The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1915-03-23


when he tells US that for three whole
weeks he ate 10 pleasant bread, while
he especially sought the Lord in prayer
respecting matters which perplexed
him. In his official position he was
surrounded with the best the kingdom
provided. But he confined himself
strictly to the things which his system
absolutely needed for the maintenance
of mental and physical strength; hs
ate nothing simply for its good favor
he ate nothing superabundantly Il
clog his system, to make him sluggish
in mind and body, and to incapacitats
him for his routine work and, addition
ally, for his special prayers for wis
dom. We can all take a good lessor
from this Scriptural example.
Jesus did not teach His disciples t,
follow the custom Of fasting. TIL,
matter was remarked, some saying
John the Baptist and his disciples
fast" and the Pharisees, etc., fast
"but Jesus disciples fast not" In an
swer to the question, Why not? Jesus
replied that 1t was not the appropriate
! time. Instead Of a fast, they wer
having a feast The Bridegroom wal
with them. They knew no sorrow, ne
care. All their wants were provided
for; they were drinking at the Fountain
of Divine Truth and grace; they wer,
eating freely of the wonderful word
Of eternal life, and accordingly the.
did not fast, as others.
This does not mean, however, tina
they lived sumptuously; for we remem
Der that on two occasions, after Jesu
had fed multitude on plain brea'
and fish, miraculously increased, H
directed His disciples to gather up TIN
fragments; and these they carried wit
them as their own food supply 70
many days. This was a practical fast
ing. though not an outward one
Jesus declared that the days woul
come when the Bridegroom would b
gone; and He said, I'm those days the.
shall fast" Matthew 9:16) Thei
days of fasting and prayer began a
soon as the Lord was crucified, an
have continued ever since, whethe
outwardly observed in lenten fashion
or whether known only to themselve
In their own hearts. All the follower
Of Jesus have practised fasting. self
denial; else surely they would not hav
prospered in spirituality.
The Christians Perpetual Fast.
1t Is a mistake to suppose that fast
ing applies merely to food; 1t really az
plies to everything. In its broades
sense, it signifies self Northumberland o
the desires of the flesh, to the inten
that the spiritual nature may be tn
more thoroughly strengthened. TIL
Apostle clearly shows this In his sue
gestion that husbands and wives occa
sionally live apart, that they may Civ
themselves the more thoroughly t
prayer and the consideration Of spiri
tual things q Corinthians 7:b) Tn
true Christian viii really live life o
self-denial every day. He viii remem
Der the Apostles words, eff We live aft
or the flesh, We shall die; but II y
through the Spirit do mortify the de
sires of the flesh ye shall live" Sucl
modification Of the flesh, such self
deniaIs Of the various appetites or in
clinations of the flesh In the interes
Of the new nature, are all Hastings.
The ideal condition for Christians, O.
course, would be to maintain per
petual fast-to live always In SO alb
stemious a manner as would keep then
spiritually in the best condition an,
make them the most efficient In tn
Lords service. Where this highes
ideal seems impossible or unattainable
then the next thing in order would b
as close an approach to this as SEEM
possfble-not of Divine command, TO
there is none, but Of his own free WI
sacrificing himself, his fieshly appe
tites and propensities, in the interest O.
his own spiritual development and tina
Of his service of the Lord.
appear not unto men to fast" Gu
Lords instructions were that His fol
lowers should not make q show o
their fasting should not boast of thei
self-sacrifice and self-denials. Thos'
matters should be between God ant
themselves. Instead of making thei
countenances sad-looking and appear
ing to men to crave sympathy, the,
should contrariwise take special car
that none might notice outwardly-
washing their faces, amounting thei
heads and generally looking cheerful
happy. Indeed, the true Christian
who fasts in the proper manner and
with the proper sentiment. will no
need to feign happiness; for his portion
will be the Joy of the Lord, and eth,
peace of God, which passeth all un
Outstanding. will rule in his heart
The Scriptural proposition seems t.
be that the Lords people will fast, o.
practise self-restraint, along the line
of physical conditions. food, etc., il
order that they may feast along the
lines of spiritual conditions and re
freshments. The whole tenor of Scrip
ture Is to the effect that the follower.
Of Christ are spiritually advantaged by
allowing the mind of the Spirit, tn.
holy mind, the Holy Spirit of God, Il
rule In their mortal bodies-to the re
straining of their natural inclinations
tastes, preferences, appetites, which
the Scriptures declare are all vitiatet
more or less by heredity-by our shar,
In the alienation from God and tn,
curse, In which we share naturally.
st. Paul voices this sentiment in the
words, 'The flesh desires against the
Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh
and these are contrary the one to the
other. SO that We cannot do. the things
that We would" Thus, as the Bible
tells US, the Christian is continually al
warfare, not with carnal weapons, and
not with his neighbors or family, but
with himself-his new nature warning
good warfare against his old nature
In this conflict he is to come Off an
overcomer; and his victory will not be
complete until he is actually dead &C
cording to the flesh, until. as a New
Creature, he shall have experienced
the blessings Of the resurrection to the
perfection Of the spiritual nature.
Fsastins While Fasting.
The unregenerate might not unrea-
sonably gain the impression that II
this presentation be true, Christians
life would be a very unhappy one
continually battling with himself, con-
tinually watching, practising self-de-
NAL and striving against the natural
tendencies of sin. But such a conclu-
sion would be very erroneous; for real
ly the Christian alone has the true Sc
cret of happy life. Even the worldly
recognize the fact that they need to
practise self-restraint, and that whose
ever would SOW to the flesh and live