The Monroe journal., 1922-03-31

Ting f0rn as were the false gods Of
the eme. There was good reason for
this. For if the god Of spirit and
truth should be represented as resid-
ing in q mere blCrk Of stone 10 be
carried about and worshipped, it
would not be long till an ignorant
people surrounded by idolatrous Gus
toms. would tend ito cheaper and be-
little the power and the goodness Of
God. and be calling upon their images
for all manner of foolish and wicked
things. as those about them did.
So an idol has become to mean
that stands in the place of
the real. 1t has also become to mean
the thing upon which interest or al
fection or desire are so set that they
are taken away from the better and
the more real things. Everywhere
the word carries the idea of an IN
ferior thing, and idol worship IS ne
putting Of too great interest upon an
inferior or less important object of
life.
Men everywhere ard at all times
are as little children in that they
grasp the thing nearest them as the
thing of greatest interest The king
dom Of God is not place. Ii is a
state OF mind. 1t is arrived at
through long journey. Idol worship
is a near and an easy thing. 1t re
qrires no self discipline, no patient
waiting, no putting aside of the small
things that dazzle or amuse for the
moment. II is the quick, short cut
to happiness. But because it has no
in character construction.
Il has no basis for permanence. There
fore sooner or later it fails TO salts
fy. 1t cannot give happiness though
i may give temporary pleasure. but
happiness is permanent and not a
transient state.
So. we are toll TO seek first the
Kingdom Of God and all other things
VII be added in due time. What is
the Kingdom of God that is to be
sought, and what are these other
things that are 10 BE- added? So far
az il may be attained by men. the
Kingdom of God is a state Of mind.
to be arrived at only by beginning
with a certain attitude towards God
ani life. God is love. A man must
start ont TO guide his life by the
principle of love and not Of hate.
God is power through love. A man
must wish TO attain as much as he
may Of this kind of power. Life is
growth. A man must wish to grow.
A man can't be mean and grow, be-
cause meanness is negation, and
growth is positive, requiring effort,
progression. This bet
,es being into which every man should
strive to grow. is what Paul must
have had in mind when he spoke of
the prize of the mark of the high
sailing in Jesus Christ. When he
starts on this journey towards the
Kingdom Of God in his own heart he
Is attaining something of that king
dom. yet It is a journey with no end.
Ard what are the things that will be
added unto him after he has thus
sought the Kingdom Of God? Why,
happiness. What else does any one
want? Happiness may not come to
every one in the same way, but it
will surely come to the one who seeks
first the Kingdom of God. His hap
piness will be peace, contentment,
satisfaction, sureness of spirit and
a pcise that fear no tumult nor any
He nj ed not ask if God is
on his side for he has gotten on Gods
side and is safe. He will not be per-
feet, even always in his desires. He
will be a little child still but not de-
pending upon an idol, but a child
safe and secure in the great force
and purpose of the universe, which
are love and growth, stepping safely
and steadily upon the long journey
Of the outward Kingdom that shall
20 on until the final Presence is