Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1906-02-28
HRIsplAN ENDEAVOR.
Prayer Sfeeting Topic For the Week
Beginning March 4.
BY REV. S. H. DOYLE.

httttAe ApPtS aht w cen
Beginning March 4.
BY REV. S. H, DOYLE
Topic--what is true happiness? The
worldly idea; the Christian idea.-Lulxe
vi, 20-gs; l John H. 1911; IL Cor. vi. 10;
Phil. ", AZ. (Corsecration meetins)
Horace Bushnell has defined happi-
ness as that which happens or comes
TO one by a hap-that is, by an out
ward Detailing or favorable condition.
Some good is conceived, cut of the
soul, which comes to it as happy Wis
itation, stirring in the receiver pleas
ant excitement And happiness in
some form or another is the desire and
ambition of every human life. The SEN
timent of Pope will be universally cor
roborated in his exclamation, 20 hap
piness. our beings end and aim" But
men seek the same thing in various
ways. One who desires to gain riches
remains quietly at home and through
business methods attempts to realize
his ambitions, while another, possess
ing the sine desire, hurries to dis
tant go,. nald that. if possible, he may
accumulate wealth there. Millions
want to gain an entrance into heaven,
yet how many different ways they ap-
pear to lie travelling to reach the same
destination. So it is with happiness.
All men want it, but they have vastly
different conceptions of what it is and
travel on many different roads to reach
1t. 1t is little wonder therefore that
men have always considered the ques-
~ ty.,Ia hanJAi-
ness and the best way to attain to it.
And even TO Christian Endeavorers
these questions are worthy of serious
and prIyerful consideration.
The topic suggests the consideration
of two ideals of happiness-the worlds
ideal and the Christians ideal. between
which there has been conflict through
all the Christian centuries. 1t may be
said that the world has two ideals of
happiness-the physical and the mental,
pleasurable physical excitement and
pleasurable mental excitement. The
lowest ideal of happiness is without
question the physical, the qualification
of the physical senses. Yet it must be
confessed that to many this is the idea
of happiness. Tc them ii is what mon
ey yields or will buy-dress, equipage,
fashion, Injuries of the table or the
qualification of the baser human pas
sions. The second idea of the world is
mental 1t is the possession Of mental
equipment or of the desires of the
heart that well stored and vigorous
mind may attain-"applause tof menl.
admiration, glory, honor, rank, po-
ntical standing, victory, power" The
Christians idea of happiness is spiritual
rather than physical or mental. 1t con
sists in contentment of soul. together
with the proper control of physical ap
petites and passions and the proper di
rection of the mind in its relation to
life, to God and to the life to come, I'M
doubtedly the truest and divinest con-
ception Of happiness. 1t is JOY in the
Lord instead of outside of Him. 1t IL
pleasure in what we are rather than in
what we have, whether 1t be rank.
wealth or achieved success. 1t is the
subordination OF body and mind to the
soul. And in these things alone can
true and lasting happiness be found.
The superiority of Christian happi-
ness over WORLDLY happiness must be
conceded, no matter which our personal
ideal may be. Christian happiness
grows sweeter and stronger with age.
while worldly happiness declines as we
advance in years. Soul joy does not de
crease the souls possibilities for joy.
but increases them, while all know that
with worldly pleasures the opposite is
true. Body and mind become stated
with excessive indulgence and lose their
powers Of producing the effects de-
sired. The capabilities of spiritual en-
joyment, On the other hand, increase
with exercise. Il never knew what it
was to be happy until became Chris
tan," declared one who had sought
happiness in the world Moreover,
Christian joys are eternal. while worldly
pleasures are but temporal. Passion,
wealth, rank and power die when we
die. but goodness is profitable unto
all things. having the promise of the
life that now is and of that which is to
come"
BIBLE READINGS.
Neh. viii, 0, 10; Feel. /, II, IS; Ii, Ill;
XII !, 13, IA; Matt vi, 24-34; Luke /.
1855; Acts viii, So; Phil. II, Ill;
Tim. iv, s.