River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-01-29

w M of good report; if
l2ASI0R RQSSELLl there be any vir-
tue, and if there
be any praise. think on these things"
philippians 49, He said
More and more we are learning the
power of the will LAS a man think
eth in his heart SO is he' The heart
represents the real man. whom we are
not always able to properly recognize,
weigh and value. God looks upon the
heart, and each man should carefully
scrutinize his own heart-especially all
who desire to be pleasing in Gods
sight But the Apostle uses the word
think as representing another process
of the mind, the will. We must do
some thinking in order to will proper
ly, wisely. AS a man thinketh, he will
gradually come to do. because the
mind, the thoughts, give us our ideals
for the activities of life. just as the
architects drawings give ideals in re-
spect to the construction of a house
The man who does no thinking has
not properly begun to live. The man
who thinks upon wrong things. who
has set before his mind wrong ideals,
is worse off than the man who has no
ideals. We must admit the truth of
the Apostles proposition that we should
think upon the good. the honorable,
the just, the pure. the true. the loving
things. if we would have our lives
just, loving. true, noble. pure, lovely
and lOvable.
| have chosen this subject. not be-
cause believe that this congregation
is devoid of good ideals. but because
we are apt to let slip some of those
noble ideals which we set before our
minds and which God has set before
us through the words of Jesus and the
Apostles and others of His servants.
We need to set our affections on that
which is just noble. true and good
the Heavenly things of Divine APP
prevail; and as they slip away to
earthly ideals, we are to set them
afresh. The opening of a new year is
time especially favorable for reset
ting our heart affections upon things
that are just noble. pure lovely. the
time for calling to our aid all the will
power and resolutions which we can
command. Thus we make character.
Moreover. we are all preaching, by
our words in public and in private,
and by our actions. Our neighbors
and our friends are Influenced more
by our actions than by our words if
the two are in conflict. AS Gods peo-
pie we are all to be ministers of the
Truth. ambassadors for God. to show
forth His praises as we have Opportu-
nifty. Our ordination our authorize
ton. is of God through the Holy
Spirit. Whoever has received that has
a Divine authority to preach. which is
the highest. the only authority.
The Worlds Purity Congress.
In November last | received appoint
ment as a delegate to the Worlds Pur-
ity Congress, which met in Minneap-
oils. November 7th to 18th. Although
| hesitated because of pressure upon
my time. / was afterward glad of the
experiences gained. There l made the
acquaintance of some noble men and
women who. so far as could judge,
are laying down their lives in fighting
against sin. impurity. wrong. and to
uplift humanity. Nearly all seemed to
be having considerable fight against
the powers of darkness in their va
rious fields Of activity: and all seemed
earnest, jealous, courageous and hope
full. Some labored as followers of
Christ: others labored apparently
merely from a humanitarian stand
point But. reflected. the Lord de-
clared that there are but two masters:
so | said to myself. As between God
and mammon. these dear people seem
to be seeking to serve God and to fight
against mammon. against sin. against
vice. They are on the Lords side,
whether they realize it or not.
You will be interested respecting the
scope of that Congress. and the va
rious fields of activity of the workers.
The Congress did not discuss evils
merely. but rather the good. and what
must be accomplished in order to have
the good prevail ! was pleased to
notice that even when they discussed
the immora, characters whose work
they seek to overthrow. there was a
proper spirit OF moderation and an ap
preciation of what | have for years
been trying to present: namely. that
apparently much of the sin and vice
in the world results from ignorance
and superstition. and should not be ac-
credited wholly to devilishneSs of in
tention. Nevertheless. we must all
agree that whatever the inspiring mo-
tives. there are people whose vicious
conduct can scarcely be characterized
as other than wicked. sensual. devil
ish; and the Apostle Jude is our au-
thority for using these terms.
The welfare of children was careful
~ discussed. 1t was demonstrated
that in the families of the very poor.
ideals of chastity are unknown. These
children possess knowledge of sex mat
7 tiers beyond their wears: and mingIing