Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-01-29
By W. t. williams.

Cd BtOubly tnaJ SdlNdbiOn H6dnI III bnC
main, the saving of man from him
self. II was good sermon, the very
best that the preacher could deliver
at the time-taking for granted that
all good men do their best with every
pportunity-and the audience SEEM
ed to enjoy 1t more than a little. We
confess that the energetic homily ap-
pealed to US in peculiar fashion,
and after giving the matter some
thought we are ready to say that the
man Of God was not far from the
Kingdom Of Right, IL not absolutely in
keeping with the nature of his mes
sage and modern psychology. At any
rate, we believe that he was so close
to 1t that his Interpretation is worthy
Of all acceptation. Then, let us say
that salvation means-the saving of
man from himself, or selishness.
When we look at the Perfect Man,
how well this explanation accords with
the spirit of His lifel How magnani-
nous He was in His dealings with His
fellowsi How unselfish He was in
all avenuesl How sympathetic He
was with the foibles Of His friendsl
How charitable He was with the evil
purposes of His enemiesl What in
sight He possessed And who knows
but that He was all this because He
emptied Himself, making Himself free
OF every trace of selfishness. He had
no care for His own estate, unconsci-
Gus, indeed, of His own well-being.
Truly it has been said of Him: GAL
though from the beginning He had the
nature of God He did not reckon His
equality with God a treasure to be
tightly grasped, Nay, He stripped
Himself of His glory, and took on
Him the nature Of a bondservant by
becoming a man like other men. And
being recognized as truly human, He
hrmbled Himself and even stopped to
die; yes. to die on cross" Could
one whit more be said Of any man?
And since we know that this was the
nature Of His life, is it not worth while
to face His fawless example?
As we follow His earthly career
step by step, we discover one thing
holding a very prominent position in
His teachings. He was not only full
Of truth, but he was also full of grace
He knaw man and the world so well
that He realized every moment that
bald truth was not enough to satisfy
the cravings of the soul. More than
that was necessary. Sympathy
fellow feeling--was essential. He was
aware Of the stern fact that the hu-
man kind could not live on truth alone
no more then than now. Man is a hu-
man being in every age as well as in
every cline, and in accordance with
the design of his creation, there is q
roomy corner in his soul into which
truth alone cannot enter. 1t is devoid
of that feeling of tolerance which *
indispensable for Inspiration and up
lift, and for this reason entrance il
cannot have. It is forbidden on tbs
threshold.
Failing to see these powers-trutl
and grace-in their proper proportion
Is the cause Of troubles untold. It il
t''e marrow of bigotry. 1t is the evi
that closes one of our eyes, and thil
being the case, It might as well max,
the other blind, because. to all intentl
and purposes, we have been mad,
worthless so far as beneficial fellow
ship Is concerned. Bigotry is the yer,
heart Of dissimulation, and it is borl
and bred In an atmosphere which il
loaded down with venom. It kills OF
all sides, and this, so far as we know
is the only evil\that the Perfect MAJ
feared. This was the only demon tina
disturbed Him.
This Is our condition when we mis-
trust, dread, and sit IN judgment ol
those with whom we have to do. Wha
can be more pernicious and destruc
tive7 Il Is liable to lead us headlon
into every channel of mischief. No
one Is closed to it. Mistrust seems t
have a mania at working iniquity an
making lie. It can swear that blac
Is white and that every good intentio
isa bad one without shame or compunC
tion. This Is the feeling that make
everybody that disagrees with us ou
enemy. This is the spirit that break
every community into factions. Thi
1t is that dulls our intuitions, tina
mysterious faculty through which W
see the right, binding us like slaves
the grinding wheel of caprice. Ca
we think Of anythi q more lament
able7 II spoils the chances Of man.
for It knows only how to blast ever
prospect.
II we dare believe what we HAY
thought, what we have observed, wh;
we have felt, what we have learne
we venture to affirm that this hs
brought about all our shams, falls
hoods, and failures. 1t is not only Il
root and breath of hypocrisy, but it
also the very cause of expediency.
is the reason that men and womt
have for allowing themselves to b
come expedient. And is not exped
ency the greatest enemy of truth,
growth? Is it not the pit from whi,
Il is hardly possible to escape? F,
when any one ceases to be loyal
what has been entrusted to his car
his convictions, he has become tot
Shall we ever know the number
prophets, parents, school teachers, et
tors, doctors, lawyers, storekeepe
that have been made minions by
from time to time? The person tn
refuses to have anything to do wi
his neighbor, whether he is a profe
sional man or laymen, because
fails to agree with him is an enen
Of all that is good. He wars again
our most sacred heritage-liberty.
undermines the only way of develo
ment, wanting his own wisdom to
substituted for the wisdom that pt
vades every nook of the universe.
men and women have a right to
true to the best that is in them wit
out fear, and unless they are they Q
worse than useless. Plain peol
with something to do, detest expe
sncy. The road should be clear to ;
With what has been said in mil
Is It any wonder that the Perfect M
taught in all solemnity: "Judge n
that you may not be judged?'
could see the calamities that would
fall person possessed with dispo
tion to carp, to find fault for the 50
Of II, as well as to his victims.
censorious human being is despica
beyond degree. He Is to be shunr
on all sides, because "the venom
vipers lies hidden behind his lip
Besides, keeping what has been st
ed In remembrance, is it any won
that Paul cried out in the agony
his noble soul: "You are theref
without excuse q man whoever