The Washington herald., 1907-08-04
A SUNDAY TALK.

Ye have not chosen me. but / have chosen .ou,
and ordained you. that ye should go and bring forth
truit-St. John. II l6
It was after the Last Supper and before
Jesus Christ went over the brook Cedron
into that garden where he was to be
arrested by the Pharisees that He gave
the disciples His final admonitions in
what is the longest continuous speech
which is recorded Of Him.
This speech was in effect sermon on
the value Of unity. Throughout 1t He
| emphasized constantly the unity of God
and man. Abide in me and in you" He
said; and again. II am the vine, ye are
the branches" In these last moments
He was to have with the men who had
left all to follow Him He urged them 10
love: He knew that they were 70 meet
hate and be reviled and that il was the
more necessary that among themselves
there should be love and unity. And
lest any Of them should be INCLINED to
dwell on tie sacrifices he made to be-
come a disciple he spoke those words.
''Ye have not chosen me, but l have
chosen you"
And it has beep so ever since the world
began! There are those who speak much
of free will and others who hold doc
trine Of original sin, but no man OF
thought or sense may doubt that he has
been chosen for the good. To sin is 10
set oneself against nature: violently to
step away from the path in which ones $
feet have been set The tendency of the
han, ge ,II arH o.
away from evil. and II Is not for man
to pride himself that he has chosen re-
liglon, or chosen 10 lead Il godly, up
right life, or chosen 10 help his fellow
man, or chosen to have faith in the
ultimate good All that was chosen for
him countless centuries ago.
'Tis heaven alone that is given away:
'Tis only God ma be bad for the asking
Says James Russell Lowell in his Vision
of Sir Launfal;" and the saying is true
because in all Of us is God and the
tendency within US to strive for heaven
is a free gift, which to deny requires a
deliberate act on our part. From cur
birth we are chosen for the good; our
faces are turned toward the light, and
straight and narrow is the appointed
way
II, then, we turn aside. we do it de
liberately hoping 10 get back on our
course again after we have sailed the un-
known and inviting seas Of pleasure and
diversion. But II is always difficult The
fogs Of self-indulgence shut out the sun,
we are easily lost among the uneharted
waters. and very often it is not until we
are near drowning or destruction thar
We turn back, and fain would forget the
past.
II Is at these timeS. when the realization
Of our mistakes comes thick upon us, that
we In our blindness say that we will
choose the better way. It Is healthful
then to remember that II was not ours
10 choose. Higher powers than our own
chose IL for u.s. and pointed Us the journey
toward the goal
Whether, then. we look for matorlsl or
spiritual success let us know that We
were chosen for the best. and that II We
turn aside to the worst II is our own
fault, our own weakness. Within our
own hearts lies the power for good
which. II we exercise Il. leads to happi-
ness. contentment OF mind. and all the
glorious gifts with which life has been
endowed.
The dark and evil things lie on the
hither side, 10 which we need not turh
unless we win. and so sure as we do
turn that way. away from the path that
was chosen for US. we shall fall into the
slough of despond and come face to face
with misery and despair. To realize that
we have been chosen for the good should
lend US strength and vigor to say with
Moore,
Thou art o God. the life and light
Of all this UcBdrUus world We SEE
It's glow hy day. its smile By night,
Are hut reflections caught from Thee;
Wberecr wc turn. Thy gCries shine.
And all things fair and hright are Thine