The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1912-06-06

cults and fads,
/ ~ -1Lh>~ over which men
grow excited very
easily, fact, that explains an attach
ment to them that Is often without
rational or scripturai 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 a shock to our
commonly received traditions. Parties
are disrupted, new parties are formed,
and the body polite becomes almost
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 az
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 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
many sincere believers in this
great scriptural doctrine. 1t has been
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
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 a few words, car
ries the day. As vet 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, ana
here Is a good place for such study.
We, cannot conceive OF Jesus Christ
becoming agitated. The most that can
De said is that he was sometimes In
signant. In his early test with the
ievil he quietly quoted Scripture and
presented logical arguments; on the
yea with the storm threatening to
send the boat to the bottom he ex-
libited the power Of quiet majesty;
With the mob rushing on him In the
garden he quietly says that he is the
me they are seeking: on the cross
lie prays for his crucifiers and talks
o John about his mother; and at the
very end what quietness is In the
words, Father, into thy hands COM
mend my spirit"
Tho VIII Must Act.
A mans intellect sometimes car
les him far asea on its tossing bill
sws. and he puts his hand to the
udder, which this text suggests. is
<udy. A mans heart or emotions may
AIRY him far. and he again resorts
o study. But now his will must act
he Thessalonian Christians were ex-
tied as to the coming of the Lord,
ut they ought to be quiet and as far
s any faculty that they possessed
1as concerned. they were compelled
o call upon 1t to act, and that faculty
,as the will. To be quiet requires eff
ort just as in the time OF sorest be-
pavement when we are disconsolate,
nd some friend says: You must con-
rol yourself; you must make an ef-
ort" Solomon tells US that the man
rho rules his spirit is better than he
tho takes q city. Storms will over
AXE JUS. but at all hazards we must
y to be quiet and await the issue.
/ men will not meet this Injunction as
comes from religious teachers, they
lay have to meet It as 1t comes from
pine awful disaster as that which re-
emily overlook the great ocean steam
+, the Titanic. The same was true at
t. Pierre. at Messina, and in the
on the Pacific coast a few
ears ago. At such times men stop
nd say: Maybe there is God, any
ay. We are going to study these
,ings." How fortunate is the. man