Evening journal., 1913-07-30
Christian Endeaver
REV. THOMAS P. HOLLOWAY.
TOPIC FOR AUGUST >.
The Ideal Christian. 8. His Persever.
ance. (consecration Meeting)
Hebrews g: Io-7o.

The ideal Christian is like Mount Nc
kinley and the Matterhorn among the
mountains, like the Mississippi and the
Amazon among rivers, and like the poet
among rbymsters-very rare and very
inspiring. In fact there has been but
one absolutely ideal Christian. This is
Christ, Himself But while Christian
perfection in its length, breadth,
heighth, and depth is unattainable in
this present evil world, and he who
claims it advertises himself a liar ac-
cording to the Scriptural statement, it
has been and may be sublimely ap-
proXimated. There have been and Will
yet be those 10 whom the Divine Judge
has said OF will say: "Well done, good
and faithful servants, enter thou into
the JOY Of thy Lord The solemn in
junction is TO be perfect even as your
Father in Heaven is perfect
So il is wholesome TO leave the ma
larial flats where the spiritless nominal
Christian lives in the untidy and ugly
shacks of the spiritually commonplace,
and ascend the dominating uplands Of
commendable Christian endeavor, to con-
slider the material that is used in the
erection Of stately soul mansions. the
gold silver and precious stones Of
Christly character.
Perseverance in the particular charac-
teristic Of the ideal Christian TO be con-
sidered in the appropriate Scripture Sc
leoted The perseverance Of the saints
is a noble doctrine of the Church, but,
alas. a doctrine more eloquently dis
cussed than consistently practiced.
Christian perseverance is spiritual mo-
mentum constantly maintained by the
energy of the Holy Spirit. To have it
Is "to press on toward the prize for the
high calling Of God in Christ Jesus" To
lack 1t is to become weary in well doing,
TO faint by the way, to become treason
able 10 Him. Who has called MS TO work
while il is day. The persevering and
the non -persevering Christian are as
unhomologous as a man and q iellvfsh.
The supreme incentive 10 Christian
perseverance is the integrity of God,
who bids MS to be faithful unto the
end. Verse 10 Of our lesson declares
that God is not unrighteous to forget
your work and vour labor of love" Ac-
cording to this IL is unrghteous 10 for
get 10 reward faithful and loving ser
vice. A good deal of so-called forgetful-
ness of worth Is not due to a deficient
IitNINiNs DuN W iNNi1l NNiilNliNs Dll
such charge cannot be rightly
brought against God "For God is
faithful. by whom We we're called unto
the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ
our Lord" I Cor Is Because God
is what He is we ought to continue to
do what He would have us do
Perseverance Involves % Stand
ing fast in the Lord. Phil. Al. (2)
Holding fast to that which the soul
has proved to be good Not stubborn
adherance TO improved tradition or un-
reasoning prejudice. but constancy in
loyalty to truth, Thess. 5:21; Heb
2:1. (3) Heroic soldierly endurance
forced marches, standing under fire
marching under sealed orders. Tim
2:3. (N Being faithful unto death
Rev 2:10.
The source OF spiritual persever-
ance is Cod Il give unto them eterna
like; and they shall never perish
neither shall any man pluck them on
Of my hand" II is bestowed through
hope. and not mere emotional stimu
lus Verses is. 10. 20 Of the lesson
( Perseverance drinks OF the perpetua
springs Of deep conviction that flow