Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1906-02-01
MONT FREDERICK COUNTY, FEBRUARY l, 1906

degree limited and incomplete-"ars
in bonds" Every man has in him
best and a worst, neither Of which
fairly represents him. Many. however,
are to them final Fl IN their expert
ence of one or the other phase of life.
When / read Cardinal Newmans
LEAD, Kindly Light" think of a
highly intellectual, dev0ut and charl-
table character. On the other hand,
when read his bigoted and narrow
estimate of ..rlus, especially his state
ment that publisher Of heresy
(meaning, of course, anything contrary
to Lis religious denomination, should
be treated as if he were embodied
evil" / think naturally Of narrow,
unsympathetic and bigoted man. 1t is
very evident that any fair estimate OF
the cardinal as a character cannot be
obtained from either or both OF these
writings. He had his limitations. They
must be remembered. Not until they
are estimated can there be a substan-
tial understanding of lie person back
Of the utterances.
But are we understood? We. too,
commonly assume ths we are. Think
Ing we fully understand what we say
and mean, we naturally infer that
others do. But do ,ley? "Oh, the
trouble, the heartaches, the disasters
and the deaths to happiness and peace
that have come to this old world SIM
ply because people have not understood
one another" eXclaims the writer OF
an hundred years ago. Human ma
ture has naturally changed since that
day. An appeal to experience must
convince even the most superficial OBJ.
server that this is deeply true. even
in the everyday experience Of life. Ac-
knoyledging ,he fact of Limitation and
realizing it's force in life, we find the
only sure approach to its resolution
Is in the Christ of Paul.
Our Saviour entered our limitations.
He took upon Himself the form of a
servant: He became obedient to death,
even the death Of the cross; He emp
tied Himself; He was in all points
tempted as are we. He remembered
our bonds. Limitation itself brought
trophies to His feet. Christ made 1t
minister to His eternal glory by living:
a. The simple life-a life Of fore
| thought and order. In Him there was
no trespassing of body upon mind, or
| mind upon spirit. Each was kept to
| its sphere. There was in His soul no
conflict in the duties owed God, man
and self.
The temptation In the wilderness is
perfect presentation of His clear aud
simple recognition of these duties that
leaves no confusion in the mind Of the
disciple. In Christ was no haste, no
confusion whatever. He had for each
and everything the full measure of it's
claim. In His speech He gave line
upon line. precept upon precept. He
did nothing in secret t2I The chari-
table life. Christ ever made allow
ance in all human equations for the
elements Of ignorance. inheritance and
condition. He remembered the bonds
of men, their limitations. Thus we
find Him dealing with the individual
as the wise and loving parent does
with the child, as the teacher with the
pupil He built on that best possible
Interpretation of each mans nature,
which required ever and always a com
plete knowledge of limitations
He healed some in public because
their bonds would stand it: others He
withdrew to the quiet place alone. He
recognized conditions best for the in
dividual When two Of His favored
disciples desired to burn those men
whom they judged heretics: when Pet
er followed afar off and at last alto.
gether denied Him, with what divine
consideration He remembered their
lmitati tions and forgave them With
Christ there was neither Greek nor
Jew, circumcision or uncircumcision.
Barbarian. Scythian. bond nor free, be-
cause His charity understood and
eliminated all differences that such dis
tinctions implied.
81 The triumphant life Christ saw
the crown above the cross life beyond
death, and lived in them. Hope. with
all it's eXpectancies. was His. He saw
the morning when it was midnight. He
knew the Father knew. The trium-
plant life of Christ was lived for lis,
and so u>,ame vicarouS. We could
not live it ourselves. because Of an un-
natural bondage-the awful bondage
of sin hrist. however. ives it for
us. and shares it with us. making it
| possible for us to havh His simple.
loving and triumphant life. II live,
| YET nOl Dul tuTlSl lNetu Ill NE
Oh, what comfort there is to the
poor, wounded heart that Is struggling
to do its best against sin and trial in
the narrow straits of life to say and
realize. He remembers my bonds He
took them upon Himself Simple faith
in this truth brings relief and ultimate
trump This gracious truth suggests
another limitation that we speak of
with profoundest reverence, the limit
alton of tod Himself in the matter of
bestOwing pardon, peace and love upon
the heart of man. God has, according
to the revelation He has given us, lin
its that He cannot pass in the saliva
ton of man. The salvation in Christ
marks the boundaries Of Gods ability
to save the human soul.
God cannot force the souls will to
accept Of His Son for salvation. He
presents Him with ali love and power,
for He will have all men to be saved
and to ONE unto the knowledge of the
truth Beyond this He cannot go.
God is bound ny His gift Of free will.
Christ the God cried: Il would but ye
would not"
May God help all of us to recog'
nize and act upon the limitations to
which God has committed lis.
Strength For To-Day.