The Nome nugget., 1922-01-07

ny ana natural goal. We have the capacity for receiving the Divine Ma ture and Character from our Father,
 and therefore Character is also the
 goal of Life.
 We said last Sunday night that
 this was the goal for all lives. This
 is true first of all because it was the
 goal of Him who lived his perfect
 life here before men. and who com
 missioned his disciples for the self
 same task. As the Father sent me
 into the World, even so send you"
 And it is the only goal that we may
 be certain of realizing. If we make
 wealth. fame, prestige. or anything
 else our goal. we do not know that
 we shall attain it, for unlocked for
 changes are constantly taking place,
 and the Aux of things may defeat
 our plans. Even if We do gain it,
 We do not know how long we may
 keep it. Some convulsion of nat
 ure. some great social or economic
 movement. some unlocked for war, long siege of sickness and even death. may rob us of all material things. but none nor all of these can rob us of character. Kingsley, one of England's outstanding characters said. My strength is as the strength of ten. because my heart is pure" When We live our lives in conformity with such high ends. the fieeting of time will not bring us remorse or sadness. Jesus looked into the face of His Father at that hour of death and said, Father I have finished the work that Thou gavest me to do." Paul wrote to his young friend Tim othy saying. "The time of my de- parture is at hand: I have fought good fight. I have kept the faith, I have finished my course: Henceforth there is laid up for me crown of righteousness. which the [ ord the righteous judge saal, give me at that day. ard not me ouly. but to all those that live his appearing. Oh Death! Where is thy sting? Oh Grave! Where is thy victory? As Bushnell was coming to the close of 1 his life. some friend said to him. 'When you get across the river, lam sure that the angel seeing you com ing will hurry to the Master. and say, | Here Lord, comes one whom you know and Bushnell :, replied, ~ l hope so. for know Him and have | walked with Him all the Way"
 In the text of the evening Paul speaks of redeeming the time. It is a subject which ought to interest us all at this time of the year. In one 1 sense time can never be redeemed. | Once spent 1t can never be recalled. | In an other sense we can always re- | deem it. We are living our yester- days over again. Our failures to- morrow will be largely occasioned | by our failures of today. Our fail ures today will weaken our moral and spiritual structure so that to- mOrrow's temptuous blasts will find a weaker structure to asaail, than they have ever found in our lives before. But we can redeem those times of failures in our past lives by transforming them into stepping stones for progress. These failures need not bring us into darkness, but may be transformed into beams of light. to illumine the pathway of tomorrow. and thus escape the snares that have entrapped us in tho past. Yesterdays failures may fur nish us with experiences which can enrich our lives; we can fit them as rounds in a ladder and mount upon them. Thus in true sense we can redeem the mis-spent time. Our lost time can even now be turned into profit. And of this also we may be certain, that in such an endeavor We have the sympathetic cooperation of God. We then shall hear Him say, Neither do I condemn you. go and sin no more"