Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1919-12-30
A NelD Year Sermon
BY THos A. ANDERSON
tPastor FIRST Presbyterian Church,
These are the days Of old December,
Days we all should well remember

These are the days Of old December
Days we all should well remember
The word remember" is used In tn
scriptures OF the old and new testa
nlenfs more than one hundred time
in exhortation or command, rRemem
Der the Lord thy God" Remember
the Sabbath day." Remember the
words spoke unto Moses" .Remem.
Der now thy Creator in the days of thy
youth. Son remember. yes remem-
Der, remember. remember. Truly we
can not live without memory. AT least
we cannot be conscious that we are
living.
1t Is memory that enables us to
know ourselves. It links us to tho
past and enables us to say yesterday
or last year. we were in such place
and heard, or said, or did such won
derful things" They are usually won
derful things in memory, because
fancy and imagination are the prisms
through which the lights shine into
our memories and the rainbow hues
make all look as wonderful! Did you
ever hear or read of a man without q
memory? Poor fellow he doesn't know
himself-his name his home, whence
he came,-he is worse than the usual
insane person. for he Is without pei
sonaiity.
memory enables us to recognize our
our friends and to treasure home, fam
liy and friendship, love and happiness.
memory gives continuity to life link
ing days and seasons and years to-
gefher grouping persons and places
ana events into moving picture plays
or experiences; and so 1t becomes the
iivlng art gallery of the soul Again.
memory records the thoughts savings.
readings, histories, PHILOSOPHERS,
truths or falsehoods Of life. and so
becomes the library of the soul Ana
again, memory stores away the SEN
sations, the moods. the passions. the
emotions, the hopes, the longings. as
plratIons. ambitions even the fancy
sketches and imaglnations and a. he.
;omes the great food reserve or gai,ary
If the soul.
Memory is the treasury of the aging
= the old, but the young are con
tantiy engaged in gathering and COM i
'ounding surprise packages for their
9n old age or for the entertainment
| others In all the years Of the fut,,ra
herefore, we should cultivate mem
~. |
Memory has these two functions ~
oliecting and storing part. ana the NJ
alling and reviewing part ~ An,
uai euucation today entirely too |
Iueh ,,. emphasis is laid upon the ..re-
o~ers OF the mind and not |
,ousn emphasis laid upon the stor-
E poWer OF mind. Now we do not
~ - tram to recall things In life
Wmen tne necessity really comes
, ,,,'s W. Ina ourselves willing or un-
laihsiy recalling everything OF I'M
! 's'nee - our experience. drown-
'iian y SAID TO recall In d moment
'he history OF his life or coursa
mathematical power to recalll
mes ana dates and numbers ana
YES, etc, mas a commercial value
business life and therefore this sna.
! euucatlon.-but the great need of i
hle - to know what is worth
iiv y store In our mind, SO as to
'uuee the greatest JOY or happiness
~ the future. The great Mastar
.cnas US 20 take heed Of what u ~
III ne that hath ears to hear ~
n.li near Now this selective
nciple OF the mind is the great tbing
suucation. Not how much shall we
una near and read and studv mi -
~ Is truly worth while. There is
irely 100 much OF this disposition -
ohs US 10 run about and see ana
! ana Know everything--it is ~
~ eVh' ny such a process the fool
saiasiorious weak and sinful Il
M oI life soon come to domipnt.
our minds and life is stored VIII
! anu not good. 1t Is foolish teach-
'hat we must know evil in ordar
Nola it'---of course II involves tha
erenee between theory and exueriS
Z. e nu, we forget the balancine
~ Ihat sin Ia IA monster of snch n
eous mem, that to be hated needs
70 ne seen. but seen too oft We III
iainiiiar with her face and flrs,
ufe, then pity. then embrace,n WA
!. % Keen out OF our memories ~.
hihg ugly. everything hateful ana ----
sthing bad. Right here | woula
you appreciate the difference ba- -
en- \ good memory and a poor ~
ineiioty' 1T does not depend. as
ire SO commonly taught. upon ma +.
er TO recall, but Ii is the quality ogl
material we have In our minds
possession OF good thoughts. OF
'esone truth, Of beautiful and low
aeehes ana associations. this con-
'Ss Soou memory. In a word.
iie'nofy ~ the memory OF good y
~ pad memory Is n memory or
The process Of remembering ii
~ y review of the mind.
Nv important then what we pu,
the mind We should choose
friends and shut out evil enemies
hould look at things beautiful ana
eto see things monstrous or ugly
should listen 10 sweet tnitn.
n =