SUNDAY READING.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 April 1918, Page 6

SUNDAY READING.

WHO IS A WISE MAN! . (Kotos of an address delivered by llev. A Campbell Seivewright at the annual Convention of the Taranaki Christian Kmlcavor C'nion, held at i\'ew Plymouth on Ciood Friday, Jlarch 2'Mi). Some of you are doubtless familiar with the story t>[ Diogenes who lived in a tub. One day as this famous philosopher was discoursing on virtue and philosophy, he discovered that nobody was giving any attention to him. This discovery gave him food for thought; and a few moments later he fell to singing an amusing song Immediately multitudes gathered to bear him. "Ye Clods,'' he tried, "how much more is folly admired than wisdom!"

Now tikis, 1 daresay, was not only true in the days of JJiogenes; it is true today. .Most people, so far as one may judge, are not particularly anxious to become wine, or concerned as to how this great eml may be achieved. Fun and frolic and folly are more suited to the modern taste. Yet, I venture to think, there is another side to this matter. It closely pressed on this subject it will be discovered that most of us imagine that we possess, at least, an average amount of window; while some of us may feel rather proud of the fact that we are wise above the average. Lord Chesterfield!, a famous writer of the seventeenth century, said on one occasion that young men wore apt to think themselves exceedingly wise, just as drunk men were usually prepared to swear that they were perfectly sober.. Was this a libel. I wonder? If true, it docs not exclusively apply to young men, I fear. But this by the way. Most of us have a desire to be. considered wise, at least, and some of }is have an honest desire to be wise; a'nd we all, doubtless, entertain certain ideas as to what constitutes a wise man. Who is a wise man? This is the question which the apostle James submits for our consideration. What is our answer?

Were this question put before half-a-dozen young men in this town, ] think I am safe in saying that it would elicit as many different answers. The keen business young fellow would tell us that that man is wise who makes the most of his opportunities with a view to the making of money. The intellectual young man would doubtless assure us that be is wise who makes the most of his opportunities with a view to the obtaining of knowledge. The sporting young man would be equally confident that, lie only is wise who makes the,most of bis opportunities to gratify bis desire .for sport and pleasure. The young man i\f the Mark Tapley type would probably suggest that that, man was ,rndoubtedly wise who made the best of the circumstances in life, whevher these were favorable or tile reverse. Now. I think it wise to admit that there is a certain measure of truth in all these suggested answers- There is nothing wrong in a business man making money, so long as the making of money does not become the chief eiiiti of bis. life. He would be a foolish Kan who missed his opportunities in this direction. And, beyond question, there is nothing wrong in seeking to gratify one's desire for knowledge. Why has God given Us intellects if we are not to use them? Or the desire for knowledge if we arc not to gratify it? He can never be a very wise man who neglects the claims of bis intellect. And as regards sport, when kept within reasonable, bounds, it is health-giving, and can only lead to beneficial results. It can never be unwise to stretch one's lungs, and to develop the muscles of one's body. And as regards Mark Taplev's doctrine, I feel sure you will agree with me that it contains the very essence of wisdom. Yes; but supposing that a young man, or woman, stops there: supposing that he devotes bis whole time to the advancement of his temporal welfare, to the exclusion of his spiritual and moral, what then? I have 110 hesitation ii, saying that that man would be far fro,;-, wise. To neglect any part of our luture touid hardly be considered wise; but to devote one's whole time and energies to the cultivation of one's physical and mental nature, and to the advancement of one's temporal benefit, to the neglect of those higher aspects of one's nature, is surely the height of follyIn the Scripture; we rca.! of a certain man who acted in this way. He set himself to the acquiring of wealth, and lie finally succeeded in his purpose. But he neglected the interests of bis soul. He said to himself: ' ; I have reached the summit of my ambition. My barns are too small to contain my harvest, and my exchequer is fnll. Soul, take thine ease. Eat, drink, and be mcry, for thou ifast much goods laid up for many years." But Cod slid to this man: "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of t bee."' Bid lie not deserve the title? What could bis wealth do for him in that land beyond Ihe grave? Man is a trinity- tie is composed of spirit, soul, and body. lie is not only endowed with physical and mental powers. and with the capacity to enjoy temporal blessings, but he is in possession of a spiritual nature, with the ability to live a spiritual life, and to appreciate and enjoy spiritual things. Moreover, lie is destined to live in a spiritual realm, when the present life with its physical enjoyments, has passed forever away. To neglect one's spiritual nature, therefore, must be the height of folly. Who is a wise man? Must we not answer: The man who cultivates everv side of his life, especially the spiritual side,

for the spiritual in man is destined to abide after liis body lias been lni<l in the grave. But how is it possible to cultivate the spiritual side of one's nature? A very wise man once said: '"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom " To fear the Lord does not mean to be afraid of the Lord, but to reverence Tlim. This implies some knowledge God; and as Christian Endeavorers profess to possess such knowledge in Jesus Christ. Thus we have learned to reverence God, and our feet have been set in the path of true wisdom. In the C4ospels we get the beautiful story of the wise men who came from their own distant land that they might do reverence to the Christ child that bad been bom in Bethlehem. These men were w.ise (because they were men of scientific knowledge - especially of astronomy, eastern savants; but they were wise also because they feared Cod; and that wisdom was crowned that day when they bowed at the feet of .Tcsus Christ, and acknowledged His royal claims. The wisest men of our own. or of any age, have never been wiser than lylien they, too, bowed at the feet of "the _ same raasiiouA

[ But this .is only the beginning of wisdom. This is only the initial experience. Some one has said that Christianity in the experience of the individual is very much like photography. )t Involves both a crisis and a process- The actual photographing of an object is the work of a moment. But that is the crisis only. It has still to go through the process of development., of washing and Axing before the finished result is ready for inspection. Even so, surrender to Christ is tlie work of a moment. The definite line of decision is crossed in a moment. lint there c<;n remains the process as the work of grace goes on to its fulfilment.

