Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1906-03-07
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvoR.
Prayer Meeting Topic For the week
Beginning March Ii.
BY REV. S. H. DOYLE.

Beginning March IL.
BY REV. S. H. DOYLE.
Topic.-James' picture Of perfect man
how can we realize it in ourselves Matt
v, As; Jas. i'll, lis.
The ideal set before the Christian in
the Scriptures is that of perfection
entire separation to God and consecra-
ton to His will. In the sermon on the
mount Christ places the perfection of
God before us as the model toward
which we are to strive. BE we per-
feet, even as your Father which is in
heaven is perfect" In this idea OF
perfection it is not suggested that 1t is
possible for us to have perfect knowl-
edge, to be perfectly free from sin or
that we shall not need to contend
against the evil that is within and
without us, but that we should take the
perfect attributes of God-His good
ness. justice, wisdom and holiness-and
make them the goal toward which we
shall strive, depending upon Him to
give us grace and strength to succeed.
Nor is such an ideal impracticable.
The higher our ideal the higher our
attainment if we use all our powers of
will to attain to it and seek the guild
ance and strength of God to help us.
Perfection must of course deal with
all mans moral attributes, but the
apostle James in his picture of the per.
feet man makes all to center around
the one attribute of speech. He de-
clares that IF any man offend not in
word the same is a perfect man" But
that he does not mean that perfect
speech makes perfect man he hastens
to add and able also to control the
whole body" The perfect man must
have perfection in thought, word and
In deed, but speech Is inspired by
thought and is the forerunnsr of ac-
ton. In general man says what he
thinks, and his words are prophecy
OF what he will do. Therefore it is pos
sible to estimate with some degree of
certainty the standard of perfection
which man has reached by his words,
for IL we offend not in word we mirror
In our words an inoffensive mind and
give assurance of a life of perfection.
And further on the apostle emphasizes
the fact that speech is the result of an
inward condition and that it results in
proper outward behavior and that all
proceed from divine and heavenly wis
dom, "For the wisdom that is from
above is first pure, then peaceable, gen
Tie and easy to be entreated, full Of
mercy and good fruits, without partial
fly and without hypocrisy. And the
fruit Of Righteousness is sown in peace
Of them that make peace"
If we would attain 10 perfection as
James portrays it. we must be espe-
cially guarded In our words. Too much
emphasis cannot be placed upon this
fact, for of all things we are less apt
to put a bride upon our tongues.
a. The tongue is little member of the
body and seems, therefore, unworthy
Of especial attention. 1t is so easy to
talk, and words seem so common and
trihing that we do not weigh them
carefully. But, though small, the tongue
is most dangerous. A bit is small
thing, but 1t controls horse. Ships are
turned about by very small helm.
Therefore the tongue Is not to be de-
spised because of its Insignificant size.
Instead 1t requires the more careful
guarding. (2) The tongue is hard to
control. All who have tried to control
it have found this to be true. But for
this reason we are not to give it free
rein, but to put forth more strenuous
efforts to control 1t. The unruly horse
is not set free. but only held the tight
er. And If man cannot control the
tongue God can give him the power TO
do 30.
The miseries of life caused by unruly
tongues are past all description and all
summing up. Mere thoughts injure no
onA We can defend ourselves against
the evil actions Of men, but before un-
bridled, merciless, scandalous tongues
humanity stands almost defenseless.
Let us guard against this danger by
cultivating pure heart, which shall in
spire kind words, which shall in turn
inspire good works.
BIBLE READINGS.
Ps. XIX, II; xxx, 1; xiv, 1, 2; Prov.
Ill, Is, 10; XIV, !, 2; XIV, Is; Judg. viii.
is; Eph. fv, 11-16; V. IA: Col. iv, 5, g.:
I Tim. vi. 90. 81; Tit iii, 1, 2.