The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1921-10-13

the thrill of finding one out?
Not long since, at crowded street
corner, young aspirant for easy
gain directed bystander to tie
his hands together. When securely
fastened, he proceeded in plain sight
of all to loosen his imprisoned MEM
bers. When free, he offered to dis
close the secret of such feat for 10
cents each. Nearly every man pres
ent contributed TO his purse. All
wanted to know.
This is most simple and insignifi-
cant, but the native human element Of
curiosity and the lure of the unknown
have enriched with vast wealth and
crowned with imperishable fame thou
sands who have penetrated the re-
gions beyond the seen and beneath the
surface.
Greatest amid all this life Of secrets
the undiscovered to most of US, but
the discOverable TO all of us. This
is life, to know Thee the only true
God and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast
sent"
Long, long ago a man discovered the
secret of great living, and his whole
life was devoted to telling others. His
secret has been passed on for CEN
turtles, and we may still profit by 1t
today. 1t Is worth knowing. If meas
ured by earthly standards of values.
II would cost princely sum. But 1t
Is free. This mostly discounts its
high values. Nevertheless, it is price
less, though costless.
This secret is threefold, disclosed In
three fragmentary expressions.
First: Paul, the bond slave OF
Jesus Christ" Rom. Il. This sets
forth
The Relation to a Person.
Every life is the product of Its rea-
tionships. "A man is known by the
company he keeps" or that keeps him.
The people we meet either make us or
mar us, either elevate or degrade.
either enrich or despoil.
How little we realize the veal or
woe of an introduction to a passing
pilgrim on the road of life. Some have
entered our lives. oh, would God we
had never known them. Others have
been a lifelong benefaction.
Think of what these relationships
have meant-mother, father, Sunday
school teacher, pastor, chum, wife.
children. Oh, can you compute their
values? But Paul in the final analysis
totaled his life In this statement: II
am what / am by the grace of God"
One day he met Jesus of Nazareth
the conqueror of death, the glorified
Christ Of God, and he was never the
same afterward. That introduction
ripened into a bonded friendship that
left its ineffaceable brand. When he
would commend his secret to the me-
tropolis of the world, he signs himself,
not a degreed alumnus of Tarsus or
Jerusalem, but "a bond slave of Jesus
Christ" SO completely did he hand
over his personality to that Of another
as to be able to say after: II live, yet
not /, but Christ liveth In me"-abso-
lutte self-renunciation and abandon
ment, absolute dedication and en-
slavement to the Son of God as Lord
and Master.
Second: II am debtor to all men,
Rom. L ID.
The Recognition of a Principle.
This is Paul's Philosophy. 1t Is not
idealistlc, that spends itself in the
culture of the ego, nor materialistic,
seeking sensual enjoyment of things,
nor yet socialistic, as found In the
varied dreams and schemes of today.
This Is theistic-God so loved the
world that He gave" The Son Of
man came not 10 be ministered unto
but to minister and to give" Paul
did not declare the world owed him
a living, hut he was debtor to the
world. Owed something to somebody.
Owed the riches Of grace to all men.
He lived to discharge that debt.
Secret OF great living-not to get but
TO give.
Third: zone thing I do."-Phil. BIB
A Resolution Of Power.
Paul had a understanding that
moved him, a mighty impulse, tre-
mendous conviction, consuming pas
sion. He was energized by dy-
manic. zone thing do" What was
that one thing? ITO me to live Is
Christ" To reproduce the person
ality at whose feet he had cast him
self q slave forever.
| This is a secret of greatness--the
highest, most transcendant motive. re-
| soluting power to life. 1t is the dy-
namo, the engine, the generator Of
power. The size of our motive is the
size of our life. Behold ! show you
a secret" oh that we may learn the
secret Of great life from this dis