The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-03-13
enough 10 stand for truth and right.


oneself before others. How can
man think meanly OF himself when
he realizes that he is made in the
image of God, that he possesses di-
vine nature, that he is OF sufficient
value 20 call forth the sacrifice of
the Son OF GodP No; man was not
made 10 crawl hut 10 climb. HUI
mility consists in willingness in
our greatness to stoop 10 the low
liest children of earth and lift M
the fallen. comfort the sorrowing.
strengthen the weak. 10 yield our
selves. as did Christ, willing sacri-
fees for our fellow men. John
knew the Importance OF his COM
mission; he felt himself honored in
being selected to proclaim the com.
ing Messiah. yet he reckoned him.
self mere voice crying in the vii.
derness, or q bOnd-seryant. un.
worthy 20 minister TO his God We
have read that an order being given
10 adorn the walls of the House OF
Commons with pictures. Haydon sent
a petition 10 Parliament. asking that
he might have the privilege of paint.
ing one Of them, and begged ut the
same time that. ii his request were
denied, he might be granted the
right to paint single figure, and
that If that should be refused. that
he should he allowed to put on few
touches. Fearing, lest even this last
desire should not be granted, he Pc
titioned the government to let him
mix the Colors for the artists, OF
rather than he excluded entirely
from participation, permit him &c
hold thnlp hruGhnG GA .rvnaf nj
alted was the work 10 he done that,
with true artistic longing. he fell
that he would be honored I'm the low.
Hest service. Herein we Ind tho
secret of rue humility. the willing
ness to minister i'm the lowlies,
places and TO the most degraded of
our fellow men, while possessing
sense Of our greatness as children of
the Highest. If only we can be used
of God in advancing His purposes in
the world.
Still further. we sec Johns great.
ness revealed in his realization Of the
presence OF Christ TO him the Mes.
siah had ceased TO be a coming de.
liverer; He was present leader. q
contemporary. Moved by ;his pro.
found conviction he felt as did the
Apostle Paul. that he had but one
mission i'm life. TO herald the presence
of his Lord.
Perhaps there is nothing that Il
needed more to-day than a stronger
sense 90 ~o~litv - o.," ro'i~ious livos
a clearer vision OF the presence and
power Of God. We have in oui
churches machinery a. ough: we have
organizations and committees IL
Have we forgotten thai
without a deep and abiding realiza
tion of living Christ these thingi
are vain?
What does a drowning man desire
most Of all? A fine discourse on tho
art of swimming? A pamphlet or
the buoyancy OF salt water A sched.
ule Of statistics on physical en-
durance? Would not these things b,
to him a mockery? What his soul
most desires is plank, boat,
rope. a helping hand What doei
the needy world want more than al
else? A sermon on the art Of spiri
tual notation? 4 book on the up
lifting power Of human nature? A
statement regarding religious I'm
10; to an immortal beini
engulfed bv sin these are mere
mockery. The world to-day is call
ing for n real Saviour, one who il
actually present, to lift and strength
en and guide. This is an age of ne.
cations, an age i'm which slight refer.
ence is made 10 the blood atonement
But the crying need Of men, as OF
old, is the preaching Of Christ
crucifed and risen Lord. BY faitt
we become identified with Him, by
faith We accept His sacrifice, by faith
we are nailed with Him TO the cross
by faith we rise with Him I'm new.
ness OF life. by faith we partake Of
divine power. Yes, we need real
Saviour.
But again we find Johns great.
ness shown i'm his devotion. lie wai
not word repeater. He cared little
for forms. Greed making was not
i'm his line Cf work. lie had out.
grown the rudimcuts OF life and had
come 10 know the secret Of power
The set rules OF the schOolroom are
important in their place, but i'm after
life we forget them, having adopted
the principles that they expressed
Words become nothing TO us when
they have done their work and fixed
their meaning I'm our lives. John
was possessed with realization that
he was commissioned by the Almighty
TO proclaim a great fact. His whole
soul was thrilled with the thought.
lie was on fire with a divine en-
thusiasm. lie had no inclination 20
con over the old form OF his call, but
rather TO do his work under the i'm
pulse Of a new soul ambition. Who
ever heard Of any man being per-
maneutly banled who was on fire with
a great truth? We say that circum-
stances are against us. Not so. ~
Is our faithlessness that hinders our
devotion. The world always believes
In the man who himself believes. The
croS~ always makes way for the
man OF faith. The trouble IS we
keep coming over our old formulas
instead of allowing ourselves 20 be
swept on by great convictions. We
repeat our creed and say, 81 believe
IN Cod Almighty, maker Of heaven
and earth, and In Jesus Christ, Ills
only Son, our Lord" but the state
ment does not take hold OF Us and
inspire US 90 action.
DO YOU want to be great? II is
4 laudable ambition But you viii