Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1911-11-14

the Christian life shall get to be like.
that mood in which John Foster said
most evangelical divines 100 years
ago ended their days. "a mood Of
gently complaining melancholy.
What better description OF the pre-
vailing tone OF the New Testament
could we give than to say it is the
exact opposite OF that?
But when there is some imperative
and unfulfilled need in our life, and
we have discovered it, ought we not
to put that before our eyes exclusive
~ until 1t be met: Never, We shah
get the most truthful attitude toward
the unattained by taking the right
position toward what has already
been achieved. Forgetting the thous-
and and one times in which we have
been brought on victorious is but q
poor way OF getting ready for another
victory. 1t is not good sign in our
people at the present time that they
give SO little recognition to the things
that have been done and done right,
the things that are honest and OF good.
report.
Even when we are humbled to the
very ground by our latest-sin, and feel
that thanksgiving is no proper mood
for us then-when it even shames us
to remember our blessings-to give
thanks even then for all the rest Of
our life that our Father has permitted
to stand firm and untouched would
make our concession and repentance
3 truer thing But it takes power to-
put it in. We are not readily equal
I to it. It is not the mark Of q shallow
optimism to be thankful. The shallow
Optimist is not thankful, he is just
lazy and pleasant; it takes q pro-
foundIy exercised soul and q disciplins
ed one to thank God in circumstances
where the ordinary soul sees no pos
sibility OF thanks. We may have done
wrong but We shall see this wrong all
the more clearly and sanely, and re-
pent Of It the more perfectly, by see
ing It against the unchanged back
ground Of Gods righteous and kindly
dealings.
And then . steadily complaining
attitude introduces sort of falseness
into our whole situation 1t was said
by one Of the friends OF very earn
est and noble worker that IL he did
not stop his ceaseless complaining
about things he would soon cease -
have any influence. The man did not
realize that, in his sincere effort -
make things better by exposing all the
difficulties and hindrances, he was N
the time convincing people that
things were SO hopeless that It vas
not worth while to work at them.
II he had made. his complaints With
thanksgiving he would have put heart
In people.
Now the truth is that the very or
cumstances In which we feel That
complaint is the only valid attitude
may be the very circumstances IN
which one might Just as well give
thanks. 1t does not depend ON circum-
stances, it depends upon US. Thanks
giving, like other great powers in -,
is not an occasional exuberance, but
IL power to be gained by thoughtful
attention and practice. ia hundred
more good things were added TO -.
they, OF themselves, could not mako
us thankful unless we worked directly
for that spirit Nothing that can hap
pen from the outside can ever change
this for US. Something must happen
from within. And, knowing in him
self the growth Of thankless spirit.
the Psalmist took himself in hand
ana said II will be glad and rejotce
in thee" Just as he would have said,
II will' do anything else. Let any
one try this for six months, and make
1t his discipline. and he Will sec .
difference in his whole life.