The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1945-01-19

GOd word:
/. The Character Of the Follower
of Christ wv. 3-10).
The eight characteristics Of the
Christian here presented are worthy
of extended individual attention, but
we can offer only brief suggestions.
BLESSED are the poor in spirit"
speaks OF humility as commend
able quality. How contradictory the
present-day philosophy, which calls
for self-assertion and self-reliance.
But Jesus was not mistaken. The
way into the kingdom of heaven is
not that of assertive self-sufficiency.
BLESSED are they that mourn"
The world does not believe that
statement. 1t shuns the house Of
mourning. 1t tries without avail to
philosophize away the fact Of sor-
row. The Christian, on the other
hand, feels with his fellow man and
thus receives a blessing. One can
really learn from sorrow.
walked mile with Pleasure:
She chtttered all the way,
But left me none the wiser
For all she had to say.
walked q mile with Sorrow,
And nsier a word said she:
But, oh, The things learned from her
When abrrow walked with me.
"Bless,nd are the meek" Poverty
of spirit tones when man rightly
sees himself, and has sympathetic
touch with sorrow. Then he Gin
herits the EARTH" because he tru-
ly comes to enjoy it as place OF
service and Christian growth, and
not because he has deed to a sin
gle foot Of it's soil.
''It is the hunger and thirst for
righteousness ". g., and not the
possession of it, that is blessed"
(Plunmer). Self satisfied people
know NOTHING of the glory of having
their hunger and thirst satisfied by
God.
We have here also the Christians
spirit of mercy which invites divine
mercy; a purity of heart, cleanness
of mind, and sincerity Of purpose,
which enable a man really to see
God even in this impure world; that
Christlike spirit which makes him a
peacemaker in a fighting world
yes, that spirit which makes him
like the Master in sweetly bearing
unjustified persecution. These in
deed are the marks of the man who
follows Christ as King.
II. The Conduct of the Follower Of
Christ wv. 43-48).
There can possibly be no more Sc
we're test of mans Christian char
acter than the manner in which he
treats his enemies. Many who pass
the other tests meet failure lat least
in part) at this point.
It is no easy thing to love your
enemies, but it is the standard Of
Christ, and He will enable us to live
up to it. Now is a good time to
put it into practice, not only per-
sonally, but nationally.
There can be no doubt that love
for the brethren will be more init
mate and satisfying experience be-
cause they return our affection ".
46). Anyone can do that and enjoy
it. Enemies often return hatred for
our love-they persecute us ". AZ.
But we are still to love them.
That love must move us to treat
them kindly and to pray for them.
Someone says, "It can't be done. !"
Yes, it can by the grace of God IN
| Christ, and it is being done.
We need to exercise care lest we
fall into the easy habit Of speaking
with derision or scorn Of the I'M
godly - that wicked, dissipated
neighbor who hangs around taverns
and other questionable places. Let
us never condone their sin-that we
should hate-but may God help us to
love them and lead them to Christ.
This lesson is indicated as being
a temperance lesson. The applica-
ton can only be made indirectly,
but it may have value. The use Of
alcohol is so destructive of every
thing that is good, that it is quite
obvious it is not in accord with
these standards of the kingdom Of
heaven. It is time some church peo-
pie decided whether they want to be-
long to the world or belong to
Christ. If the latter is their pur-
pose, we believe the only consistent
position to take is that of abstinence
from alcoholic liquors.