Connecticut western news., 1921-01-20
THE STEWARDSHIP OF
 THE EARTHLY TEMPLE
Sermon Delivered by the Rev. A. K. Skinner
 Sunday

hvered at Pilgrim church on Sunday. friends of Rev. A. K. Skinner were
 successful in securing a copy with the result that it is published below.
 We believe many will gain plsaswna
 from reading it. .f
 l beseech you therefore breth-
 rem by the mercies of God that ye
 present your bodies a living sac
 rifice, holy, acceptable to God
 which is your reasonable service.
 Romans 12, 1.
 Last Sunday spoke to you tin connection with our every member canvass) about the claims of ste wardship, good stewardship, or the faithful use of that which Jesus counted elementary and least, among the gifts which are entrusted to us to use in connection with his great enterprise, the Kingdom of God. In other words we considered together the Christian attitude to- ward money. So fundamental is thim idea of stewardship in all truly Christian theory and practice, inst want to consider 1t with you on other Sunday mornings, that aa a Christian people we may have it's iua- plications and it's requirements well in mind.
 A steward is one who is entrusted with the management of estates or affairs not his own, and every man and woman stands before God the Father, in the same relation which exists between the steward and the rightful owner of the estate whose property he administers and cares for. But the analogy in the case of the Christian goes even further, for God claims not only the Christian's time, and his ability but also him. self. "Know ye not that your body is temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from Godf and ye are not your own; for ye were bought with a price.", Now the conditions of an abundant vigorous Christian life can only be fulfilled when we recognize Gods complete and rightful claim upon us, and strive faithfully to enter into this thoroughgoing stewardship relation.
 Today I want to speak to you of that obligation of stewardship which Paul suggests to us in those words of our text. 'I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sac rifice, holy, acceptable unto God which is your reasonable rervice-"
 I would have you think with ns (this morning) of the turst that has been committed to you in the keep ing and the using of your body I would have you think of your body as an ally of character, a valuable agency fer promoting the spiritual life. In other words we are to con sider the physical basis of character and serviceableness.
 Let us consider Paul's words for moment, Present your bodies liv- ing sacri6ce." Paul was writing Co those confessed disciples of our Lord who were trying to Eve the Christian life amid the somewhat difficult err of pagan Rome; all about them were the extremes of luxury and misery, of self indulgence and penury. On every hand people were the sensual impulses of the animal nature and yielding their bodies as servants unto uncleanness." Sacrifice was common enough, but 1t was sacrifice of the ceremonial sort hat involved no self denial, the only real sacrifice being that on the part ,f the animal who yielded up his life hat his dead body might be offered IS a symbol of purifcation. Paul lses the figure of ceremonial puri- ication with which these Roman Christians were all familiar, but presents the test and the ideal of con- ecration to every day living, to prac- ical holiness. Present not, he says, IS a sacrifice unto the Lord the 'odies of dead animals, but present our own bodies a living sacrifice, Ioly, meaning complete or entire, nd such sacrifice is that which will e acceptable unto the Lord.
 Let no one think that the Christian emand is not thoroughgoing one. The Giving sacrifice" is the most ifficult sacrifice to get men to make. is easier oftentimes to make what 'e call the supreme sacrlhce' than 0 make the sacrifice of patient living nd consecrated effort which extend yer a life time. Many a man has ound it easier to honor the Lord in cath, than in life, to lay down his fe all at once in one splendid urst of loyalty, rather than a little a time, one day at time, in the atience of faith and continuance in ell-doing. Yet it is the consecra- on of the common day for which hrist calls and for lack of which is cause is often seen to languish .e died for his faith, that's fine; More than most of us do,
 ut say can you add to that line
 That he lived for it too?
 very day did he strive to live out