Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-06-27

should not nave their troupieSs anu se@
the sons are too often incapacitated
by their INFRINGING. All true and noble
life is battle. 1t is good to see the de-
sire for discipline awakening In many
whose circumstances are com1ortabie.
It is our salvation that there is no DIS
charge in this war.
There. is no discharge in the war OF
education and intellectual life. SO many
when they leave school or college giadiy
relieve themselves of the discipline that Is
necessary for success wherever they may
be. 1t is mistake to act as II one
thought this to be a discharge from the
intellectual war. Education is not ques-
ton of so many years in school or co..
lege. When the college gates are closed
on a man forever he is not at the end,
but at the beginning of everything. Thefe
never comes a time when discipline is
not necessary to be maintained. In all
the common offices and ways of life we
need discipline to enighten the mind
From the intellectual war there is no dis
charge. In all professions there is sue
cess that can be cheaply and easily won.
1t may be that the charlatan secures
confidence, that the trickster is credited
with genius and that many so-callcd
prophet is only an actor.
THE histories of men in the various
departments of human activity are but
the story of unceasing hard work that
is necessary to get the best out of native
capital. There are no quick and easy
paths to any of the imperial heights. Ir
the work l am best acquainted with L
: fhn oct frrIit =
full preaching is that of men who never
cease to be students of the deep things
of God. There Is no cessation of activ-
ity; in times of peace they are prepar-
ing for war. When man begins to neg
lect mental discipline he begins to fail.
again there is ne discharge in the war
of moral life-the battle with appetite,
greed. falsehood and envy. There are
dangers in life more serious than attacks
of disease. We are daily and hourly ex-
posed to temptations that threaten to
overthrow us. There is hardly day but
the moral elements are not put the test.
No man can afford to lay aside the armor
of utmost righteous endeavor. The same
danger besets the path of every one OF
us. young and old. No past victory is
sufficient to protect us. We must never
cease to watch and pray Not to go for
ward in the moral life is to fall behind.
We must seek higher ground every day.
One can never be at ease on the accumu-
lations of his past striving. In the moral
battle nothing but great fighting carried
on to the end of life can make us secure
and successful.
1T takes all of life and all of a man
to win this greatest battle Of the sons
of God. Never believe that the spirit
of evil slumbers or sleeps. Let us be
sure that the moment we are self sat
isfied the devil is at the door, The
dangers of the soul are not confined to
youthful years. There is much to
prove the statement that the middle
years are the most dangerous years of
men. There are hidden tendencies
that are oftentimes unchecked and I'M
watched So it comes to pass that
man who has done we'll for years is
betrayed almost at the door of fair
and noble end. For one little hour he
ceases to watch and strive; for one
little hour he sleeps, and the enemy
steals in. There is no discharge from
the moral battle. No one can ever be
much more, or do much more than his
character will allow him. Cleverness
and brilliant wit are not everything.
Men who are disobedient to the high
est they know fail to do work of the
best moral quality. Character is the
supreme power in life. Our work and
influence will take care of themselves
if we take care of ourselves; and if
we would take care of ourselves We
will recognize that there is no dis
charge from the moral war. Let me
take up the ancient exhortation to put
on the whole armor of God. There is
not one of us that cannot conquer the
tempter, however great. or overcome
the strain of living, however severe, if
we will bring our will into harmony
with that of God. Without persistent
striving there can be no final victory.
Occasional effort cannot make up for
the daily. sustained spiritual striving.
The blessing of blessings. which
we call communion with God. does not
come easily. In the war of faith there
is no discharge. 1t is by meeting and
overcoming, each for himself. all diff
Guilty and doubt that God leads us to
lIC NlSloIy' ~ 10 eilC IlN ihe5 h'SeiiOo "
training to lay responsibility on the
personal soul. In seeking to throw on
the struggle and responsibility we are
losing the Divine opportunity. Let us
fight the good fight of faith and never
dream of any discharge. Then there
is the war of public life--the struggle
for better cities. schools and churches.
There is no discharge. 1t is well to
extol the power OF truth and right. but
it is also well to remember that truth
and right never prevailed in this
world without the aid of true and
righteous men. No good cause ever
goes forward to conquer by itself
without the aid of good men. This
war must be prosecuted with vigor.
There is need of men vino make
the best defence and bravest attack
when the battle is going the hardest
against them. There Is no defeat save
in not faithfully striving. After all.
struggle is the glory of life. We often
speak AS if the best thing in life were
peace, but the only peace worth hav-
ing is that won through striving.
Sometimes it seems as though we were
losing sight altogether of the militant
character of Christianity. Our fathers
were said to have a hard church,