The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-06-19
Christ 20 serve is unouaiiAeA. N.

this a harsh demand. II does not re-
Quire that we be unnatural. IL does
not ask the man TO be less a man, or
the woman TO be less a woman.
But, on the other hand, no earthly
duty or relationship can be pawned
as an excuse for neglect OF duty To
God. righteousness and the cause OF
humanity. Forgetful that excuse
should have no place in Christian liv-
| ing, many one to-day who has
heard the call OF the Master, Follow
Me-" like the young man OF old, has
bribed the conscience with excuses.
Many of the current excuses are far
less plausible than those OF the men
who would first say goodby 10 the
| friends and bury the father. Back OF
every life to-day that is not Christian,
that is not living for righteousness.
there is reason. perhaps an excuse.
certainly that stands in the way OF
following Jesus. which cross-examina-
| tion would reveal. IL may be indif-
ference. Indifference TO the moral
and spiritual claims OF Jesus Christ
upon the life is not commendable. IL
may be some pet sin hidden away
| from the knowledge OF the world
within the secret places OF heart and
life. To offer the love OF pet sin
as the reason for not following the
Master is a sad confession Of weak
ness. We recall the words, IF thy
right hand offend thee cut II Of and
cast IL from thee"
The excuse may be that men think
themselves not good enough. But the
purpose OF Christianity Ia TO make
| men good: not 10 take them after
| they are good. II may be cowardly
fear OF criticism stands In the way.
But the true man does not fear criti.
cism when doing the right.
go thou and publish abroad the
Kingdom OF God" was the message 10
the young man who excused himself
| IL tells the nature OF the services
That service is essentially and pri-
marily personal The first require
ment is. Follow Me" That means
10 believe In Jesus as personal Saw
four from sin. II means 10 live the
principles OF the Christ life in our
| daily life.
| Whatever hinders the tangible ex-
preston Of that Gospel we profesa
must be cast out. Is there n secret
sin? II must go Is there n trick I'm
business that does not square with
honesty? II must go. Is there n pet
| jealousy or envy that does not weigh
well in the scales OF love? IL muat
go is there even desire in tire
heart that is not pure and true? It
must go. The outward appearance
! Judges not the man, but the motives
and desires OF the heart, they are the
| Judge. Time was when a man was
deemed good II he committed no
! overt act OF wrong. IL mattered little
what he thought, or what the lusts OF
the heart might be, SO long as he did
no wrong But the searching truth OF
Jesus reversed these values. Not an
eye for an eye, and n tooth for a
tooth, but render thou good for evil.
"If thy right eye offend thee, pluck IL
out and cast II from thee; for II is
profitable for thee that one or thy
members should perish. and not that
thy whole body should be cast into
hell" Nor is this strenuous ideal
enough IL IL not sufficient that the
actions OF the life conform 10 the lfws
OF morality and righteousness. Listen
TO the words OF Jesus In which He
states the great ideal; aye have
heard how II was said by them OF old, +,
thou shalt not kill; but ] say unto
you that whosoever is angry with his
brother without a cause shall be In
danger of the judgment. Ye have
heard that IL was said by them OF old,
thou shalt not commit adultery. But
! say that whosoever desireth thus To
sin hath already done the sin in his
heart" IL is the noblest ideal that
has ever been given to man. II de-
mands the publication OF the motives
and desires OF the heart as well as the
actions OF the life; for from the heart
proceedeth all sin. II strikes at the
very centre OF wrongdoing. Thus Is
service to Christ made first OF all
matter TO the heart. The heart must
be right. Then, IL becomes a matter
OF the life. The life will be righteous
II the heart is right. Follow Me. said
Jesus Get the heart and life In har-
mony with noble ideals. Then. 60
thou and preach the Kingdom OF
God"
Thus sesus transfers the nature Of
service from the narrow limits Of the
personal into the great worldwide
field OF the social. The ultimate Oh
| ject becomes not ones own individual
salvation, but the Kingdom OF God.
which In also the brotherhood OF man.
Jesus did not say 20 the young man.
Let the dead bury their dead, but go
thou and save thine own soul But
He did say, Go thou and save others
iEto life, publish the message OF love.
In that work for others In the name
OF God, he would save himself There
IL no other way. He who Beeketh TO
save his life shall lose II, but he who
sacrifices his life for My sake, the
- me shall save II. The which Is to
say a man cannot save his own soul
without seeking 10 save the life OF
brother at the same time; a man eau
not be a Christian and care nothing
for the redemption OF the world into
| the Christ-like life OF light and love