The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1916-03-03

means death. Sin promises you i'm
mediate pleasure, but in the end, II
means the worm that dieth not, and
the fire that is never quenched. Men
and women sin, because they are
blind to what seems afar off--to the
regret, shame. remorse, and hell that
sin finally brings. They have eyes
for only what is nearest, the imme-
date qualification.
The convetous man sees his grow
ing pile of gold, and not his lean, and
shriveled soul.
The drunkard sees his qualification
in his appetite, but not the drunk
ards grave, and hell beyond.
, The profligate sees immediate
qualification for his lusts, and the
hot hell beyond.
Short-sightedness is the mother of
sin. Men sin because they see only
that which is near.
Short-sightedness and worldlyness.
Worldlyness is only one form of sin,
and what I have said about sim ap-
plies to worldlyness. The reason for
such worldlyness is spiritual short
sightedness. The prizes that earth
offers are immediate, and obvious.
They engross mems attention. They
absorb their thoughts. They fill the
world of their desire. Heaven, the
smile of the Lord, his "well DONE"
seem SO far off, so remote. Money,
pleasure, fame, Danish them from the
mind. These things are near and to
them men, and women devote their
lives. They see only what is near.
But John says: "the world passeth
away, and the lusts thereof" Our
safety lies in the long look. Light
literature. The playhouse, the card
party, the dance. To many, these are
enjoyable, and they see no harm in
them.
What they need is the long look.
Down yonder is the soul fed on this
light food, and excitement. 1t is
emaciated, weak, lean, and shriveled.
The taste for higher, nobler, and
stronger things is dead. Staggering
in the great conflict with sin, it
finally goes down in stolid indiffer-
ence, and possibly defiance of the
Church.
Church life. Church members
are often unwilling to deny them
selves for the sake of Christ, and his
cause. They feel the tax on time,
and strength, and they feel the awful
indifference of the outside world.
What they need is the long look.
Down yonder is a mighty soul that
has been made strong by effort in the
greatest cause in the world. There
is the glorious feeling of the victor
who has won on hardly contested
field.
On attendance on Lords Day SER
vices men and women get tired, and
the home is SO comfortable. The
fire by winter and shade in summer.
Parks are so inviting. Such need
the long look. When they yield to
such temptations, down the way is a
soul chilled by the blasts of the
the world. and come into indiffen-
ence. If they yield not, they keep
the soul warm, and healthy by the
touch with life, and the hope of
others.
Let no one persuade you that the
thought of Heaven is the mark of an
impractical dreamer. Charles King
sley was one of the most pratical of
men, yet the thought of heaven oc-
cupied his mind daily. Paul was a
practical man, but he thought much
of "being absent from the body, and
being. present with the Lord" The
thought of heaven is the means by
which we emancipate ourselves from
slavery to the transient, and perish
ing. 9A.lt
Short-sightedness and despair. We
sometimes fall into dependency, and
something like despair in our service.
There come times to us all when we
feel like, Elijah under the juniper
tree. "ford let me die. for I have
labored for naught, and in vain"
What is the cause of this? Short
sightedness. We have only looked
at the things which are near. The
remedy for this hopelessness. and
despair, is the long look. my word
shall not return unto me void" our
God will bring it to pass. HE shall
see the travail of his soul and be
satisfied" ttf
IA We despair when we see only that
which is near. The sin, the vice.
and the callousness of men. Illustra-
ton, women working in the vice dis
trict who took her own life. Euro
pean war. God is going to work out