Norwich bulletin., 1919-10-21
OUTGOING LIFE YIELDS
 SECRET OF SALVATION

Continuing his sermons on the Con-
 victions of q Modern Man, the Rev.
 Alexander H. Abbott, pastor of the
 United church, preached on the topic
 Of salvation Sunday morning, using as
 $ general text the stes-y Of the rich
 young man, who came to Jesus. ask
 Ing the way to be saved.
 The question of salvation belongs to
 all races and religions; philosophers.
 kings, theologians artists. all have
 asked 1t because the question will not
 down. always there has been the deep
 human yearninS to find out that high
 est good Of life. The ancienss sought
 to solve it, each seeking the answer ac- cording to their own lights. Old me
 lieval habits and superstitions seem
 crude enough in this twentieth century,
 but underneath these habits was be- lief, and beneath that, a hope that somehow through these actual deeds, salvation might be the reward. The basic expectancy or the human heart Is that sometime, salvation shall be it's personal experience.
 50 this question Of the rich young man who had great possessions is the old. old human wish that we may be saved. The way of salvation IS often blocked by those individuals who be- lieve igi a consciously seif-ceEtered process Of character building. It is against this very sort Of self-certe-ed character, that Jesus aims one Of His most biting shafts, in the words, He that eaveth or (hoardeth) his life. shall icse is.' We know that the man whose idea of salvation is only self centered Of his own selT, is hoard ing. EXp perience teaches us that the accozn i.sE nlent Of salvation IS through a process Of indirection, only coming as a result of other things. Actually putting ones shoulder to tho wheels of life and just doing the normal things ia the finest human way as a sublime function, opens the meanings Of ChriSt.
 All the big experiences co-ne that justice, mercy or kindness in their fu- ture at first, but rather through a process Of indirection. The Know ledge Of Christ comes to person only when he has done Christian things; even so. is ti.e way of salvation. Add l we get this solution to the question; salvation is the substitution Of the sci; { life by the outgoing life.
 Salvation is never q place nor an 1 ished. It is a function or life that l gives cut repeatedly, instead Of a self ! existence God forgive us ] when We take our little characters into 1 ,uT own hands to hoard them. Sal- ] ration is only won by forgetting ! We gain things Of the spirA ] ,nly by forgetting. !
 When Jesus saved the race, he l -aunted not the fact that He was oe {! sod, but came to OUT earth and e1nptied i Himself of His glory Salvation is ! he result Of the fine frenzy Of self l abandonment, whenever that occurs lnGer any race or religion If any person has learned to give unstintedly tf himself, because he can't help it. hat person is entering into the ex- ,eFiepce Of salvation, which is nsva,r ea1ote. but always near us. We casl 70 through our days glad that God ias asked us to do what He Himself oes-to give, knowing that the ore- oiug Ifs instead of the self entered, ieics the secret
 Give. until you can not give any 1 acre, while God supplies something or you to give and then to those 7aon you tot,ch and to yourself, will one that life wnich is abundaat, as Ts cali it-Saiyationi