Evening journal., 1911-12-30
TIE PROPHETIC PAST
BY The REV. r. L. JACKSON

One Of the most significant facts
about the average man is his decress-
ing openness TO new ideas and dimin-
ishing senitiveness to new influences
as he Erows~older Certain psycholo-
glsts go so far as TO say that no man
admits into his mind any absolutely
new idea after he IS 33. Railway
men may know nothing about pscho-
logy as 1t is taught in the schools and
colleges, but they know enough about
the makeup Of the human mind TO
know that railroading is not picked up
by men past forty. The modern min
lister has something to say upon the
subject. A prominent local pastor said
to me not long ago that working to
win men who had reached middle life
was to all appearances a waste OF time
"a minister had better devote his
time to boys and young men, for the
results viii be much greater This is
the note which Sunday school workers
are constantly sounding Let the.
middle-aged people alone; they are set
In their ways of thinking end living,
and nothing can be done for them"
The foregoing is by way Of intro
duetion 10 my subject namely, the
prophetic past. The proposition it en-
bodies is evident--the past propheti
cally suggests the future What has
been will be, men who have
bene bad in the past. dis
honest, intemperate, impure. un-
godly. will continue to be such in
the future. A drunksrd today---a
drunkard tomorrow a roue during
1911--a roue during 1912 and 1913 a
grssping, greedy miser during the
past forty vears--the same miserable
sort Of man the rest of his lifetime
Now IN making these statements.
am not saying what must necessarily
be, but what as a matter Of fact, gem
erally speakings Is. j am not saying
ithat drrukards cannot reform. that
they are fated to die in their cups-I
am only Eaying that is what most Of
them do. namely --die in their cups.
Now, 1t is general, observed that the
only influence which is strong enough
to lift men clean out Of their sensual
/ ity. sottishness and selfishness, is tie
saving power of God. But even the
power Of God is powerless, unless men
are willing to give 1t chance God
saves no man against his will. His
spirit will strive in vain with the will
.-less. effortless, Indifferent man, who,
year after year, plays fast and loose
with his opportunity Of salvation, un-
less that man, one day, mastering all
his Will power, meets God half way
and gives Him a chance.
The past is prophetic Of the future
but not necessarily so.
Men. by pulling themselves together
and giving the spirit OF God the right
of way in their lives, can fashion q
future that bears little or no resern.
blance to the past; it has been done
again and again. Alas how few will
do thisl Here, IN our own city, arc
any number of men in the grip Of sin
They are the slaves OF evil habits and
base desires Is there any hope fol
them? Not so long as they will dc
] nothing to give the power of God q
chance 10 lay hold upon their heart:
and set them free from their untowarC
bondage. Man, with forty years of sill
and self-seeking behind you; yol
have nothing TO expect but a continue
tion Of the same and then (believe th'
word of Godl. the terrors Of the ina
judgment, unless YOU rouse yourself
from your miserable indifference, re
psnt Of your sins, and turn 70 God
That way lies your salvation, and tha
way only. May the dawn Of the new
year ind you with your face towarl
Gcd and Heaven