East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1922-06-05
Forces balanced

80 in that perfect life the CEN
| trifugal and the ccatripetal move
ments are evenly balanced: the indi-
Vidual and the social are coordinated
But in much of the common living
and thinking of today one of these is
being commonly sacrificed to the 9TH
er. The individuality must be absorb
ed, lost in social service,--that is the
| theory of false socialism, and too
often is the practice of some unwise
enthusiast. Or else all considerations
of the blessing of our fellow men and
the good of society is sacrificed to
the aggrandizement and development
of the individual, That is too often
the rule of our common living which
governs the practice prevailing in the
commercial, educational. social and
religious world. But the perfect life,
the life lived after the pattern of
Christ, would produce the most per-
feet and complete individual in order
to the most perfect and complete SER
vice of society.
Suppose we first Of all look at this
law as we see it working out so per-
fectly in the life of christ and then
various ranges of our common loving.
Isn't it true that in our thought Of
Christ we ignore or else forget his
culture, his self-development? For
the Gospels present mainly His active
service for others. They have little
to say of His CULTURE, His develop
ment of Himself. They exhibit that
Wonderful life by. its effective side
rather than by its receptive side.
Public life Foremost
"It Is His public ministry. which
they mostly set before us. OF course
II is the public life, the record of
words and deeds, the measure of its
out flow of wisdom and hcneficence
which belongs primarily TO the public,
And yet thene II anotifAfi siae to that
life of which we get plain intimatlons
here and there. We catch glimpses
now and then into the background
where lie those hidden springs which
fed that marvellous outflow. And
those springs are so rich and abund-
ant. Indeed measuring anyway, by
duration or fulness, the recipient side
of Jesus life is much fuller than the
efficient. His self-culture Is in a
sense greater than His active service
to others.
did you ever think of II even in
terms of time? Thirty years of prep
aration for three years of service. How
that puts to shame our foolish ana
vulgar haste to crowd our boys and
girls out into the thick Of life's pro-
ductive activities before they have be-
gun to accumulate an adequate stock
of either knowledge ability or char
actcr the capital for lifes trading, be-
for they have ripeped their own souls,
before they have sufficiently develop
ed the muscles of either body, mind or
spirit. before they have acquired their
own full selfhood. Thirty years in
Gods best schools. amidst the do
nestle love and Intercourse Of the
Nazareth home and on the village
streets. mingling in the humble. com
mon life that he might know men and
dwelling apart that he might know
God"
Development Stressed
Rev. Lockwood stressed the sancti-
ficntion. development and fulfillment
Of Christ, adding that Christ was
never in the least degree spiritually
selfish.
THE christ-idea,' he said, sis the
accumulation of spiritual capital In
order to make spiritual expenditure.
Zeal and energy. good intentions
and will for service are not enough.
You must acquire wisdom and abilities
OF service, the best that God has put
within your reach. The law Thou
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. ,
should make you remember that you
are your own nearest neighbor. Make
yourself the best possible sell tnat you
may have the best possible self to
sacrifice in service y