance. and
all wealth of blessing in His out
stretched hands. No trouble hence
forth to forget self. and no difficulty
to be beautiful In forgetting self
We forget our weakness and failures.
our disappointed hopes and sorrowS.
Then the soil is ready for the good
seed to be sown. for truth and right
eousness to grow, for beauty to bios
sem.
This array of foundation principles
Is hardly complete without self-sur.
render. The give-up principle In life
counts for all. The reason VIC do
not find is because we are afraid to
lose. We fail to take hold Of truth
because we fail to let go OF ourselves.
Through obedience we become divine.
All, YOU say, you are beguiling us into
religion. Just So Did you dream
You could possess beauty of character
without being religious? We desire to
proclaim nothing other than the old
gospel But to set 1t before you in
now dress and under an attractive,
bewitching title. A man hearing the
second sermon of this series forced
his way to the pulpit after 1t was
done. and exclaimed, Il thought you
would be sensational The subject
looked it. but you everlastingly
preached Christ tonight, I am both
disappointed and pleased" Yes. That's
where the effectiveness of the gospel
comes IN. 1t refuses to be suppressed.
No topic, If the preacher be true, can
strike nome, however roundabout tho
Journey it takes, without meeting
Christ somewhere in the way And
wIen the meeting taxes place. Jesus
always GAINS the central place, and
glifns into our consciousness as the
hone OF gio9v. Ch:ist's place of resi-
deuce is in the heart. He is the God
destined Master of Ceremonies. He
directs the life issues that emanatc
from that citatel of attack and de-
tense. Let Him in and all is well.
Thcn it is easy to keep the heart
with all diligence. Remember the
hearts emphasis IS always right.
Emerson said another lasting thing.
What the heert deems great is great.
The Master of Men as our Master
will see to it that all the life issues
will be true and beautiful. Sorrow
will not corrode those outgoing tides
of affection. Sin will not weaken
them. Death will not obliterate nor
oyerwhelm them Nor eternity ex-
haust them. God Will recognize the
beauty and cxclaim. We'll done; en-
ter into the Joys of thy Lord
Wcslcy's' Motto.