The Washington herald., 1907-09-29
A SUNDAY TALK.

The night is far spent the day Is at hand; let rs
therefore cast Of the works Of darkness, and let us
put on tle amor q light.
Let MS walk honestly es IN the day; not in riot
ing and drunkenness. not in chambcring and wan
tonness. not IN strife and enyyiug-Ronans xiii:l2lS
The Eplste Of ST. Paul 70 the Romans
Is a serious and thoughtful and earnest
letter directed to a people who had little
or no conception OF duty, as that word
was understood by the followers Of the
recently departed Christ II was a people
given 20 luxurious living 10 the worship
of many gods to all the reinements of
vice and sinful indulgence of the appe-
tites. To these people st. Paul felt the
need Of uttering a cry that should con-
vince them that living was not all OF
life, and that the human soul was born
to aspirants Of higher things We find
the apostle constantly dwelling. TO these
slaveholding Romans-on the Importance
OF love as the primary virtue. Love was
a word much IN the mouths of these Ro-
mans, but the love OF which ST. Paul
spoke was a quality unknown TO them.
Love worketh no I'll to his neighbor:
therefore love Is the fulfilling of the law"
Ii was. Of course, but a paraphrase Of
the new commandment given by Jesus
Christ 20 His disciples. and 1t seemed Pc
cuiarly fitting for St Paul to insist on
it strongly IN this epistle to the Romans.
And the message he conveyed in those
days so far away that the very empire
which he addressed is but a memory is
message which each individual man Of Us
needs % take heed Of to-day Let Us
~ In Ea 40
If we only could be united IN such a re-
solve what q much better place this gray
old earth would be- How such a high
resolve added 10 loving kindness would
do away at one fell blow with hatred and
malice and envy, and all the evils that
spring from these How heavily and yet
how happily would the burden lie upon US
OF unselhshess; Of doing unto others as
we would they should do unto us. Life
IS truly enough a battle. but too many Of
Us think that putting on the 'armor Of
light means that such arnOT is 10 pro-
tect us against our fellow-men with whom
we are supposed 70 fight
What We need 20 see Is that the spirit
ual armor OF which Paul speaks is an
aTmor Of the soul. and the enemies We
have 10 combat are the temptations to-
ward sl0th, 20 unkindness, TO selfish care
for our own material well being. The
whole story Of human life teaches us that
man cannot hope 20 make great headway
by himself, Seldshness leads downward.
not up and il one is going 90 climb TO-
ward the light. he must be willing 10
accept a hand over the hard places and
himself be- willing 70 stretch out his
hand toward the weaker Of his brothers.
And the value OF doing things at once
St Paul urges Indeed IN this uncer-
tainty Of human life. must We not all
realize that the night is far spent?' We
all must know that the day is al hand.
and Il is FOR US 10 say that we VIII not
wait until some mystic and unknown time
in the future. but now. turn our backs
on the things that have held as from the
best, pEt ou the aTmor OF light and walk
honestly as In the day. ChambeTing and
wantOnness, riotiug and drunkenness these
are things that are damnatory 10 the
human soul, and which hold us back from
God. even as they did IN the old days OF
/ liCentious Rome
Poor, petty baubles Of scIfshness they
are. They waste the time and they rob
US Of energy, deaden ambition. weaken
right pride, exhaust the strength which
we need so much in the battle with the
| powers Of evil
81. PauIs exhortatl0n is a manly and
! brave call 10 come out OF the darkness
/ into light. Not TO hang cowardly back
dallying with sin. but 10 fac; Il brayely.
recognize frankly that IN these evil ways
there lies no chance OF happiness or
peace, and 10 walk IN the clean and up
right way which leads 10 the betterment
I OF the world and the right fuldument of
human destiny
! Thus may We serve God truly. helping men.
Being ourselves helped iu our holrs g need.
FlgGrEg fl's battles UitCfiug an the III.
Living clean lives and reaching hands % God