Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1915-05-02
Creature OF CIRCUMSTANCES.

Creature of circumstances.
But saul was swayed by circum-
| stance and cnvironmcmnt. Under
certain surroundings he was capable
/ of dastardly wickednCss, while under
| others he rose to heights of righteous
performance and reverent devotion.
! I'm some respects he was not only not
/ n had man. but an sdmirablo char
actcr, though lacking in spiritual con-
, troll of his life He was brave man
Iand a genuine patriot When he was
under good influences he was a good
man. and was always open to con
viction. and quick to repent OF
wrong. Lots of people are that way
now. but only settled convictions OF
good and evil are productive Of stable
/ chara aCter Whenever saul got 10
thinking about himself and broodlns
over fanCied wrongs-all the time ms
conscience reminding him that ne had
brought all these adversities on him
self bv his own wiful disobedience-
then all that was unholy and wicked
! in the man came to the surface.
! There is no surer way of0 rushing
headlong to perdition than by a
| habitual dwelling on matters OF selt,
our chances of advancing at the eX-
pense of others, or brOoding over our
/ failure to get all the good We think
is coming to us Selfishness is bar
to all spiritual growth, and If it, were
not for the mercy of God we would
get what is coming TO us in way
we wouldn't like. We have all seen
ueoplo capable Of noble aspirations
| and brilliant deeds when associated
with people of high ideals, yet losing
self-control completely under the in
fluence of jealousy or aVarice and
capable of the most unspeakable
meanness. Whenever the interests or
passions or self loom up so big as to
hide from our minds eye loving
and all-powerful Father we are ca
pable of any crime, even 20 murder.
This does not mean some people that
YOU think are not In your class, but
il means YOU. Not one or usols any
better than Saul only INSOFAR a. our
Ilife's purposes are directed and con-
trolIcd by the love Of God and
obedience to his law. Solomon says,
Jealousy is cruel as the grave, the
flashes thereof as flashes Of vehement
fire
The Germs of Murder.
The sin Of jealousy, with its de-
plorablc consequences, dates back TO
the second generation of the race,
when Cain murdered Abel because his
brother was the nearer to Gods favor.
jealousy Is tue ldlutI Ol lllul utIs II
is often small in its beginnings ana
looks like legitimate rivalry The
only legitimate rivalry is to excel by
Iyour own worthincss. not to climb up
by pulling others down. Jealousy
prompted the chief priests to sbring
about the crucifiXion of the Savior.
People are often hated because their
Righteousness makes the sinfulness of
others appear more odious by con-
trast Just as the evident high stand
ing of David with Israel and with
ISraers God made Saul the more de-
termined to put him out Of the way,
lit is q very easy thing for us to be
Jealous Of someone who is more pop
ular than we are, and It really seems
a natural and rather innocent thing
for us to feel so. We laugh at the
natural jealousies of little children,
yet here is in embryo the germ of
murder. II is a thing to be diligently
guarded against, for the smallest
speck Of jealousy is the seed which
under favorable circumstances Is
capable of producing the worst OF
sins. Saul began by envy of David E
deserved popularity, and ended by
plotting his murder Yet Saul at the
start was an unusually fine specimen
of manhood, the pride OF the nation
and Gods choice for the kingship
But he could not endure TO have any
one better thought of than himself
He nursed this feeling, at first an un-
defined fear, later a jealous hatred