Evening journal., 1916-02-05

petals OF the rose. so fraud lprks be-
hind society's smile and the suave
promises of get rich quick" finance.
Still another element in this con-
ilict was covetousness. This had been
fostered in Jacobs heart from early
youth, and nourished and entrenched
by prosperity. il now deemed itself
invincible. He wk& is compelled to
battle with such foes as this within
his heart, need not imagine the mas
terry is TO be easily won. And what
makes it still more difficult, is the
fact that sins like these are not apt
TO be reckoned among the more
serious vices. While others tend
toward poverty and disaster. this one
often brings success and honor.
Yet oovetousness is designated in
Scripture as idolatry. and classed
with the basest and blacklist sins
eminently it is prevalent in our day.
Its virus is insidious and universal.
so paralyzes public opinion that many
who are bold in combating other
evils, are strangely silent regarding
this. Who has not felt the striyings
of such impulses in his own heart?
Like Paul, he has delighted in the
law of God in the inward man, but
has found a different law in his mem
bers bringing him into captivity to
sin.
BY a seeming paradox, Jacob was
battling against himself, while the
angel was striving for his good If
he won in the combat against the
heavenly friend, he would really lose;
and only by defeat could he truly
triumph. The element in his charac-
ter that had been ascendant and
| brought his past successes. if al
lowed continuance, would not only
mean present disaster but also fu-
ture loss of those higher blessings
that God was anxious to bestow.
| This wrestling is the same old COM
bat which has been waged since crea-
tion's dawn between the higher and
the lower self in every soul. Evil
may assume one shape in one per-
son and a different form in another.
but by all alike, the battle must be
fought. And the time comes, too,
when the conflict, though drawn out
for months. or years, must reach a
crisis. Each soul has its Jabbok's
Ford. The old nature within us dies
hard. Grateful indeed would we be
for the persistence Of Gods Spirit,
that He continues to strive with us
until the dawn Had he left US TO
our own devices, we would have rush
ed blindly 10 our destruction FIRE.
quently some one comes to me in deep
anxiety, fearing lest the Holy Spirit
mas left him, and he has committed
the objectionable sin. I always reply
III you fear that you have committed
1t, il is certain you have not" The
deepest concern should be when
thore is no concern.
Let us now note the most import
ant and vital point OF all:-how the
victory was won The angel had to
bring Jacob to the place OF absolute
helplessness and dependence. "He
touched the hollow Of his thigh; and
the hollow of Jacobs thigh was
strained as he 'wrestled with him.
AS long as the patriarch struggled in
his own strength, there was no bless
ing. His natural powers had to be
brought to naught. And now he
clings to the angel not in combat, but
for mercy. Except We be converted
and become as little children, We shall
in no wise enter the kingdom OF
heaven" The world says. "Be a
man; assert your importance and
precedence" but God says, "Be a
child"
II is just at this point that so many
especially men, find difficulty in be.
ginning the Christ life. They have
been accustomed in other things tc
rely upon themselves, and as a rule
the most self-reliant has been the
most successful. But you cannot dc
this way when you deal with God
Like a man drowning, as long as he
thrashes about, trying to save him.
self. the rescuer can bring him nc
help. IF he tried. the result would b,
that both would perish. The helper
has to wait until the drowning ar
gives up and then the strong swim.
mer tows him to shore, Spiritua
success comes in submission to God
salvation follows surrender.
Let me pause at this point to ash
you persOnally-have you beer
brought to the Ford Of Jabbolx
where the higher and the lower sell
in your own life have waged the de
cisive battle for the mastery? YoI
have been perhaps a professed Chris
tian and worked in the church foi
years, but more than once have tn,
old appetites and impulses ariseI
again at some unexpected time anC
brought you into bondage Whel
the children OF Israel came out o.
Egypt and were pressing on to tn,
full blessing OF Canaan, they wan
dered for forty years i'm the wilder
ness, sometimes gaining the advan
tage Of their enemies but not infre
quently experiencing defeat w,
. might not be warranted in sayinl
that Jabbok was the beginning Of ia
cob's spiritual life. At Bethel. YEAR
before. he had come TO know God an,
had entered into a covenant witt
Him. This latter experience doel
not correspond so much TO regenera
ton as to sanctification. "a is no
spiritual birth for salvation, but spir
itual conservation for power ant
service. There are many who hav,
become children OF God yet hav,
never become efficient servants o
Christ.
1t is interesting also to note hoy
the defeat OF Jacob creates within hi
heart a hunger for the higher life
There is often no supplication unit