El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-06-30

Il buffet my body and bring 1t into
bOndage."-I. Cor, 9;27.
- ONE years ago ny attention wa.
called in an art gallery in Chi
- cago TO a piece Of statuary that
impressed me most deeply 1t repre-
scented = struggle between a man and
a beast The man was on top, having
succeeded, apparently after a great
struggle, in getting the beast under
his feet
I do not know what the sculptor
had in mind. but to me his creation
was fine illustration Of the theme.
Body Under. Soul on Top" The body
was never intended to be master. 1t
is a necessary and very useful ser
want. but as a master. t exercises a
most beastly tyranny over the soul.
In recognition OF this fact, st. Paul
wrote: I buffet my body and bring
II into bondage. lest by any means,
after that ! have preached to others,
1 myself should be rejected"
The body has a number Of natural
appetltes necessary to its life. These
appeutes must be held under control
No sane person would think Of open
1t TO run off without control such
an act could have only one ending,
disaster. It is just as irrational and
more disastrous TO fail to hold at all
times in perfect control this wonder
full mechanism of ours we call the
body
Life Begins With a Handicap.
Unfortunately we begin life with
more or less Of a handicap We have
inherited weaknesses and natures
with perverted inclinations. We have
to overcome habits contracted in the
years of our ignorance. The environ
ment in city as large as FL Paso
makes IL impossible TO live an up
right. wholesome life without a posi-
tive and energetic effort to overcome
evil suggestions. If we yield to an
inherited weakness, continue in a
habit discovered to be harmful, or
offer no resistance to the allurements
OF an evil environment, the body will
assume the mastery of our lives and
bring US to certain destruction.
Paul saw in the mastery OF the body
the defeat This highest and hottest
ambitions. Lest after have preached
TO others, myself should be re-
jected."
If he had yielded to temptation and
led double life. he would have been
rejected first OF all before the bar of
his own conscience. Eva n though his
sin had remained undiscovered by his
fellow men, every time he dragged
the depths Of his inner being, there
would arise the self-imposed judg-
ment: 1 am not right. am not
straight I am unworthy.
But selfcOndemnation is not the
end o< the matter. St John says: IF
our heart Condemn US, God is greater
than our heart, and knoweth all
things" Paul. also, had very clear
ideas on this matter. He wrote that
each one Of shall give account Of him
self to God. He believed there is 4
day coming when God shall Judge the
secrets OF men; that God is not
for whatsoever a man
soweth, that also shall he reap" He
was not hay, therefore. as to the
final outcome of life of sin There
would be the shame of exposure, self
condemnation and rejection by God.
who would, in the very nature of
things, have to cast him away as IN
serYiceable.
Avoiding the Rocks.
The fear OF punishment, however,
was not the only anchor that kept St
Paul from driving onto the rocks and
making & wreck of his life. The
safest place for a ship in a storm Is
out in the deep waters Paul sailed
on the deep sea of a masterful pur-
pose. He could keep far from the
rocks so long as he was able to say:
L press on toward the goal unto the