The New York herald., 1920-01-04
THE LIFE ABUNDANT.
! came that they might have life, and that
they might hare it more abundantly.-St John,

In the third stanza Of Alfred Tennyson's "In
Memoriam' he answers the age-long and still un-
solved problem of the apparent contradiction be-
tween the sovereign will OF God and mans con-
scious freedom of will by these lines, which are
familiar to many Of
"Our wills are ours, we know not how.
n Our wills are ours to make them Thine"
Man is to find out his real freedom and great
ness by accepting what he believes is Gods will
his own personal line of action, believing that
this is the way God intends man to discover and
develop his largest and most abundant life. This
was exactly the method Of Lord Jesus Christ
an His earthly ministry He did not His own will,
but the win of Him that sent Him. And this is
IN the supreme contribution which Jesus
Christ has to make to our modern life-to make it
blossom like the rose by accepting Gods will for
our own Our Lord has made that will plain to us
by His life and teaching. BY His perpetual
though unseen presence He gives us grace to do
Gods will and to make it not only our duty but
our joy and peace. "And this is life eternal to
Snow Go,s and his Son, Jesus Christ"
The message would like to emphasize is that
che largest lifA Of a man depends upon his becom.
ing like ChriS by accepting Him his Master
,. No other wctId philosophy or world religion is
adequate rs interpret or make possible the ulti
dhism contracts and shrivels up personality stoi
cism may ennoble, but 1t hardens the heart Ma
terialism commentaries and brutazes man.
The grace Of Lord Jesus Christ alone opens
up the fountains of the soul and purifies human
lies and berates the all but infinite potencies OF
the whole human personality. From Christ alone
che worlds one true light streams the radiance
which iumines the path that leads to the perfect
day. Jesus alone has the Gospel that gives power
TO answer and overcome all lesser and downward
appeals which paralyze and lead astray TO alle-
viate all human discouragements. all intolera BILE
sufferings and even those tragedies which are I'm:
evitable in human life Through Him alone we
querable. immortal sons and daughters of God
who must progressively transform the kingdoms
OF this world into the kingdom Of God and His
Christ, and, when our earthly task is over. enter
ourselves into the rest and peace and unlimited
personal and social developments which we be-
Hs.e wsa be possible i'm heaven.
-nr glory Of Cod that shone in the face of Jesus
Christ shone there an anticipation and prophecy
of similar glory which should make ali our lives
rasiana with the fire and light of the eternal
t,e are an "captves by the River Chebar" and we
al need to see visions Of God" Into the dark
ness of our ignorance and sin and feeble doing
shines, not only at Christmas and in Epiphany
hut forever, the light Of the Son Of Man. without
that Light we are as infants crying in the night
infants crying for the light and with no language
but cry" somnanibulists, we walk, blind TO
THO eternal realities which are the guides Of awak
ened souls.
o, my friends who may read these lines may
venture to suggest that this sermon is not chiefly