The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-02-21

cal WEAKNESS and uulineSS. III YET
another relation it is imperative tDat
We renlemhe: our own and others linl-
itatious. In relation to others we
should he quick to ask: Are we un-
derstood and do we understand:
believing fully shat very man IS
more than anything he does OF says,
we are led 70 believe that all avenues
of EXPRESSION and reception are to 4
degree limited and iLcomp!ete-"are
in bonds" Every man has in him a
hest and 4 worst, neither OF which
fairly represents him. Many. however,
arc to them final f. II their expert
ence of one or the other phase OF lie.
When 1 read Cardinal Newmans
Lead, Kindly Light" l think Of 4
highly intellectual. devout and chari-
table character. On the other hand,
when l read his bigoted and narrow
estimate of .-rius, especially his state
ment that 4 publisher of heresy
(meaning. of course, anything contrary
to lis religious denomiLationl, should
be treated as if he were embodied
evil" / think naturally Of 4 narrow,
unsympathetic and hisOted man. 1t IS
very evident that any fair estimate or
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 l..e person back
Of the utterGnces.
But are We understood? We, too,
commonly assume thu we are. Think
ing we fully understand what we say
and mean, we naturally infer that
others do. But do t.ley? "Oh, the
trouble, the ~heartacles, the disasters
and the deaths to happiness and peace
that have come to this old world SIM
ply because people have lot understood
one another" eXclaims the writer OF
IN hundred years ago. Human ma
ture has naturally changed since That
day. An appeal to experience must
convince " the most ~superhclal oD-
server that this is deeply true, even
in the everyday experience OF life. Ac-
knoNledging he fact or Limitation and
realizing its force III life, We fnd 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 Il
servant; He became Obedient to death,
1 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 it
minister to His eternal glory by living:
% The. simple life-a life of fore
thought and order. In Him there was
no 1lespassing of body upon mind, or
mind upon spirit. Each was kept to
it's sphere. There was in His soul no
conflict in the duties owed God, man
and self.
The temptation in the wilderness is a
perfect presentation Of His clear and
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 its
| claim. In His speech He gave line
upoa line, precept upon precept. He
did nothing in secret. ~ The chart
| table life. Christ ever made allow
ancc 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, a. the teacher with the
pupil. He built on that best possible
Interpretation of each mans nature,
which required yer and always 4 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
err followed afar off and at last alto
sether denied Him, with what divine
consideration He remembered their
limitations and forgave them! With
| Christ there was neither Greek o
| Jew. circumcision or uncircumcision.
Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free, be-
cause His charity understood and
tinctions implied.
t3) The triumphant life. Christ saw
| the crown above the cross, life beyond
death, and lived in them. Hope, with
ali its 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 us.
and so p-came vicarious. We could
not live it ourselves, because Of al IN
natural bondage-the awful bondage
Of sin. hrist, how YER, ives it for
us, and shares it with us. making it
| possible for us 10 havA His simple,
loving and triumphant life. II live.
| yet not I but Christ liveth in n:e.".
Oh, what comfort there is to the
poor, wounded heart that is struggling
to do its best against sin and trial i'll
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 God Himself III the matter OF
bestowing pardon, peace and love upon
| the heart of man. God has, according
TO the revelation He has given US, linn
| it's that lie 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 sous will to
accept of His Son Tor salvation. He
presents Him with all love and power,
for He will have I'll 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 GCd cried: II would but ye
would not"
May God help all of us to recog-