Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1906-12-08
NUMBER p

bringing misery and woe ana po''iy
and death to hundreds and thousands
of innocent homes. When the Chris-
tian believer asks OF God for Christ
mas present position of earthly innu-
ence he should not ask Of him a place
too small. Intentionally he should not
desire 10 shirk work and responsibility
Neither should he ask OF God a place
too big. n place which by brain ana
body and conservation he is unable 10
all Then he may not only dishonor
his Master. but disappoint all his earth-
" friends who love him and who would
be proud Of his success as they VIII
grieve at his failures.
Temptations of Old Age.
Rut as | 90 on making these Christ
mas requests there comes TO me sun
another which we should all be Wiling
10 make. We should come to God ana
saw. 80 God, give me these blessings
II il be thy will Then. | beseech thee'
take away my position Of influence as
soon as I outlive my influence for good
or when am to meet temptation
greater than | can bear" When
make this plea l especially make II
against the temptations OF the forties
and the fifties and the sixties and the
seventies as well as the temptations Oh
the twenties and the thirties. IL is
easy enough to pray for help to guard
against the temptations Of youth But
who specially prays for help to guard
against the temptations Of middle ana
old age? Yet for one always 1eei
that the temptations Of middle age and
Of old age are as great as If not greater
than the temptations Of the twenties.
The young man has many restraints
surrounding him which the older man
has not. The young mans finances are
generally low. To go to destruction
stylshly and pay the way OF your
friends there costs money. The young
man Is living, as a rule, In his fa-
theirs home and Is carefully watched
by parents and by elder sisters. he Is,
as q rule, looked down upon by the
world at large because he Is young.
Rut when man becomes successful
minister or lawyer or merchant then
comes the greatest test OF temptation.
When he becomes an employer Instead
Of an employee and there Is large
account to his credit In the bank, tnen
foundations come to him with all their
most subtle entlcements. Deliver me,
Father. from the temptations OF middle
life and Of old age!
But though the words OF my text
omen wide the door Of invitation for
these Christmas requests, we must re-
member that God limits them to one
. condition. Let me read the text to you:
whatsoever ye shall ask In my name
that will | do" If you are going TO
make these Christmas requests you
must ask them In Christ's name. And
can you ask them In Christs name un-
less you yourself are part of Christ!
l Are you part Of Christ? Have you sur
, rendered your heart to him? Can 1t be
3 that, with all your hopes and plans Tor
next Christmas, you have not planned
to celebrate that Christmas by becom-
9 ing one with Jesus? - = ''
. All. my friends, instead OF talking
3 about what God Is going to give 10 you
= let us first for one moment talk ABOUT
o what you are going to give to Goo.
: You say you are young and weak ana
Y helpless. You say you do not amount
! 10 much. But, my friends, you amount
e to enough to have In your power the
g possibility Of giving pleasure even 70
q God. Do you not remember how when
g YOU were out In the country your little
o baby girl went and collected Few
g weeds and came running to you, say
& ing. Here, mamma. Here are some
t flowers from babyT Don't you re-
d member how you caught your darling
Vt I'D in your arms and placed a kiss up
d On her lips as you said, What, did my
d baby think enough Of me to give me
It all these?" Have you not those faded
@ weeds preserved among your precious
b treasures? Are they not laid alongside
IS of the little yellow curl you cut off just
d before her last sickness? And tell me-
rs IL your baby, now In heaven, made you
IS happy by the gift Of q few weeds, VIII
le not you make God happy by giving to
le him the Christmas gift Of your immor'
,e tai soul? "In my name-in my name
t. Are you ready to make your Christ
~ mas gifts In Christs name by first Civ
h Ing your heart as a Christmas gift foi
re him to keep forever? tell you verify
er there is Joy in the presence OF Goo
e over one sinner that repenteth. My
Sc son, my son, give me thy heart!
copyright. 1906. by Louis Klopsch.]
80