Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-06-16

phase of life, is composed or different
clements. The cloud of witnesses
that the writer to the Hebrews had
In his mind was composed of such
nlenaof faith as Abel, Enoch, Moan,
Abraham, Isaac, jacob, Joseph and
Moses. Men who had wrought great
work, they looked down from heaven
upon their successes to see what kind
of race they would run. You are
surrounded by witnesses who are in
terested in you, and who this very
night are wishing you well and God
speed. There are your parents, your
brothers and sisters, your friends and
schoolmates, your associates and
neighbors, your teachers, and others
who hope and pray that you will make
successful race in life and reach the
goal safely.
1T is partly because of their we'll
wishing for you, their cooperation
with you and interest in you, the hon.
or and respect in which they hold
YOU, that you come up to the mark
with confidence in your ability to run,
with a hopeful spirit and with assur-
ance They are witnessing your every
effort towards success; every new en-
terprise in which you are engaged will
be. known to them; every advance to-
wards the goal and every step up
wards towards the highest possible
success is source of joy to them be-
cause they are loving you, helping you
and wishing you the best of every
thing. If we thought for moment
that this cloud of witnesses was an
imaginary thing, something unreal,
perhaps we would not feel like doing
the best we were capable OF doing.
What would be the use of striving to-
wards the goal, If no one knew or no
one cared what we were doing2 But
for the sake of our parents, for the
honor of our family, for the pleasure
OF our friends, for the glory of those
who are witnessing us, we are re-
solved to win.
This, then, is the first condition CT
the race, that we are surrounded with
great cloud of witnesses and must
therefore do our very best.
"The second condition is that we
mustSlay aside every weight and the
sin that doth so easily beset u.s. The
figure of the lightly-clad runner is
taken from the Greek games, where
the contestants removed all that was
superfuous and would hinder their
progress. You will find that in your
going ahead much depends on what
burdens you are carrying. Progress
is slow when one is carrying heavy
weights. There is no joy in running
such a race. If only man can be freed
from these hindrances, how lightly
would he rum Let us look a little
closer at these so-called weights" and
the "sin that doth so easily beset
US" There is one young fellow
who is weighted down with worry.
Gle is anxious about the future,
fearing that there are some unknown
dangers ahead of him and fretting day
by day, for fear they will come upon
him unawares. He is sure to make a
poor kind of a race until he can cast
overheard the bugbear of fear. dis
placing it with faith
There is some other individual who
is oppressed by the burden of grief
and sorrow so that life has lost its
charm and there is no Zest in the
quest for the prize. That sad heart
must find peace and consolation, so
that the weight of anguish shall be re-
moved. as life once more is full OF
promise and hope and joy.
.Then there is the besetting sin.