Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1911-07-05


terpreted with the utmost
care and discrimination.
Sometimes 1t denotes the whole
material universe as created by God.
the Maker OF heaven and earth. 1"
sometimes II is this world In which
God has placed man for a time. the
temporary scene OF human existence.
mans abode, in which he sojourns for
limited period Sometimes II con.
Veys the idea, not material creation
OF Gods fashioning, but OF a spirit Of
worldliness in Gods reasoning crea-
lures which is antagonistic to the will
OF God. Sometimes II ia the aepre-
gate OF those possessed by this spirit
who, having been made by God. rebel
against his authority and refuse to
heed his commands. Sometimes IL Is
the equivalent Of what is known to us
oy the name of Society, 4. e. the en-
vironment OF persons and things. in
the midst OF which each one lives his
lie here, and which, while not evil In
themselves, must be used as st. Paul
writes In his letter to the Christians
at Corinth. with caution. mot overus-
Ing It," or using 1t to the full" as his
words really mean.
1t is with this last aspect OF the
word we are specially concerned.
10 the majority OF persons Society
is very complex thing. In 1t. as In
all else that has to do with persons
and things. there is an intricate and
puzzling intermingling OF good and
eVll which necessitate the utmost eau
lon and discrimination In the using.
IL Is or this social life, with all its
complications. Jesus is speaking i'm his
great microscopy prayer on the night
before he died: 81 pray not that thou
1nouidest Keep them from the evil"
Christ's Life Social One.
when we study the life of Christ as
IL is put before us in the fourfold nor.
traiture OF the Gospel. we obtain a
tuller conception of what Society real
ly means than any more words and
theories can give us, and are better
able to understand the relation I'm
which the Christian man ought IN
Suanu towards IL. For the life Of
1hrlst was pre-eminently a social life.
rms Is the characteristic which
stands out most clearly and definitely
II we compare his life with that OF
his forerunner. John the Baptis,
Jesus himself draws the attention NJ
his disciples to the striking contrast
thelr lives presented to those before
whose eyes they were lived. "John
came neither eating nor drinking and
they say he hath devil The Son of
Man came eating and drinking and
they say, Behold a gIuttonous man
and wine-bibber. a friend Of nubIi.
cans and sinners" The Baptist lived
me life OF an ascetic. apart from his
Fellows. not dwelling in the haunts
OF men, but recluse in the wilder.
ness. But the Son Of Man who came
TO save mankind mingled with men.
he hved the ordinary life OF ordinary
men and women. going in and out
among them as one of themselves.
Jesus and Society.
A modern writer admirably auuoe
up the life that Jesus lived in relation
TO Society. SO wide were his sym.
pathles that Pharisaic pride COM
planned. To this universal ADAPTIVE.
ness he appealed as an evidence o,
me prophecy fulfilling OF his coming.
was he exclusive? Did ever man or
woman come near him and he turn
away? Did he not go among all ranks
and Into every society? Did he not
go into the houses of great men and
rulers, OF Pharisees, Of poor men M
puohcans? Did he not frequent the
temple the market-place, the syna.
gogue' the sea-shore. the haunts of
outcasts and harlots7 Was he no,
found at feasts and at burials? Wher.
ever men and women were To no
round, there was his place and there
Is ours"
Yes each Christian has his ap-
pointed place TO fiji in Society. He
cannot live the life OF n recluse with
out hurt TO himself. The social life
rightly lived has a wholesome fnfu.
snce on the Christian himself. There
Is nothing which does more TO develop
character than intercourse with others
II brings out traits which would other.
wise remain undiscovered and m
used. II prevents the growth of self
ishness and isolation which are SO
great hindrance to the DEVELOPMENT
or the spiritual life. II draws out the
healthy Bympathles which are like the
sprouts Of tree breaking forth under
the influences OF the warm sun or
refreshing rain. or like the roots OF
the plant, which must have room 10
grow or they will become sickly and
stunted.