Evening star., 1912-01-20
christian Gn1eahor:
Dour
Topic: Worthwhile Ambitions.
John, 17:20-24. ROM, s:1s-21.
Conducted by
HARVEY s. IRWIN.

Topic: Worthwhile Ambitions.
John, 17:2O-24. ROM, 8:18-21.
sires for preferment. honor or pow
~ er there is but one thing really
worth while. Seek first the kingdom of
God and His Righteousness and all things
else shall be added. There are many
things that are important which may not
appear as included in the seeking and
finding of Gods kingdom: but are they
not? It is worth while to be educated,
refined. respected. prosperous, healthy and
| happy. Those who are taught by the
Great Teacher are the wise ones Of earth
and are inspired to ever seek for all true
knowledge. Those who come in touch
with the loving sympathies of Gods king
dom must partake in some measure of the
refined nature inherent to the dwellers in
that sacred atmosphere. and thus COM
mand the respect of their fellow men, and
| to the minds intent on things pure and
holy are added health of body, prosperity
and happiness in life. in line with the
grace attained.
The ambitions of the young, while less
definite. are more rose-tinted than are
! those of maturer life. To the young the
grass is greener. the flowers sweeter. the
| skies brighter, and they think less about
the whitening grass, the fading flowers
| and the darkening skies; and it Is well
| that it is So The time has not yet come
| for them to recognize new blessings in
the shape
| OF perils past OF sins forgiven,
| or thoughts of God, and hopes OF heaven.
In considering ambitions that are worth
while, the young endeavorers in life's
work should understand what the term
ambition means. 1t is defined as an eager
| desire for that which will confer distinc-
tion, such as political power, literary
I fame. or military glory-a longing for pre-
ferment. honor and advancement.
| 1t Is not sin to be ambitious, for
every one should have an ambition to be
good. Its object and the method used to
| attain the desired end is what discovers
whether the ambition is worth while.
| If any one Of the boys in the Christian
| Endeavor societies of WASHINGTON were
! to forget his VOWS and become imbued
| with an ambition to become President,
or to reach any exalted station of in
| fuence and power, and move to some
! place where he was not denied the
| rights of citizenship, and then resort to
every means to curry favor, and by the
arts of the INSCRIPTIONS politician at
I tain even the highest object sought, it
would not be worth while; the gain would
not equal the loss. The pomp Of power
has its attractions. and a great price is
often paid for the glittering croWn--the
price of virtue, honor and manhood.
High station is honorable when honor
| ably reached, and many SO reach 1t. but
not all. 1t Is the inOrdinate ambition
which resorts to any and all means to
gain an end that is not worth while, even
when this life Is alone considered, and
promises less than nothing for the life
beyond.
On the other hand. if one Of our mem-
bers were to become seized with an am
bition to devote his or her life to
ministry of love and service for the neg
lected and suffering with no longing for
sire for the welfare of others. perhaps
| in some missionary field enduring hard
ships and making many sacrifices of ease
and comfort, yet bringing Joy and glad
lives the precepts OF righteousness and
| truth. which of the two. think you.
would rank as the true hero in lifes
achievements? Surely the latter. Such
| an ambition, carried out, would be worth
| withdrawing the reward good con-
| science gives while in this world. and
the promise of an untarnished crown
| hereafter for Christ says: ITO him that
overcometh will l grant to sit with me
1 in my throne. even as also overcame.
and am set down with my Father in His
4 throne"
| 1t is a worth while ambition to become a
good soldier in the cause OF Christ There
have been many great military heroes in
| the worlds history. who have received
the plaudits OF the populace and been
greatly honored by their respective coun-
| tries. Their names have been placed high
on the roll Of honor and renown Our own
Gen. Grant when he visited London was.
amid great pomp and ceremony, presented
in a golden casket a key. the freedom; OF
that great city-a freedom which has been
in existence for more than eleven centu-
ries. It was distinguished honor granted
to but few, and they the most illustrious
of men.
Great as was this honor, far greater