The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1918-08-09

H aN istry OF the Gospel.
The self-denlal of which the Mas
ter speaks In the text is not to be
thought of as an impulsive act, or as
q spasm of self-forgetfulness, but rath.
er as a habit of life. The self-denlal
to which he refers is more than I'M
selflshness in meeting emergent de-
mands. 1t is more than liberallty in
times Of special public need; 1t is In
reality matter Of daily practice. The
Master no doubt places special empha-
sis upon "daily" when he says, "If any
man will come after me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross daily,
and follow me-" A Self-denial which
is less than a fixed principle Of life
and less than daily practice cannot
usher a man into the comradeship Of
Christ In service. If ever we follow
him truly 1t is in the way which he
here describes.
In the day of our nations glory and
power, with the doors of Christian op-
portunlty wide open In every land. we
have failed to enter fully into the
Masters plan for his world. Christ
has been too largely shut out of the
life Of the American people through
a gradual yielding to the subtle temp
tations OF great prosperity. We have
accepted with indifference his great
commission and have put forth but
meager effort to evangellze the ma
tons. The love of luxury and ease
has produced such softness and self
Indulgence In the churches Of Amer
ica as renders difficult the response
to challenge which demands heroic
self-denial and self-abnegating service.
The American people have, however.
been brought by the exigencies Of war
to the practice Of self-denial, self-sac-
rl6ce and liberality in giving to an ex-
tent unprecedented in our history.
Splendid has been the response to the
nations call for men and money. Both
are being offered without stint. The
moving of the American heart in pity
for human suffering, and the new eval-
uation of physical strength and moral
power, have led the American people
to pour out their wealth In order to
feed the hungry, heal the suffering.
comfort the Borrowing, and to equip
and protect our soldiers In both moral
and physical efficiency. In the awful
school of war we are learning lessons
of great moral value.
The peril is that after the war we
may lapse again into the softness and
needless self-lndulgence Of other days.
Weary of self-restraint and self-denial,
1t will be easy to rush again to the
frlvolities and pleasures Of the world
and to the luxurious living to which
the American people have become so
accustomed.
In such a return to selnshness, self
indulgence and seIf-love, there are I'M
mInent perils to our nation and to the
cause Of Christ. Against such a peril
our people must be protected. This
can best be done by keeping before
them the Masters great world-pro-
gram: The enterprise of foreign mis-
sions 1t alone Of all human enter
prises carries the full moral equlva-
lent Of war. It alone makes Ike ap-
peal to that Of war-to love, to 10y
atty, to courage and self-sacrifice. The
missionary enterprise alone presents
the utmost appeal OF love to God and
Of love to our fellow men. Il devel-
ops as no ether obligation or activity
the sense OF the Fatherhood of God
and the consciousness Of the brother
hood of man. II we would preserve In
the heart Of this nation the finest. tbs
noblest. the best products In human
character Of thls great war. We must
make Of America q great nissionsry
nation, fred with q passion for weird
wide service. 70 this end the churches
e Amsria must be held e Q vision
Of the Masters missionary program
for the world. They must Be led 10
zee that victory for the allies "a but
q partial victory and the Worldwide
peace which the allies demand bat
q temporary peace. unless We hold the
salient already driven into hsathen
darkness. and resoiuiely drive % to
fullest success in the foreign mission
enterprise. There is no possible basis
Of permanent world-peaee which does
not take account OF Christ and his
kingdom on earth.
Il IS Of supreme importance, there
fore. that we hear with new interest
and resolution the Masters challenge
to seif-denIal. Having learned In war
through love Of country the meaning
Of willing self-sacrihce. let us now
for love Of Christ learn the fun mean
Ing Of following him IN sacrifelal serv.