River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1911-10-05
Mans Capacity
Only Limit
BY Rev. BARRY B. HALL
of Temple Baptist Church.
Minneapolis, MINI.

God blesses man at every opportu-
nifty and furnishes every real Joy he
Is able to appropriate. We Gljoy so
little, not because Of Gods unwilling
ness to bless, but because Of our in
ability to receive and appropriate his
blessings. This old world Is big with
blessings to him who has the eyes to
see them. Thousands stand before the
most beautiful landscapes and see
nothing but hills and valleys. To the
singing of the birds and the beauties
Of nature they are deaf, and blind,
and dumb. A missionary saw African
boys playing with diamonds of rarest
value. They were rocks and nothing
more to the boys.
Before the days of Franklin the air
was as full of electricity as now, but
our fathers went on burning candles,
deprived Of the telephone and the tel
egraph, because none Of them had
the eyes to see II. All of our modern
inventions were as possible to our
rlowed with crude instruments when
they could have ridden the cultivator;
they rode in OK carts when they could
have ridden on the lightning express,
only because they had no eyes to see
these blessings and to appropriate
them. And the world Is big with in
ventions today, involving great for
tunes to him who is able to see them,
and the business world Is big with
marvellous opportunities for those who
have the eyes to see. Thus 1t is clear
that material blessings are limited
only by mans ability to see and ap-
propriate them.
But material blessings are real
blessings only to those who have the
eyes to see them Alright. If they see
wealth as an opportunity to serve
their fellows through the channels OF
| legitimate business or philanthropy
| It will bless them, but IL they see 1t
through carnal eyes. simply an op'
| portunity for the qualification of the
| flesh, It will cause them to forget God
and brotherliness, and to grow cold
and naughty. 1t will lead them into q
mad rush for pleasure, causing them
to commit involuntary suicide, burn
ing out the candle of life at both
ends. To leave the ordinary young
man $4,000 is equal to a through
ticket to hell. Wealth Is a curse to
the carnally-minded. 1t must be seen
through spiritual eyes before 1t be
comes a real blessing.
This is a glorious or horrtd ole
world, according to ones point OF
view. If his point Of view is carnal
instead OF Christian, he will com
plete this life In Disappointment; but
If he views this world with the good
and not the evil eye, he will see g
grand old world, even it's clouds hav
ing a silver lining. Ones point OF
view determines whether children
are a blessing or a curse. II he has
been reared to view them as an evi
or misfortune, he will be able to hnc
no pleasure In them; but If he sees
them as God-given and blessing, ne
can say, as did the woman OF OLD
these are my Jewels" One mar
says. isn't it q shame have to WORK
for a living?" Another says: ISM
It q blessing I have chance to carr
a. living?" Some say: isn't 1t
shame that people have to get sick?
Others, Isn't it glorious that sick
ness is only temporary and good
health is the normal state"
A mans point Of view determines
his happiness. He must view things
from the spiritual rather than from
the carnal point of view to be salts
fed and happy. Thousands are happy
with little and others are miserable
with much. Jesus explained this BY
the parable Of the rich fool, who
thought he had all he needed to make
him happy because his barns were
filed with plenty. And the fools are
not all dead yet; because there are
thousands who think that all they
| need to be happy is q fine home, thor
oughly furnished, and lots OF money
These poor, unfortunate people have
not the ability to see that material
possessions never did and never Will
| make anyone contented and happy
He who has not learned to be happy
with little would not be happy WIFI
much. This world is big with bless
ings, other than money, If one is only
able to see and appropriate them. The
only pleasures which really satisfy
that give contentment, peace and
| happiness, are spiritual; and mate
rial blessings are only curse unless
they are spiritually enjoyed. This old
world is so big with blessings, mate
rial and spiritual. that there is an
abundance for all. and all OF its bless
ings are only limited by our ability to
see and enjoy them Alright.
Personal Contact.