Evening star., 1912-07-20

<-.| |. -. Common sense is
displayed when we
are able to put in use the common re-
suit of past experience. 1t is simply
a synonym of wisdom. We cannot be
wise without knowledge, but we may
have great knowledge and yet have
very little wisdom. / know a lawyer
who was a perfect encyclopedia of law
knowledge. He readily furnished to
other lawyers the law and decisions on
any subject, but he hadn't wisdom
enough in the use of his great knowl-
edge to make a living in his profession.
1t is not an unusual thing to see per-
sons of much learning who are greatly
lacking in common sense. In the pur-
suit Of knowledge wisdom is gained,
but not always to the extent that might
reasonably be expected. Common sense
deals with the practical, not the merely
theoretical
Truth is the principal thing. One who
adheres to truth is acting with COM
mon sense. We find truth by seeking
for it in right places. and note that
We Will not find it in the study Of bad
books or In the company of evil people,
A story is told of two parrots who lived
near to each other. The one was accus-
toned to sing hymns, while the other
was addicted to profanity: The owner of
associate with the former in the hope
that its bad habit would be corrected.
but the opposite result followed, for both
learned to swear alike.
! think the owners Of the parrots were
deficient in common sense The common
result OF all past experience is that "evil
communication corrupts good manneIs"
and they should have judged the result
even with parrots. l do not lay claim
to any great amount of wisdom but
know, even If 1 had never heard this
story. that l would not have expected a
psalm singing bird to reform one addicted
to profanity.
1t is not so serious a matter where only
parrots are concerned; but the thought
wish to impress Is that it is not a good
way to gain the right kind Of common
sense by associating intimately with bad
companions
Those who willingly associate with the
SINFUL" says the Union Magazine, ARE
like men strolling with some trivial OBJ
1ect through district infected with fever.
needless of the invisible arrows of dis
ease spreading through the air; or they
may be compared to the River Thames
which is a sweet and pretty river near
Its source: but In the great metropolis
1t has kept company with drains and
was too powerful and pure to be injured
by them. 1t was meant that the river
should purify the sewer: but instead of
that the sewer has corrupted the river"
1t is no part Of wisdom to walk in
the counsel Of the ungodly or stand In
the way Of sinners. or sit in the seat
Of the Scornful. Christian common
sense commends itself in finding de-
light in the law of the Lord and in
meditating upon that law day and
night. for then. Is the psalmist adds
He shall be like a tree planted by
the rivers of water. that bringeth forth
his fruit In season: his leaf also shall
not wither: and whatsoever he doeth
shall prosper"
We are exercising Christian common
sense when We shun all evil We
should learn wisdom from the ermine
1t is said Of this little animal that it
chooses to die rather than defile its
beautiful skin.
Wisdom pleads with us to turn from
all defilement. If we are attracted by
the allurements of sin. we are not fol-
lowing the dictates of common sense,
but are as foolish as the bees and in
sectS that are attracted by the beau
tiful flowers of the fatal Judas tree.
Cuyler tells us that on this tree the
blossoms appear before the leaves and
that they are of brilliant crimson. "The
flaming beauty of the flowers attracts
innumerable insects and the wander
ing bee is drawn to it to gather honey.
But every bee that alights upon the
blossoms mbibes fatal opiate and
drops dead from among the crimson
flowers to the earth. Beneath this en-
ticing tree the earth is Strewed with
the victims Of it's fatal destinations"
Like that fatal tree, sin only attracts
that 1T may destroy.
1t is the office of Christian common
sense to discern the true from the
false: no one can be considered wise
who does not know good from evil.
1t is true that even the very best
Christians make mistakes. but We may
profit by them.
Paul. in his letter to the Corinthians,
refers to the errors and sins of the ia
theirs. with many OF whom God was not
well pleased, for they were overthrown
in the wilderness and adds: Now these
things We're our examples. to the Intent
that we should not lust after evil things
as they also lusted.' and after enLmerat-
ing their sins of idolatry. murmuring and
the like. and the punishment visited uron
them. he further adds: Now all these
things happened unto them for ensam-
pies, and they are written for our admo-
milton. upon whom the ends of the world
are come. Wherefore. let him that think
eth he standeth take heed lest he fall
There hath no temptation taken You but
sLch as is common to man: but God Is
faithful. who will not suffer you to be
tempted above that you are able. but
will with the temptation also make a
way to escape. that ye may be able to
bear it,
III we nave common SehS6 We Will not
fail to profit by the mistakes of ourselves
and others. We will give good heed to
the examples of the past which ARE
written for our admonition.'
Every one recognizes that Dwight l..
Moody was a man distinguished for his
Christian common sense. and l deem his
words. uttered in one of his addresses
when in England. of great interest and
value on the subject We are now dis
cussing He said: II am never excited
in my most exciting meetings I can
sleep like top within three minutes of
going into a meeting, and l can be sound
asleep three minutes after leaving 1t. II
II were to get into state of nervous eX-
ctement l should have been dead long
ago. The great defect, IL ! may be per-
mitted to say SO. of your services in Eng
land especially of the services OF the
church. is that they ALLEVIATE the ma sses
by their excessive length and their lack
of interest and vitality. Your religious
services are adjusted to the needs of an
age before railways were invented and
kilograms had revolutionized the whole
method of communication between man
and man. You want telegramatic serv-
ices df may use the phrase). II the
busy men of the latter end of the nine
! teenth century are to attsnd them. None