Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1917-03-28


YOU cannot solve q problem in simple
fractions. how can YOU teach complex
fractions? If you do not love God. II
YOU do not love His church: If you do
not love His people, you cannot help
someone else TO care for those
things. III YOU do not attend the ser
vices of the Lords house, 1t viii not
do very much good to urge your
friend to do SO.
Look for the marks of Jesus in
your hands and feet, for the print Of
the spear in your side, for the spirit
of the Master i'm your tongue. II you
can find the marks, then you can
take your friend by the hand and say
to him, my friend, / do not see the
marks of the crucifled One on you.
They ought 20 be there. Let Jesus
put His seal on your hands and feet
and lips and heart, and your words
will carry weight with them.
What's that? You don't like it
am not surprised. Examining ones self
is not nearly so interesting as per-
forming a similar operation on your
neighbor, but it is far better for you.
A thorough self-examination followed
with the pruning hook, would do US
more real good than six weeks of spe-
cial meetings.
1t is very easy to discern the faults
of the man across the street. In fact
we can see them with our eyes half
shut. He ought to be ashamed to go
around with such sins on his soul.
And we groan over him and hold up
our hands in holy horror, and In our
Pharisaical pride thank God that we
are not like him, when we ought to be
down on our knees praying for the
forgiveness of our own sins and that
we may set an example worthy OF I'M
itation for the brother whose faults
we deplore.
Now. it is often commendable to
weep over another, but weeping alone
will never heal a soul diseased or
purge away the sins of humanity.
Something more is necessary. Our
Lord wept over Jerusalem, wept for
the sins of. His people He also died
on the cross that sin might be de-
stroyed.
I am persuaded that the most po-
tent remedy for the healing of the
diseases of this old world, blackened
and disfigured with hatred, lying,
crime. and immortality, bearing on its
face the curse of Cain; the only thing
that will ever lift it up into the sun
light of love and truth and brotheri-
ness and Christlikeness-and unless
this is done the world is lost-is the
gospel of Jesus Christ exemplifed IN
the life of His people.
Precept is good, but example is bet
ter. Preaching is highly important,
but it is of more Importance that the
preacher exemplify his doctrines in
his own character.
Water never rises higher than the
fountain head. No man viii ever lift
his fellow-men to a higher plane than
that on which he himself dwells. No
minister will ever raise the spirltu-
! atty of his church above his own.
1t is useless to say to a man stuck
in the mire of evil: 'sThis is no place
for you Get up and wash and be
Clean" when your own garments are
reeking with the filth of iniquity. You
cannot pull your drowning brother out
of the surf when your own feet are
sinking in the sand. You cannot give
the E'bread of life" to a starving soul
when there is nothing but a stone in
your food basket. You cannot point
a lost soul toa the Lamb of God who
taketh away the sins of the world"
when your own feet are wandering on
the mountain of unrighteousness We
must first get right with God our
selves. Then we can help our neigh
bors.
Emerson said: sWhat you are
speaks so loudly that I cannot hear
what you say" Paul says: Thou
that preachest that a man should not
steal, dost thou steal? ?"
The influence of a noble, Christ-like
life is the most potent factor for good
that this world has ever known. A
Christian-the real thing-is the
strongest argument for Christianity
that can be found.
This is the testimony of young
man who was once IN great danger of
drifting off into skepticism and inf
deity, but who had found himself and
found his God: s"The memory of my
sanctifed father saved me and drew
me back from the pit into which had
well-nigh fallen. When I thought of
him, and of his God-hke life, l knew
there must be One who Himself is
truth and love"
Jesus was able to help humanity in
its search after light because he was
| light and in Him was no darkness at
all. He was able to give men life be-
cause He was life He was able to
kindle the fire of love in our cold
| hearts because He Himself was love.
Pope said: 'eThe proper study of
MANKIND IS man. Iruer WORDS were
never spoken, but have a conviction
! that the man we need to study most
is self
Examine yourselves" Are you In
the faith my brother, my sister? Do
you stand approved before God? Are
all your ways pleasing IN His sight?
Have you no faults that need correct
| ing, no sins to be put away?
/ determination will save us from
'self-deception. Many a man is bank
rupt but does not know it. Many a
man is a pauper IN Gods sight, yet
fancies he has a heavy bank account
| IN heaven Many a man thinks God
is with him when, In reality, Jehovah
/ is far from him. Samson deceived
/ himself and said: Il viii go out as
at other times" knowing not that
1 the Lord was departed from him"
Examine yourselves" Is Christ