The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1912-06-20

] Sultb anu lhubs
over which men
grow excited very
easily, fact that explains an attach
ment to them that is often without
rational or scriptural support.
The Thessalonian Christians were
excited touching the coming Of the
Lord and were neglecting other ex-
ceedingly important things. In his
Enthusiastically loving way Paul
sharply calls their attention to the
walk which pleases God, their per-
sonal sanctification with respect to
conJugal relations, to honest treat
ment of the brethren, and brotherly
love. all of which they were neglect
ing. Paul calls them to study to be
quiet and to attend to business. The
same principles apply In our day to
religious fanaticism, sometimes In
connection with the second coming OF
the Lord to whom the appeal has come
to be quiet and to attend to business.
The principle appeals as well to the
lower spheres of life. The kaleido-
scope of scientific, business and po-
litical life is turning very rapidly and
we do not know at what moment
some social or political proposition
will be made that is q shock to our
commonly received traditions. Parties
are disrupted, new parties are formed,
and the body polite becomes almost
q mob. In these days. therefore. not
only the religious person, but the citi-
zen as well. needs to study to be
quiet. This is the more important as
the world Is growing less so rapidly
through the agencies OF steam and
electricity and phobias Of all kinds are
cast before us.
QuIetness an Aid to Efficiency.
Agitation, or unrest. interferes with
efficiency, and efficiency Is the key
word OF the day In which We live. A
man Of today does not ask for the
blusterer, he asks for the man that
can do his work, and with the least
buster. The nervous marksman rare
ly hits the bullseye. You do not care
to go under the knife OF a surgeon who
does not have a steady hand. Hysteria
explains much of the abuse OF the sec
ond-coming of the Lord. Men, not
studying to be quiet. nor going about
their business, become lawless. and
ALLEVIATE many sincere believers in this
great scriptural doctrine. 1t has been
illustrated over and over again. that
the man who is quiet is as rule the
powerful man. The Quiet Grant seems
to be the only Union general to make
Appomattox possible, and In great
business interests Outlines the man
who sits and listens to the heated dis
cussions of his associates. and at the
end quietly speaks q few words, car
ries the day. AS yet the strength OF
man is often found In standing still.
The painter depicts on the face OF
restless people the unmistakable fact
OF an inward unhappiness, and on the
quiet face clearly intimates an inward
Joy.
More and more are men studying
Jesus Christ to get proper ideals, and
here is good place for such study.
We cannot conceive OF Jesus Christ
becoming agitated.
The VIII Must Act.
A mans intellect sometimes car
ries him far asea on its tossing bill
lows, and he puts his hand to the
rudder. which this text suggests, is |
study. A mans heart or emotions may
carry him far, and he again resorts |
10 study. But now his will must act. |
The Thessalonian Christians were ex- |
cited as TO the coming Of the Lord.
but they ought to be quiet and as far
as any faculty that they possessed |
was concerned. they were compelled |
to call upon It to act, and that faculty |
was the Will. To be quiet requires ef-
fort just as in the time OF sorest be- |
reavement when We are disconsolate,
and some friend says: you must con-
troll yourself; you must make an eff
fort" Solomon tells us that the man
who rules his spirit is better than he
who takes city. Storms will over
take US. but at all hazards We must
try to be quiet and await the issue.
II men will not meet this injunction as
II comes from religious teachers, they
may have TO meet II as II comes from
some awful disaster as that which re-
Gently overlook the great ocean steam
or. the Titanic. The same was true at
st. Pierre. at Messina, and In the
earthquake on the Pacific coast a few
years ago. At such times men stop
and say: maybe there is God. any
way. We are going to study these
things" How fortunate is the man
who has learned to trust God. and
when something meets him suddenly
with upsetting quickness and form. he
can calmly say: Give me Quietness.
teach me thy will. believe all will
be welll"