The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-04
CLEVELAND, TENN.

yet simply because I had been intro- duced to them as Christian man. nine of the officers of the Korean church took this long Journey through the darkness and the cold, In order to bid me so on my way In peace. Only those who have experienced it can know how such signs of fellowship warm the cookies of mans heart. I' meant more to Paul than even the heartbreak in the narrative reveals to have the little reunion with his Ephe- sian friends as he journey on to Jeru- salem. and to the unknown fate before him.
 Pointing t0 the Past.
 strong with the most unassailable strength Is the man whose record will bear inspection. Innumerable men have been halted in their careers and baked In their ambitions by the ris- ing up before them, as ghostly spectres of an unfortunate past. When. In q recent American election. the question of availabl candidates for .ne Presi- dency was up the name of a certain able statesman was frequently brought hforward by the ufiinitiated: but ths wiser politicians shook their heads an( | said, No. his record is vulnerable. Happy Is the man who can point 10 his past as his own vindication. Every man quitting a post, be 1t the Presi- 'uuSSb 0 p6ShoEaLCs CloEA1uips UT 2 job of gardening, should be able to say. There Is my work Inspect it. It is my best testimonial"
 When Paul. after the passage of years, came to his final accounting with the Ephesian church officers. he could summon to witness for him the record that he had made In their midst. He had not been a trimmer or toady. He had not been afraid of the face of man. nor had he shrunk from hardship and suffering. He had been innocent of self-seeklng. and he had delivered his message without fear and without fav- or. What a record to crown ones work! Every teacher. as well as every preacher. should be able at any time of parting. as on the judgment day. to say to those who had been in his charge: 'T shrank not from declaring unto you anything that was profit able''
 Holding Life CheapIy.
 As Paul counselled with these friends he let fall an expression which reveal ed his life platform: T hold not my life Of any account as dear unto myself so that I may accomplish my course the Lord Jesus" That Is in contrast with the baneful spirit of the modern day. We are prone to overestimatt the value of life itself. Our comfort our prosperity. our safety, are put as trst considerations. For the sake oi their business welfare men do not hes itate to stultify their manhood. Pro- lessor William James, of Harvard, de- clares that the prevalent dread of poverty and hardship among our bet ter classes. with its accompanying worship of wealth and luxury. Is "the worst disease from which our civlliza- ton suffers" We sorely need an in- fusion of the. heroic spirit which can say with Paul. "I hold not my life of any account as dear unto myself" The days newspapers tell us how the Moorish tribes fling themselves in high disdain of danger against the sol i'd phalanxes Of Spanish troops. Deep in the breast of the normal man there thrills response of admiration for this spirit of heroism. fatalisttc though ii be. There is something In the na- ture of man which tells him that it is noble to despise death and danger Our comfortable. conventional eoddleo life Is likely to be cowardly. We shrink from pain: we hail the modern health movements with extravagant accla- nations, as if health were the supreme object of existence. Let us moi fail to learn from Paul. and all the other he- roes of history. that man at his best may dare to die; and that often death Is worthier of man than life. Well for us if we can say. T did my work. even though I died" For the delivery of ones message. and tho performance of ones work. is the supreme thing; ones own safety Is an incidental con sideration. This noble dlsdain of safe ty and comfort Is in itself an emanci- patton from petty and ignoble subter- fuges.
 4 High Calling.
 When A man looks upon office in the church as an honor rather than as an opportunity, he Is thereby shown to he unfitted for the post. Sometimes the prominent places in religion are given 10 men because they are wealthy or eminent in social or political life. This Is A grave error. 1t would be well If every church gathering for the cleo tion of officers were to open with careful consideration of Paul5s instruc- ton to the leaders of the Ephesian church. He pointed out the high call Ing of the church officer. He is to stand as a Spirlt-appointed representa- tive of Christ So far from exalting himself, his work is spending of himself. Not his is 1t to have his own way, and to exert his own will. hut rather, with ceaseless watchfulness and service. to spend himself In caring for even the weakest nnf most foolish of all the sheep In the fold.
 Paul could point to his own record He named some characteristics which should be never-absent marks of al who hold office in the church. He was not eovetous of worldly wealth. He gave his labor to the church while sup