Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-10-17

poHb viii Keep tcIupthtiou AWAY E"Noh
knows no fear. for he even da'ed to
tempt Christ. Moreover. these trials
are to be looked upon as a part OF our
education. st. James says We are TO
count 1t n Joy when they come. for
they are proof that the devil thinks
we are Gods children and SO he seeks
10 rob God of His heritage. / have
often pondered upon those lines OF the
old hymn:
Did l meet no trials here.
No temptations by the way,
Might not, with reason, fear
should be castaway?"
TRIALS ARE PROOF
OF THE LOVE OF GOD
How God must love YOU" said
thnlster TO ono OF his afflicted people!
Trials are IA proof of HIS love. and
whom He loveth lie chasteneth." It is
hard 20 understand that. especially In
tIeEe days when chastisement OF young
children Is deemed quite out OF date.
The parent who uses the rod Is con-
s!dered cruel. and as result children
to-day are not we'll brought UP as
OF old. II the parent is In the place
OF God to his children then he must
realize that trials. temptations. puniHh-
nlent even, when IL Is needed, are meant
20 educate and give character. for char
nc,er is formed not by sof,ness and In
diligence. but BY denial and sometimes
by hard experience. Life Ia not a play
ground. though God graciously gives US
much OF happiness; Il is a battle,
school. education. The parents should
work with God in bringing UP their
children, and teach them obedience,
honesty. courage, religion.
We notice that st. Pauls weapons are
both offensive and defensive. We are
TO attack tho enemy as we'll defend
ourselves against his attacks Both
hands are to be used-the RICH, hand
to attack. the left hand TO protect. OF
old. when warfare was not wholesale
murder as IL is to-day. but hand to-
hand conflict, the shield was carried
on the left arm and the sword was held
in The right hand. So 1t must be in
this spiritual combat. II only meet
temptation when II comes, am not
gaining any ground. Christ went into
the wilderness TO have II out with the
devil. love that first act OF our Lords
ministry. for IL was so brave, so deter
mined. so divinely human and so hu-
manly divine.
SHOULD NOT THROW OURSELVES
wILFULLY INTO TEMPTATION
The Master would defy Satan on his
own ground and prove 10 him at once
that He was the superior. To-day the
strong and victorious man is he who.
like David. goes out In the Lords name
TO defy evil and cast It down. This does
not mean that are 20 throw our
selves wilfully and carelessly into
temptation, for the Lords Prayer
teaches US that We must ask deliver
ance from trials which may be too hard
for us. Lead us not into temptation"
lis interpreted by st. Paul Il. Cor. <.
49, Cod is faithful. who Will not
suffer you TO be tempted above that
ye are able, but will with the tempta-
ton also make a way TO escape that
We may be able TO bear IT," The only
excuse for a mans putting himself In
the path Of evil is his endeavor to de-
stroy the evil or to rescue another man.
II know poor man who Is weak. and
whom I long to save, is in saloon,
am justified in entering the saloon and
trying TO bring him out. But I have
no right to go into n saloon just to
show how strong I am. I am justified
in my entrance into dark and bad
places II my purpose Is to rescue the
unfortunates. but If / go simply to see
the evil am endangering myself will
fully and needlessly. and I may fail
because Of my blindness.
How virile are Gods weapons. and
how fine their application! Truth grit
about the loins-that means that Gods
truth must be about me as go on my
way. To grid the loins in olden times
meant to bind the body so that there
would be no impeachment in running
l.
all its fullness that we may run the
way of life with assurance.
VALUE OF A CHARACTER WHICH
HAS NOTHING TO CONCEAL
Righteousness as a breastplate-that
means character that has nothing to
hide. upright, sincere. having nothing
to conceal. nothing of which to be
ashamed In the presence OF others
How splendid the look OF the eye and
the clear countenance of a. man when
he is pure within and without! Feet
shod with the gospel-that recalls
isaiah's words iii, y: How beautiful
upon the mountains are the feet OF
him that bringeth good tidinrs. that
publisheth peace" All. the man who
tries to tell the gospel story to save
men has a wonderful power over tenn
tation. The shield of falkland the
man cries. 81 know whom ] have be-
lieved." The helmet OF salvation-and
he cries, Christ has saved me by His
precious blood" The sword OF tho
Spirit-"and the tempted man, like his
Master. cries. it is written in Gods
Book" And then he praya unceasinr
~, that is he communes with God: no
listens to Gods voice and he pours out
his soul to Him who loves to hear His
children speak.
GOD PROVIDES HELP
FOR THOSE UNDER TRIAL,