Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1907-05-29
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvOR.
Pra,e- Meeting Topic For the Week
Beginning June 2.

Chisholm xiv, l5-23.
The question of the realization of the
presence of Christ in our hearts and
lives is a most important one. That
Christ is constantly with us, our con-
slant companion, cannot be denied. for
1t is directly taught by Christ Himself
in the Scriptures. When He was about
to depart from the disciples world He
/ comforted them with the thought that
they should not be left alone in His
absence-''that God would send them
another Comforter, that He may abide
with you forever" and further on He
adds. '.He dwelleth with you and shall
be in you" The Holy Spirit therefore
as the representative of Christ is an in
dwelling and abiding Spirit. and His
dwelling in us is Christ dwelling in us.
But while we acknowledge the fact the
difficulty arises in our realization of
the fact Of Christ's presence through
that of the Spirit, but no Christian need
grow discouraged over this lack of
realization of the presence of Christ.
Christ's union with us is a mystical
union, but the vast majority of Chris
tians are practical rather than highly.
spiritual in disposition. and hence it is
impossih for them to grasp what Is
so easy for those who possess mystical
and highly spiritualized natures. Whai
Is so difficult to the practical man i.
second nature to the mystic. To man!
Christians Chrst's words. abide IL.
Me and l in you mean little or moth
ing To others they mean everything
They revel in the consciousness of
Christ's presence They seem to
breathe the Holy Spirit into their very
beings, as they breathe the air into
their lungs.
But it is mistake to suppose that
those who ar~p naturally of spiritua.
disposition possess a superior Chris
tianity to those who are more practi-
cal. Inueed, the opposite is often the
case There are many temptations of IL
serious nature, to which the mystical
in disposition are susceptible, that
would never appeal to the average
Christian at all. Among these are
pride, hypocrisy, presumptuous boast
ing and even certain immoralities. The
man of practical bent may have no
ecstatic revels in the consciousness of
Christ's presence, but he believes in
Him, loves Him and faithfully serves
Him, which makes him q Christian in
name and in fact. He has the presence
Of Christ even If he is not SO conscious
Of that fact.
The realization of Christ's presence
In us and with US is, after all, a great
blessing and great joy and undoubt-
eddy a great inspiration to service
This being true. we may well inquire
how we may realize this presence, how
we may feel and know that He is al
ways with us, our companion and our
friend. Or. if we may be allowed to
change the inquiry little and to ask
rather by what means we may have a
fuller realization of Christ's presence
with us, its Importance increases. And
in discussing this subject for the aver
age Christian no elaborate, impossible
and mystical scheme should be pro
posed. The Eible itself suggests what
may be helpful to us all in the accom-
plishment of this desire.
!. Love Will give us realization of
Christs presence The more deeply ana
truly we love Him the more we will
feel His presence with us. This may
be illustrated by human love. We feel
the presence of those we love most
dearly at all times. Their faces are be-
fore us. We hear their voices, and the
very atmosphere about us seems to be
charged with their presence. So it is
when our love for Christ is deep and
intense and not merely travesty upon
love.
2. Obedience will give us a realiza-
don of Christ's presence. In obeying
those we love we have an increased
realization Of their presence with us
This is especially true of loved ones
who have departed from us. If they
have left us commands to obey or du-
ties to perform, our remembrance of
them is heightened and they seem to
be with us. This Is more true in obey
ing Christ. AS we obey His command
ments and fulfil His mission we be-
come more conscious that He is with
Us.
3. Personal communion with Christ
IN prayer, the reading of His word and
meditation-all these things are helps
to q realization Of His presence with
rs.
4. Faith will give us realization of
Christs presence. He has promised
that He will be with us, and of course
he keeps His promises. All We have
to do is to stand upon them. To be
lieve is to have them. He is with us.
To be more conscious of His presence
we have but to exercise more faith in
Him and in His word.
BIBLE READINGS.
lisa. Il, %, 81; xiii, Is; Matt. xviii,
10. 20; John XIV. LA; xvi. liza; Rom.
viii, III; Gal. ii, 20; Eph. ill. 1921;
Cor. j, 26-31; vi, 1917.