The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-30

God boasts thereof. When COO tnuS
honors a disciple that disciple is bow
ed down beneath an awful sense Of
unworthiness. Humility is proof of
power The presence of the Spirit
never makes man vainglorious.
Humility is a virtue of the strong.
Usually none but a strong man can
trust himself to be humble waving
his right to be considered and hOnored.
The virtue of humility is in itself sign
of strength Jesus, who was the
strongest of all the sons of men, was
remarked for his lowliness- Humility
Graded him as a babe and crowned
him on Calvary. With all the rights OF
a king. he ever assumed the place OF
a servant. It was his delight to make
himself of no reputation. He held
himself aloof from none. Though he
was rich, for our sake he became poor.
BY such utter humility as the world
has never seen before nor since. he.
gave us an example which his love
should constrain US to follow.
As we grow in grace we grow in hu-
mility. Pride belongs TO the old na-
ture; as we draw nearer to Jesus We
perceive its foolfshness and sinfulness-
There is a beautiful unconsciousness
in the highest Christian life and SER
vice. It is not aware of its own right
eousness. In Christ's picture of the
/ judgment the I1Snl6OuS GACldlIn III
amaze enent. When saw we thee an
hungered?s p They have not ministered
for an object; they are not even. con-
scious of their ministry. But the spirit
of love 50 peTmeates and possesses
them that they go through life serving
Jesus unawares. The best man knows
not his own goodness. He is noble and
helpful because it is the new nature to
be so; he cannot help It any more than
the sun can help diffusing light or the
flowers fragrance.
LowIiness helps to holiness.
Meekness is not weakness; it is
strength enduring wrong or pain pa
tiently.
Pride is the commonest sin of the
good. AS we grow in Righteousness We
find this temptation besetting US in
creasingly. It is hard for a virtuous
person to be blind to his own virtues
Yet Christ's law requires exactly this.
otherwise our very virtues may be-
come a snare. The Pharisee was
doubtless a good man. But his pride
and self-righteousness spoiled his
goodness. so that he was less accepta-
bic to God than the humble sinner.
Prides path holds many pits.
When we seek to make name for
ourself we do not honor Christ's name.
-
Arrogance repels. The self -assertive
| person, the one who is constantly in
truding his own excellence, invites
nothing but criticism and unfriendll-
ness Human nature is such that It
delights to prick the self-infiated. Just
as everybody rejoices to honor the
find pleasure in detracting from vain
man Humility wins friends and it
Win honor; pride forfeits both.
Pride cannot pray; it only boasts.
Humility is strong because it asks
nothing. It seeks not to get, but to
give therefore it is beyond mans
power to hurt Since its aim is service,
it has the power that always belongs
! to the benefactor. You cannot harm
! the man who asks nothing but gives
evervthfng. one of the paradoxical
laws is that there is strength IN sur
render.
It was when Christ was humblest-
when, indeed, he was doing a slave
work=that he said, I have given you
an example
What pitiful sight men must pre-
sent to the beholding angels! We go
/ about. each with his little claim to dis
tinction. which he tiaunts in the eyes
of the world, and each asking that the
world do him honor for it. The
smallest and worst of us always seem
/ to find some reason for pride and for
| turning Up his nose at his fellows. The
world is in a turmoil of endeavor on
the part of each man to prove himself
better than his neighbor. Amid all
/ this unholy and unsatisfactory STRIFE
| sounds the voice of the condescending
| Jesus, saying, IF any man desire to
| be first. the same shall be last Of all
l ar,d sa,..-a ,at of q IL.