Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-04

gives clearness and force to life. Put God
clearly and simply first in great things and
in small and then your life will be full of
light and power.
We must hold fast the deep conviction
that all other things are secondary. COM
pared with this sincerity. This must be
our sheet-anchor In those times when the
wild waves of temptation roll or the wild
winds Of public opinion are blowing from
every quarter. II 1t Is true that only the
pure In heart can see God, 1t is also true
that only men with unmixed motives have
that spiritual clearness of vision. which
enables them to see straight, and think
clearly. and put first things first. Such
honesty however blunt It may seem to the
world. is in reality, the sharp two-edged
sword which cuts the web of all those
scphistres that are entangling the con-
sciences of men and women in the mixed
social conditions of these times.
And now let us see how we are to take
such an honest stand In meeting those con-
dtions.
In the events OF the past year. and espe-
clally in America, we. have seen how the
public conscience is becoming more and
more sensitive, how it has been aroused
upon the subject of honesty. and how Sc
verely men have been condemned by the
world, who, while occupying positions OF
trust, or unscrupulously and dishonesty
using them for their own private gain, have
cordoned and acquiesced in a low standard
OF commercial honesty Observe that in
pronouncing this severe verdict public
spirited laymen all over America have
ccurageously taken the lead even of the
clergy OF the church. Notice also the les
son which has been drawn everywhere from
the terms of peace between Japan and
Russia and how unbelievers throughout the
world today are holding up heather Japan
as setting an example to Christian Europe,
10 Christian America, and, above all. to the
Christian church herself in its freedom from
tLa- love Of money which is the great ma
terlaIiz!ug. despiritualizing. brutalizing and
soul-biuding power with which the Gospel
will ever be at war In Japan. it is clear that
the last criterion by which they would esti-
mate mans worth is his financial worth.
DO we Christians hear what all about us
are saying? Do We realize how they are
Judging US? Do we open our eyes to the
fact that In this matter of honesty. many
worldly men are following Christ more
closely than the members OF His own
church2 II this IS true, the spectacle is
appalling and I can upon every Christian
man and woman In this diocese who would
do the truth 30 come TO the light. and
honestly see whether his or her deeds have
been wrought in God
IL is not honest in us to condone or
scautesce in any of those class sins which
are houevcombiug modern society. or to al
low other peoples conscience 20 take the
place oT our own. The personal response
bi!ty is resting upon each one of us. If we
are Indeed responsible Christian men and
women. Of letting our light shine before
men by setting an example OF Christian
hcresty that will carry conviction Of our
personal loyalty 10 our Lord Jesus Christ
and sincerity In dealing with His Word.
II we would recognize the extent to which
the moral degeneration has already gone
we have only to contrast the way In which
the united and normal consciousness Of
Chrsteudom. for nineteen hundred years,
has regarded gambling Gambling is the
vice In which the demon OF covetous-
ness stands exposed In all its writing
nakedness. In the last century our fathers
and mothers thought that the spirit OF
gambling had become completely stined In
respectable society. They had such strong
convictions OF the sinfulness Of tits prac-
tice tina; they would have Stunned the ac-
ouaiatauce OF any woman who played cards
FOR money, and almost felt as Savonarola
did when preaching TO the couItiors of
Lorenzo the Magnificent: IF you see per-
sons engaged in gambling In these days.
believe them to be no Christians. shun we
their conversation: for the father that
CANDLES before his son shall be aecursed,
and sceursed be the mother who CANDLES
in her daughters presence. Christian
fathers and mothers. sons anu daughters. If
you do not feel and act as such Christians
have done before you. you are unfsithful
IN the sight of God. You have not only