Personal Christianity does not simply mean a religious profession, or the ability to look back upon a certain religious experience which wo call conversion, or decision for Christ, but the living of the Christian life—that is, the life that Christ lived. No one, 1 venture to say, lias a right to profess the name of. Christ if not prepared to live the life of Christ. Herein lies the great difference between the young man or woman who is a Christian, and the young man or woman who is not a Christian- The difference is not in their professed attitude to Christianity; it is to be found in their lives. There is a difference, of course, which' cannot he so readily seen. From a chemical point of view there is not much difference between a diamond and the blacir lead which the housewife puts oil tho stove. BotSf «re only carbon in different forms. Yet there is a very real difference. The diamond has passed through an experience unknown to the tilack lead. It has been subjected to intense heat in the bowels (j? tho earth . and some of that heat is still stored her. 'ath its glowing surface. There is a secret spiritual difference between the Christian and the non-Chris-tian- The former has had an experience of which the latter is wholly ignorant; but the outward and more manifest difference lies in the outward life. And it is the outward life that appeals to others; and this ought to be of the first importance to the Christian Emleavorer, [or he that is truly wise in the Christian Endeavor sense is ' ; W!i;se in winning souls."

The j'.ev. Stuart llolden tolls that when at Cambridge, close to his college there was a seedsman's shop. He had passed that shop many tunes without feeling any particulav interest in th:> seeds anil bulbs displayed in the window, i'ut one day, after a Christmas vacation, lie discovered in the window a profusion of spring (lowers, chiefly tulips and hyacinths. He had never been impressed by the bulbs, but now, seeing the beautiful (lowers they produced, he determined to invest in some of the former that the same tlowers might bloom in his room at college and help to brighten his life.

The non-Christian world is riot much interested in Christian doctrines, or ill Christian professions, ft is far more interested in sport, 01' in politics. But let the world see the fruits of Christian profession in the lives of Christian professors, and it will become interested, and others will be attracted to .Testis Christ. Let Christian Endeavorers and Christians who are not Endeavorers, only live the life of Christ, and they will achieve more lasting good than by any other form of Christian effort, But the Christian life has t,wt> sides There is not only that outward aspect which can be seen by the world, but an inner secret aspect- There is a passive side to the Christian life as well as an active; and it is only as we attend to both that in any real sense we are able to cultivate the, spiritual side of our nature. Our Divine Master said to His disciples 011 one occasion: "Come ye ipart and rest awhile." Such rest implies intercourse, and such intercourse is absolutely essential to the cultivation of our spiritual nature, and the development of our Christian life. Sir James Crichton Browne, the eminent physician, declares that all tilings that grow grow in the stilbiess and darkness of the night. Not under the glare of the sun, and amid the stir and bustle of day. Even so is it with spiritual growth. In quiet waiting upon God, in the privacy of our chambers, in the secrecy of our hearts—not in the midst of worldly activity, or even of Christian activity' our strength is renewed, and we are enabled to "mount up with wings as eagles; to run and not grow weary: to walk ami not faint." Thus wisdom accomplishes her perfect work. The cultivation, then, of our complex nature, is a continuous process. The cultivation of a youth's physical frame is not complete even when he reaches the years and stature, of manhood; he must continue healthy physical exercise if lie is to keep himself fit. A young woman's education is not finished when she leaves school, or college; sha must continue to study if she is to herself abreast of the times, and derive lasting benefit from the knowledge already acquired. And one's spiritual life is not complete when ho has taken sides with Christ, and joined a Church, a Bible class, or

a Christian Endeavor- Society. These incidents only., mark the beginning—the initial experience. The great process of cultivation and development still remain to he accomplished- And only as we cultivate our triune .nature are we truly wise, especially our spiritual nature which has a lite to lire, not only in this world, hut in that- which is to come; and wliich, when all has been said, forms the mo>.t powerful factor in the well being of humanity now We are living in evil and difficult times. Our safety as well as our tnu wisdom lies in continuous progressionWe wonder how the aoroplnnist can seemingly defy the law of gravitation. According to an experienced flier, th; law has no terrors lor llioh' who take command / of the air. Just as a (i piece of slate or iron will glide hor< zontally along the surface of a pond so long as its propelling force holds out, so the airman assures lis, an aeroplane is in no danger of falling so, long as it can bo driven forward. It will not go down so long as it can go on. "Is there not a lesson there for us? "It. will not go down so long as it can go on." The very term endeavor which distinguishes us as a- society, implies constant effort, constant progress. >We are Cliristion Kudoavorers; let us Tbe true to our name, never relaxing, never giving up. There is much to discourage, hut that is only an additional reason why wo should go forward. Discourgements in the Christian economy are meant to become incentives to more determined effort, and to more decided progress. As we overcome the difficulties of the present we become strong and wise to overcome the difficulties that still remain. A certain writer long ago wrote thus: "See that ye walk, not a.s fools but as wise, buying up the opportunity, beI cause tho days are evil." The present is our onnnrtimitv: end it, is ours to

take advantage of it not merely with a view to our temporal benefit, but with a view both to the present life and that v.hich is to nnw, Shall we not then, "buy up the opportunity" whatever the cost, whatever the sacrifice—recognising that we belong not only to ourselves, and thus owe a duty to our own well-being, but to Him who by His supreme saerific-e purchased us, body, soul, and spirit? Thus shall we bo truly wise for this brief period of time, ancl for all the aeons that lie beyond.