The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1920-01-02

Resume of sermon preached by
b G.. Mattson, Dec. 20, 1919, in the
FEst Congregational church, Owosso,
Mich.
Text, 1 Kings, 20:22-"And the pro-
phet came near to the kink of Israel
and said unto him, Go strengthen thy
self and mark and see what thou do
est; for at the return of the year the
king of Syria will come up against
thee"
"A victory has been won by Israel.
Bat in the midst of the congratula-
tions and the satisfactions of the ma
tidn and its leader, comes voice of
wise counsel and warning to the ma
tion and the individual. 1t seems to
me to be fitting word to be spoken
to america and to us as individuals as
we come to the close of the year 1919.
We ought not to pass in thoughtless
and trivial spirit from one year into
another. We ought not to drift into
1920 nor stumble into it as oneN who
walks in the dark, nor be rushed or
jostled into it with hurried and care
less tread. We ought to strengthen
ourselves, and mark and consider and
see what we are doing. If we do this
with the searching honesty of the un-
named prophet who brought this coun-
sch to Israel, we shall as nation dis
cover some things in the year 1919
which ought to be put away from us.
One of these things is extravaganza.
1t has been year of high wages and
The high prices have not held back
the spenders from buying what they
desired. The pace has been going
faster and faster as the year has ap-
preached it's close. Such a matter
cannot be looked upon with indiffer-
encA while so much of the world is
PROSTATE. The contrast between this
orgy of money spending and the ira
gedy of millions starving in other
parts of the world calls on us for mere
decency's sake if for no other reason
to take warning, and to do all we can
to help turn the tide in favor of sim
pier and more economical ways of liv-
ing.
National extravaganza breeds ma
tional selfishness, a strange reaction
from the days of everybody devoting
themselves to the common cause. We
ought not to carry this spirit over in
t6 the year 1920. We should leave It
behind. We should not look with
pleased and comfortable hearts upon
the fact that we hold the whip of the
money power over our sister nations
in the struggle which the new year
will inevitable bring.
Extravaganza and selfishness breed
unrest and internal strife and these
have not been allayed but have been
steadily increasing as the year 1919
has drawn toward it's close.
Well it is that we should strengthen
ourselves and mark and see what we
are doing for with the return of the
year these dangerous and destructive
tendencies will come up like the king
of Syria against us.
Let us look then at the new year
with serious honesty. 1t is surely to
be year of testing. Perhaps it will
test the strength of our national
character more than the years of the
war. But it is also to be a year OF
splendid challenge and of magnificent
opportunity for the American people
AS we look at it and enter upon it vel
may we heed the clarion words Of Pau
the brave apostle: Forgetting tn,
things that are behind and stretching
forward unto the things that are be
fore / press toward the goal, for tn,
prize Of the high calling of God il
Christ Jesus.
Now there is but one true STANDARD
both for the nation and for the indi
yidual. If our Christianity is wortl
anything to us as persons and churcl
members and ayowed Christians; b.
that same worth it is national as
set and its principles must govern al
! our national policies. If simplicit!
and economy and generosity and goo,
will are fine virtues for the individu
al to practice then they become glow
ing and glorious when they character
ize a whole nation. If it is the dut,
of the individual to search his owl
heart and bring his confession befor
God with honesty of purpose, then h
can render no higher service to hi
God and his nation than to signaliz
the incoming of the new year b.
thoughtful resolution and earnest ef
fort. May the new year give each o
us these thing: A really Christia
religion that we both believe an
practice; patriotism. broader and fin
er than partisanship; humanity to
full of kindness and good will to leav
room for class hatreds and persons
grudges; heart courageous for tn
struggles and the 'testings the nev
year may bring and strength mad
, stronger by humble mind. Thu
NAV xxo coy,,o 20 fbo fur,, <,f Aha xyoe