The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1915-06-12
OWNING ONES SELF
No Man Can Do That Who Has Not
Surrendered Himself to the Per-
feet Master.

Inc mar VINO owns n1mSelt is the
worlds true ~nobleman, but it is not
every one who can count himself as
his own possession. The Lord met
with some men and women whose con-
dition is described in the suggestive
words, possessed by an evil spirit"
The whole secret Of their misery was
that they did not own themselves; they
had become the property and slaves
of a power foreign to themselves. and
their master was of an evil, vicious
nature.
There can be no question that such
cases of possession" exist today.
Some are slaves to their vices; they
are possessed by. their own passions.
A drunkard may resolve against his
thirst, but even a faint odor of liquor
skaters his resolution. He is under
a tyranny that he cannot break. Es-
pecially is it true of him that she an
not call his soul his own" Every
one who INDUCES his appetites sur
renders himself to a master that will
override his reason, his will, his con
science. He becomes the slave of the
most unreasonable tyrant-sin.
The very opposite of such a mar is
the one we call "self-possessed." He
is never thrown into a panic; he re-
strains with a firm hand the lower
inclinations and emotions. He keeps
every power in its proper place and
order. He gives the impression of re-
serve power. Yet the "self-possess-
ed" man is not always the mar who
owns himself in the highest sense.
Men Slaves of Wealth.
Ca,aaA ,ao,o aro -1o1ro- - 4L1,, ,ro-1l
ly possessions. 1t is said of some rich
mar that he has mills and capital
amounting to so many thousands or
millions, when it might be nearer the
truth to say that the mills and the
millions have him. He is not their
master-he is their slave. They drive
him harder and give him less peace
and rest than any captive found in the
slave galley. He cannot say what he
would like to say, or DO what he
would like to do, until he has con-
suited them to see whether there will
be any conflict with their interests.
The condition of the man who is the
slave to his possessions is almost as
pitiful as if he were a slave to his
passions.
The only way to own ourselves is
to surrender ourselves to the perfect
master. Whoever makes self the goal
of all his efforts thereby defeats his
own ends and ceases to possess him
self. He that would save his life al
ways loses it, and he that would lose
his life for Christ's sake will find it.
If we give ourselves to him, he gives
us back to ourselves, ennobled and
purified.
Most Enduring Possession.
Such a possession Of ourselves is
the best possession because it is the
most enduring. The only property
which cannot be taken away from US
is that which has become a part of
US. Fire and earthquake may destroy
our buildings, a financial panic may
sweep away wealth, and at last death
comes and the grip of our fingers up
on every earthly thing is broken, but
the graces we have developed and the
ideals we have created are beyond the
remove from our possession. Them
we are we take with US, even through
the dark valley of the shadow.
The man who owns only those
things which the world calls wealth
lluSI view Will dIdIlu Cu6 lOSS VI
some of the factors of his wealth.
But if he has vaults that are filled
with sacks of bullion he is not much
concerned about the loss of a few
dollars. The merchant whose ware
houses are stored with goods is not
distressed if the transactions of a day
or two should be Improbable. The
man who has the better and enduring
possession of himself, because his
Lord has changed his nature and CIV
en- him back to himself, can look very
quietly on the going of all that can
be taken from him, and can submit
cheerfully to all the ills that flesh is
heir to, because he can fall back on
the wealth within and knows that
nothing can touch that.-United Pres
byterian.