The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-02-06
Theme: The Life Spiritual in Christ.

Spiritual in Christ.
Gifted on Calvary, died, not that we
might be enabled to gain riches or
honor or glory in this world. Rather
did He suffer that, through Him, we
might be led to discern the spiritual
realities of life. Rather did He offer
up Himself that, through Him, We
might gain an eternal weight of
glory; that, through Him, W might
gain spiritual plenty, power, peace.
Would that we might discern that
the spiritual life that we are to live
hereafter is the normal life nov.
Would that to-day we might cease to
seal our souls with sin. Would that
we might, here and now, ~re-dedicate
ourselves to the spiritual service of
our spiritual God. Let us cease to
make the passing pleasures Of the
present the motive in our lives. Let
us rather strive for the primal and
the fundamental in life. To the at
tainment of the eternal graces, the
endless powers, the everlasting pos
sessions, let us bend our energies. II
we are to live the life spiritual here
after, then, by all means, let us gain
all spiritual wisdom now. If, through
the aeons, we are to dwell within the
light Of the countenance Of the Christ,
then let US become accustomed to the
glory Of His presence here.
The student studies against his
life's labors. THE scientist devotes
his larger energies to his field Of in
vestigation. The disciplines Of the
student subordinate all else to them
selves. The scientist s%pecializes. All
else is secondary. Not otherwise is 1t
with the Christian. The Christian is
fitting for spiritual specialism. His
duty it is to draw so "a to God that
the divine life is within him and he
within the divine. His duty 1t Is,
here and now, to subordinate all
things in this life to the souls devel-
opment.
Wealth, position, power, all are
secondary, all are incidenta. None
is primary. None is fundamental.
Poverty with purity is peace. The
true wealth is the wealth spiritual.
Real content comes from above and
abides within. The purest happi-
ness Is the gift of the Spirit. The
power that persists is Pentecostal.
Do you doubt? Come then to the
howell that they call home who are
poor in earthly possessions but who
are rich toward God. Poor? No.
Rich? Yes. Unhappy? No. Happy?
Yes. And you ask: HOW car this
be-" Listen to the words of our
blessed Master: LET not your heart
be troubled. Ye believe in God, be-
lieve also in Me-" Il will not leave
you orphans, / will come to you"
''These things I have spoken unto
you that We might have life" II am
the bread of life" A son Of God I'M
happy? A daughter of our Father in
tears?
The need of the church and Of the
individual Christian to-day is spirit
uality. The power Of the Holy Ghost
the Comforter Is sadly neglected. The
church relies too much upon the
might of mar and not enough Upon
the grace of God. We need to Sc
cure, as a real and virile fact in our
own lives, the consciousness of our
being within God through Christ.
Thus may we be clothed with the
might Of the Master. Thus may we
gain in soul energy. Thus may we
grow from spiritual childhood into
spiritual maturity. Leaving the NIL
asma of the prison house of the body
material, we may climb ever hlgher
to the spiritual heights where the air
is pure, and clear and vigorous. Es-
Gaping from the bonds of sin we, may
Chamber upward toward the pinnacle
of per%fectness.
Beloved, we must lead. The posi-
ton of the church is at the front.
We must move up to our colors. Our
ideal Is Christ. Our aim the spiritual
regeneration Of the world. An
aenemic church cannot lead. We
need red blood in our veins. The
church of Christ must be filled, indi-
vidually and collectively, with the
deepest spiritual grace. The Chris
tian man must be lone who measured
by the spirit level Of his W ideals,
justifes." If we are Christians let
us live the life. Let US place the en-
phasis upon the enduring things. Let
us bring men to the knowledge of
the spiritual truths revealed in Jesus
Christ. Let US teach mankind that
he is richest who is wealthiest toward
God. Let us live as We pray and
preach and teach.
And having dedicated ourselves to
the service of the Lord Of Light and
of Love let us go out to men with the
truth. To the highest, to the lowest,
the cultivation of the souls powers
has it's appeal. The spiritual chord
struck by Jesus Christ a awake an
antiphonal note in the soul of, every
man who wants to hear.