The Bryan eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1880-1913, 1911-03-23

You all know men and women OF
that sort, who stand out before your
mind as sheltering rocks in a weary
land.
(a) Sometimes he is a man Of bust
ness-so upright and honorable, so
straightforward in all his ways, so
pure and strong in his life, that all
who know him instinctively look upon
him as an example and an inspiration.
Those who work for him catch his
spirit. Weaker men gan strength
from his example. Less scrupulous
men are constrained to more honor
able ways in dealing with him. The
most suspicious of people trust him.
He makes honesty easy and dishon-
esty very shameful 10 more men than
he ever knows.
I OBJ Sometimes he is in the work
shop, an humble, u-npretentious man,
but his goodness is known and re-
spected by all his mates. The Ian
guage of the workshop is purer, the
atmosphere of the place is cleaner, the
way of righteousness for more timid
but well-meaning men is easier be-
cause of his presence and influence,
and there Is not a man but would turn
to him in any trouble.
(c) Sometimes the rock seems to be
Ia very little rock, in its own estima-
ton it IS a very humble stone, 5G, It
is a rock still.
|. A mother, perhaps. whose lie is
the constraining ana saving Influence
of all her children. They can
get away from II. They may drift for
a time, but they drift sooner or later
against that pure and holy life, and
that brings them up and stays their
wandering career.
2. A wife it may be, whose husband
but for her would be a hopeless drunk
ard. He falls again and again, but
there is that angel of Gods mecry in
his path, a woman who loves him
and would give her life to save him.
He knows that, and like a rock, it
stays his hopeless drifting. He strug-
giles again and again until finally love
triumphs and she looks into his clear
eyes, and with an overlooking heart
she knows that he is saved at last.
We could multiply examples indefl-
nitely, but you all know and appre-
ciate what it is that the prophet
means.
And now | want to ask you as Chris
tan men and women, to whom is your
life a shelter? Are you making it
easier for anyone to be good?
Oh, ] protest as st%renuously as any
one against that view of salvation
which makes it like an insurance pol
ely. Salvation is a practical thing con-
cerned as much, if not more, with life
here as with life hereafter.
You are saved, you say? From what
are you saved? From what dangers
have you been snatched by Gods
grace? From what sins have you been
delivered? From what eyn ways have
you been turned aside?
Saved! Then YOU know the perils-
know them as the rescued seaman
knows the horror Of the dark waves.
And knowing them you will be able
TO snatch others from them.
A saved life is precisely what is
wanted in this dark world, where it
is so terribly easy to miss the way, so
tragically difficult to find a foothold
once you have lost it.
What are you doing with your saved
life? Has it become a hiding place
the wind for men and women less
fortunate than yourself?
| do not ask these questions by way
Of doubt or %reproach. God forbid
but by way OF reminding you of an in
evitable fact with its solemn RESPONSE
bility-Wherever there is a good life,
somebody is s~heltering behind it. Just
as wherever you find a boulder in the
wilderness a little garden springs up
IN its lee, so must ii be with the life
Of every good man and woman. Some
lody is looking TO you; somebody is
on you; your life is keeping
someone from drifting away. There is
IN influence which you exert insen-
;!bly. II springs directly from your
character and conduct. And here lies
he solemn responsibility. However
.arefully we may guard what we say
nd what we do, the thing that tells
5 what We are. After all, human judg-
r.elt is very fair on the whole. Peo-
lie will forgive things you have said
\ haste or anger; they will make al {
1Wances for inconsistent things you {
ave done, if only they are convinced +
nat at heart you are to be depended I
n; that it is safe to look to you as 4
of the rocks that will not be great I
moved.
But if they, or think they find that I
he words you speak and the things i
on do in public are the best part OF r
GU, they will never seek for help or
.onsolation or protection at your door. :
therefore, the first and principal thing 5
to he good. to have a character that s
III Of itself communicate goodness; .
nj rLis. ny brethren, is what God a
for us all. 1t is the great idea n
the gOspel-to save the world q
lrCUgh saved men and women, to re. /,
cal Christ to the world through the /
that dwells in you and in me,
But who IS sufficient for these
Paul says that the important
ting is so be able to withstand in
ey.. lay, and having done all to
and" That is the one thing that is ,
eeded of a rock. The great rock" =
IN 90 it. The rock that is large
1oush and solid enough, and whose
5undations are deep enough, can
0 it. y
But can I Go it? Can my friend do b
for me? What guarantee is there S
lat either he or I will be able to +
ithstand the tempest? Il
Along some Of the British coasts ii
rDius have haan bui1t IN nrnvant tho "