The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1915-03-15

understood ana perverted bF the
majority. because they are not apir-
itually minded To many OF these
o. iH command. tho neglect Of
which would bring upon Them the
diHnpprobation % friends and the
Observance OF which would bring
them some fhvors from God OF some
relaxation from proper punishments
Tor their rinb-they know not cH-
hrtiy what
~ such pcrfunctorN fasting dis
pleasing 10 God and yhlueiens 90 the
Individual We give an Illustration.
Al acquaintance who pfofsssed 10
observe Lent was Instructed 90 drink
but one cup Of coffee daily lie
made some Kind 81 compromiae with
bis conscience by which he got his
usual amount Of coffee IN a bowl.
Apparently he thought that the
Lord would not notice the cheat. and
would reward him for such hypo-
critical fasting.
Nothing H. more coutemptible IN
the l3rd'A sight than "a hYpocrite.
Honesty Is the one quality which all
who would be pleasing 20 God must
possess. no matter how weak or
fallen they may be by hercdlty. IN
Ills preaching Jesus condemned hy-
pocrihy perhaps as much a. ail other
sins together with every body the
first lesson should be h0neaty--nnt
merely Ia monetary affairs. but Ia
everything, including words and
thoughts.
Although nothing la the Bible sug-
s"Eis lsenien season. the Apostles
commend fasting. St Paul wrote.
Approving ourselves IA fastinRs
and again. I'm hastings often" q
Corinthians 60. 8. iit21.l Evidently
fasting ir In tho nature OF self-sac-
rifieo--a voluntary offering to God.
with view 60 greater efficiency In
Gods service OF TO greater control
over our imperfect mortal bodies ia
the Interests 81 our spiritual new
nature
Appropriate I~nt~n Thoughts.
Much may Do said IN favor 81 fast.
Ing during the Lsntrn season on
hygieuir grounds alone IL would be
of advantage. particularly TO the
Well-fed II during the EprinEtims
they would restrain themselves from
eating literally Of meats. sweets
ransemsntE. fevers and doctor bills
would be greatly lessened ~ this
course were pursued. This 10 tho
practical side Of the question. which
may have led 10 the custom.
The Christian. however. may ad-
vantAseousiy take a much deeper.
spiritual meaning out OF Lent He
risnce for the forty days preceding
Hts crueifirion. lilo may remomb er
that Just before liir crucifi.ion
Jesus Instituted tho Lords supper
and indicated the date ~ the proper
one for its annual communication
amongst His followers. as was tn.
custom in the early Church. lie
may also remember that all Jesus
followers covenant TO share His Cup
% suffering. Of ignominY. miEunder-
standing. Misrepresentation, Islander
abuse, death lie may remember
that a. this wns the special time Of
trial for Jesus. so ~ seems also to
have been from the very first a time
o. special trial. testing. sitting
amongst His followers.
An these conndera lions might
well move Gods true people 10 fast
during q period preceding tho ami
versafy 81 their Redeemers death.
In observing such restraint Of appc-
tito from a desire 20 draw espe-
cially near 10 God. they would Ger
tainly be contributing share to-
ward that end. In harmony with the
Scripturai declaration, Draw nigh
unto Me. and | viii draw nigh unto
you
We have no suggestion to offer
respecting the kind 81 food or the
quantity that should be eaten. There
are people IN such a physically weak
condition that Il would he absolutely
wrong for them to abstain from
such nourishments as they can as
simulate. Heart and head should
combine IN determining this matter
OF fasting
Daniel tho Prophet tells as that
for three whole weeks he ate no
pleasant bread" while he especially
sought the Lord in prayer respecting
matters which porpleSod him ENt-
IDENTIFY he confined himself strictly
Co the things absolutely needed for
the maintenance OF mental and
physical strength. lie ate nothing
superabundantiy. to clog his system
TO make him sluggish in mind and
body. and 20 incRpocltRte him for
his routine work and for his special
PRAYERS for wisdom We can take
q good lesson from this Scriptural
example
Jesus did not teach His disciples
10 fast This does not mean. how
ever. that they lived eumptuously.
for on two occasions after Jesus had
miraculously fed a multitude on
plain bread and fish. lie directed
His disciples to gather up the frag-
ments. and these they carried with
them Rs their own food supply for
many days. This was practically
fasting Jesus declared that the
DAYS would come when lie would
be gone. and lie said, In those days
they shall fast" Matthew A.i4.l5D
The days Of fasting began as soon
as the Lord was crucified, and have
continued ever since. whether out
vardly or known only to their own
hearts All Hts followers have prBc-
ticed fasting, self-denial; else surely
they would not have progressed in
spirituality.
The Christians Perpetual Fast.
II IS mistake to suppose that
fasting applies merely TO food. In It's
hruadest sense. IL signifies self
dcnial--dcnial of the desires OF the
flesh, TO the intent that the spirit
ual nature may he strengthened.
The Apostle clearly shows this I'm
hts suggestion that husbands and
wives occasionally live apart, that
they may give themselves the more
thoroughly To prayer and tho con
alteration Of spiritual things a
Corinthians 7.5l Tho true Chris
tipn really lives q ne Of daily self
denial tic remembers the Apostles
words. or Nr live after the flesh.