Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-17
ECbri8tialt Gn1fabor:
! Dour ;
BY
Z HARVEY s. IRWIN.
TOPIC:
mo" and Eyes; When to
Say Them.
Ps., 57:1-I1.

~ HESE two little words have great
VI significance in every ones life and
history. They bring to our minds
the necessity and Importance of decision.
Every day of our lives we are called upon
to determine our course In matters af-
fecting our interests in social. business or
religious concerns The only infallible
guide to. right decisions is the word of
God, contained in the Scriptures of the
Old and New Testaments-the only rule
given to direct us in our relations to God
and man. When to say No and Yes
is determined by this test, except in ques-
tons not affecting morality or religion,
the hope for the most satisfactory an
swers is in good hard common sense.
In the Scripture lesson for this week
the fifty-seventh Psalm, trust in God is
emphasized as the basis of all right liv-
ing, and prayer to Him who performeth
all things for us is the medium by which
all doubtful questions are to be solved.
With our hearts fixed (verse seven) and
a song OF praise on our lips, and the
thought OF Gods glory in our minds, our
decisions will always be in the right di-
rection.
All the affirmative and negative re-
sponses to moral and spiritual questions
relate to direction. Life is journey with
but two main roads running from cradle
to grave. One is broad and winding and
the other is narrow and straight One
leads to defeat. the other to victory.
There are countless paths leading to and
from these two main avenues, and the
decisions we make from day to day set
tie the question as to the direction In
which we are journeying.
1 am specially addressing the young.
and few suggestive thoughts concerning
oh 1%~ IL
perlence may not be Improbable. Your
life will give the answer of "Yes" or
NO to each thought, for upon all these
matters decision must be made.
1t Is not possible to go in two different
directions at the same time.
You may start out in life full of energy
be Industrious and hardworking every
day-rlsing with the sun and filing each
hour with honest, faithful labor; or you
may take the course of laziness and idle
ness. working as little as possible and
resting as much as possible and spend
your days in inactivity and Incidence
You cannot live an Industrious life and at
the same time an idle one. You are to
decide which it will be.
You may recklessly spend all the money
you make and some that others make
never have anything ahead and always
be In debt; or you may be saving and
careful, provident and cautious, laying up
for the rainy days. You cannot be ex-
travagant and yet economical Which?
You may shun delights and live Ia
borious days over books, storing your
mind with useful information; or you
may neglect all the opportunities for ac-
quiring an education, but you cannot be
a scholar and yet an ignoramus Which
shall it be?
You may cultivate selfish disposition,
all thoughts. all acts be for SELF You
may be quarrelsome, irritable, ugly,
mean, morose, stubborn, impudent and
70 Co. Ill
sore and tender spots. all the weaknesses
of those about you and rudely expose
them. You may be sour-visaged and
contrary minded and thus drive away all
sympathy and love; or you may develop
disposition Of sweetness. gentleness,
forbearance, kindness and generous at
lection. You may have that delightful
amiability that brings such solace to the
troubled hearts around you and reflects
back to you greater happiness than
that bestowed. In manner you may be
rough and rude or smooth and smiling.
In words you may be harsh and hate
ful or gentle and generous; but you
cannot be a lover and a hater at the
same time, cavalier and yet a hood
lum. Which shall it be?
Your inclinations may incline to the
company of the pure and true, and find
your delight in intercourse with those
who love truth, temperance, virtue and
honor; or you may walk in the counsel
sinners. or sit in the seat of the scornful:
but you cannot love the pure and the
impure at the same time. You cannot be
virtuous and yet vile. In which direction
does the manner Of your life tend?
You may become q lover Of your race
have your heart attuned to generous
thoughts and your hands accustomed to
kindly deeds. You may be just to all and
graciously helpful to those in distress.
thus winning the confidence respect and
love of all about you; or you may cuIti-
vate dislike for your kind. entertain
suspicious thoughts and withhold assist
ance from those In need, distrust the mo-
tves of everybody and sheer at any
claims OF disinterested benevolence: but
you cannot be full of generosity and love
and at the same time be full of suspicion
and hate. If you are a misanthrope you
are not philanthropist. Which?
You may become identified with the
church of God, take an active part in its
services. find delight in it's rites and Or
dinances; you may work in Sabbath
school. be present at it's services and
contribute in many ways to it's advance
ment: or you may remain outside of the
church's walls. never enter it's door, take