The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1918-10-17

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climb out of our sinful debased selves
toward Him in whose image we were
originally created We stand on the
earth and reach up TO heaven There
is nothing in all the exercises Of our
manifold powers Of being comparable
to devout Christian worship There
lie nothing so clcvatinE and refining
and so richly beneficial 70 our en-
tire nature as is the simple, humble,
intelligent worship Of our Heavenly
Father Men have sought TO find an
answer to the hunger and cry Of their
souls in many ways. but all have fail
ed except as they have come TO God
in the way of prayer, praise and the
preaching OF the Gospel Nothing
earthly in body or mind in material
or mental satisfactions can supply the
bliss for which we sigh Our deep Of
soul calls loudly for high and holy
fellowship with the infinite and good
God and his immortality. The tides
Of reasoning and thought rise az the
touch Of devotion. The sacred song
the holy hush and tender plea Of
prayer and the feryent simple story
of hfe and salvation lift Us as moth.
ing else into highest heavens Of rap
turous JOY. The miserable lowlands
Of unbelef and Indifference afford
but temporary and rapidly passing
satisfaction. But we are told that
field and forest. river and ocean.
starry heavens and sunlit sky preach
enough and that man needs no more
Alas Alas but where are the devout
worshippers of Gods great out Of
doors? Where are the results Of
their devout worship? In vain we
look for the character made noble
and useful by such nature worship
Like beasts and birds we can live
amid the glory Of natures treasures,
but remain blind as they that learn
not worship. We are all too ready
to frame an excuse to avoid the real
face to face meeting with God in his
earthly sanctuary.
One has said The Lord is in His
Holy Tabernacl let all the earth
keep silent before him." and again II
was glad when they said unto me. let
us go into the house Of the Lord I"
and still. Il had rather be doorkeep-
er In the house Of the Lord than to
dwell in the tents Of wickedness "
Our bodies, our minds our souls find
no place on earth where they exper-
fence such heights of holy inspiration
and delight as in the multitudes that
throng the places Of devout worship
Nothing so impoverishes human
life as a prodigal neglect of attend
ance upon public worship. The ten
der and deep fellowships OF life and
the holy Inspirations Of our higher
selves is only possible when we at
tend well the soul school Of public
worship.
The services Of the sanctuary az
ford the greatest means Of growing
a really good character II this is
doubted you need only turn to the
pages of current information in the
world at this time. DO you know OF
a single greatly useful, happy and
successful man. who Is a blessing TO
the world, in a large way, who is not
an attendant upon public worship
when il is possible? Who are the out
standing men Of affairs that you
would trust with your highest inter
ests? Are they not good men and
true, whose lives give every encour-
agement to praise, prayer and preach
ing? IL It appears that In at Least a
large measure men of character are
friends Of Jesus and attend upon and
commend public worship is not our
proposition made outg oh yes from
age to age the good and true have
worshipped at Gods affairs and gath
cred humbly before Him who has
clothed them with fame and honor.
that even on earth is among the rich
est and the best. The very business
Of our lives Is the growing u good
character and missing that. we fail all
lngloriously.
II would be better not 10 have Iiv.
ed than to have failed u character,
Indeed, that Il Just the word Of Jesus,
He said that the man who would be.
tray Him had better not have been
harm. How shallow. how poor. Il
life bsrsfs u The sacred possession Of