The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1924-03-12
LENT.

A properly observed Lent is great enforcel
II of the doctrine of human responsibility
Man is, indeed, free, not to do he
peases but to do as he ought to please.
1t is his duty, as it that of his Master
to resist and overcome temptation, and to live
on the plane of his noblest thoughts and impulses
1t is only in proportion people do this that
the world can be lifted out of its present deplor-
able state-deplorable spiritually well as ply
sically.
All that has happened to it is the result OF
mans selfshness and wickedness
"Love not pleasure" said Carlyle, love
God"
There may be here false antithesis, for it
ought to be the highest pleasure to love God
But what is meant is clear enough. The
antagonism is between love of God and love of
mere pleasure, diversion distraction or dissipa
tion-love of the idle and frivolous life which
so many people lead.
Such life is perhaps the greatest of all
tragedies.
The offers of "the kingdoms of the world and
tht glory of them" has been many times repeat
ed, and men have closed with it and paid the aw
full price.
And always the result has been the same
ruin of the moral nature.
Souls bartered away for power, wealth
social, prominence, feeting pleasures, and thus
life is cheapened and debased and the onward
movement of civilization arrested
Yet men wonder why the times are evil why
corruption and banditry should flourish, why the
murder record of America should be a shame tn
every man who loves his country.
Back of it all is that which the apostle said
was ''the root of all evil"-that is, "the love of
money"
It surely is time at least to begin to try to
realize that man is, as God is, spirit, and tina.
it is through his spiritual nature that he is
brought into relation with the divine life, that
life which "outlasts DEATH"
1t is no mere matter of "doing without" GER
tain things, or of formal observance, but rather
one of subduing the flesh to the spirit, and so the
prayer is:
"Give US grace to use such abstinence, that
flesh being subdued to the Spirit we may
ever obey Thy godly motions in righteousness
and true holiness"
The final thought of Lent is of repentance
followed by amendment of life, and then by for
giveness.
The prayer is for "new and contrite hearts,
and it is prayer to ''the God of all mercy" for
perfect remission and forgiveness"
The prayer cannot be answered unless it is
lived, and there can be no new and contrite
heart" that does not show itself in life.
These are all great and divine realities, as
Lent itself should be.
Sacrifice, self-denial, self-control self-ren-
unciation, the subordination Of the flesh to the
Spirit-of all these the season speaks, and mos:
s-eloquently.
It teaches sincerity in relation with others
and honesty with oneself
It ought just now also to suggest at leas:
the possibility of sitting many of the controver.
sizes that are now raging and directing mems
thought to consideration of the inner life and
Of the relation of the individual soul to God ant
to the eternal righteousness.
It would be a new world if men would onls
try ito do justly, to love mercy. and to wali
humbly with God"
But justice does not easily prevail mercy is
~eften looked on as weakness, and humility Ger
tainly is not virtue that is highly regarded.
Yet there can be no true spiritual life with
out them, and without them there can be no pos
sibility Of humanity making any approach to he
goal or measuring up in the least degree to thu
standard, which is, as has been said. perfection
Lent, it should be said, is also the season Q.
preparation for participation in the new an:
deathless life that dawns- Easter day.
IhlS is lndee0 Dy no means us least slgniHc
ance.
It is time of cleansing and purifcatiol
through repentance and pardon. a time for tn
creation of the "new and contrite heart" which
must be part, and a most important part o
the new life and Of the renewed humanity whicl
goes with it.
There is no department of human activity o
endeavor that will not be helped by the conanu
MON with realities to which Lent invites
Spiritual renewal is perhaps the creates
need Of our time.-The Indianapolis News.
A MOTHER SPEAKS.
-HE Omaha Bee recently conducted an edi
<o.;,y contest ayuon% ;ts YaaAers and Mr.,