The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-04-16
Piety Not a Hdphnzdrd
ACQUISITION.

Lesson April 90. . Chron. 20;t-2f.
just to show how church activi-
Nes look "a a hard headed business
man, we quote the words of a great
and successful merchant: I'VE must
Judge the church not by the crowds
that go in, but by the workers that
come out" We are in the habit OF
measuring the prosperity Of church.
es by the acoesslons TO It's member
ship and the popularity of its
preacher. II It can acquire n large
and everincreasing membership. II
Is well, and II IL can hold that MEM
bership In line for the real pur-
poses Of religion, u Is better; but
all IS vain II IL does not manifest by
the fruits OF conscientious living and
dutiful devotion TO the things Of the
spirit, and the willingness and anN-
ietv OF It's members to leaven the
whole community public with the
leaVen OF active righteousness.
Many n big. influential congrega-
ton never looks farther than build
ing NJ It's power and Influence and
making n big show, but. is barren Of
producing real Christian character.
Meanwhile, many "A small, unimpor-
tant religious body maintains a deep
spirituality and shows results In citi-
Gems, preachers. luymen, who live
out Their faith and themselves
spread the gospel both by precopt
n example TO those with whom
they come In contact.
Seeking out God.
Tho best thing said about Usziah
Is that che set himself to seek God. 4"
lie failed In later life when he for
got God and worshipcd the impor-
lance of his WI greatness, but he at
least started OF the right track. His
example So good TO us In this. that
he did not wait for the accomplish
ment OF picty TO come h%aphnzard,
or thought that God would bestow
II upon him as n reward for being
good. lie did not conceive that "A
good intention was sufficient guar
antcc of Righteousness and OF Gods
favor. He deliberately and consci.
%entiougly "sot himself to under
stand and to do the will of God, aud
that IL tho secret after all of his
happiness and prosperity. The fact
that in later years his pride led
TO distastdr does not take anything
away from the importance OF our
benefiting from the example of his
youth ana 70 take to heart the lee
son OF his success as n good king
along with the spectacular punish
ment visited upon him when he fell
from grace IL VIC really desire to
approximate real goodness, both In
intent and in result. we must not
lose sight Of the essential that we
must first persistently seek after the
good and appropriate to ourselves
its fulfillment. Righteousness does
not come TO the man who does not
hunger and thirst after IT,, MOI does
IL come to him who has spells OF
being piously inclined, as though
! piety were a garment to he donned
on special occasions only. They who
seek shall find, but they who only
long after a better life will be disap-
pointed unless their longing results
In personal determination. blessed
are they which do hunger and thirst
after righteousness, for they shall be
filled.
None Too Good To Fall.
Another lesson in Uzziah is that
no man can get To he so good but
that he is liable to fall as low as tho
lowest. Many are the records Of men
who have been supcrlatively good,
perhaps for most of a lifetime, and
then spoiled II all by fragrant iniqui-
ty> As long as a man trusts and
honors God, there is little peril to his
soul. for his conscience will guide
him I'm right paths; but the moment
he begins to think ne is able to 20
1t alone and has merit enough in
himself 90 be counted for righteous
ness I'm dependent OF Gods support,
he is in serious danger. II tickles
tho devil much more to get a real
good man to sin than II does "a
control the whole life of a man who
makes no claim TO piety. Trust In
God Is the whole secret of steadfast-
ness. We not only look TO God for
salvation from u past sins, but we
must depend upon his power, and
not our own. to safeguard us from
future folly. And, above all. We must
remember that, no matter how good
We gct to be with divine help, as
soon as we try to go on our own
righteousness the tcmpter is glad "a
get the opportunity OF making IAN
other good man go wrong" Tho fall
OF this good man Is more deplora-
BILE than the failure OF another
TO ever taste the joys Of righteous.
ness and Gods blessing, only Ia
Fnrr rRnRH RNEn% A.