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October 20, 1909. THE PRESBYTERIAh
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I THESSALONIANS 5:16, 17, 18.
0 *oul of mine, be joyful! Like birds of summer gay.
Pour out thy heart's rich blessings in one unbroken lay.
Let not the sun-touched flowers more sweetly yield than
thine
Owa words dropped, it may be. where there is small sunshine.
O soul of mine, be prayerful! Bend low, as falls the dew
Of heaven's benediction the early hours through.
Pray as the sun climbs higher or paints a rosy west;.
Drop on thy knees?with loving lips, at even, praise Him
test.
O soul of mine, be thankful! In everything give thanks.
I shall not want. He leadeth me by cooling river banks;
He maketh me adown to lie, while o'er my cup doth flow."
O soul, let him thy thanks receive for all he doth bestow!
Savannah, Ga. ?Edna A. Pigman.
"IS THINE HEART RIGHT?"
By Rev. John H. Davis, M.A., M.D.
"The heart is the central organ of the vascular system,"
according to one definition; another, and the
better for this time, is, "The heart is the seat of the
emotions and will." The emotions include the affections
and passions. The head in these times is all-important.
Smartness transcends goodness in many
quarters. Thank God not among all. The Scriptures
use the term heart nearly a thousand times, and say
little about the intellectual side of salvation. That
salvation is impossible apart from intellection is clear,
but the affection and will transcend the recognition of
truth. The seat of all trouble is, according to one
writer, in the heart: "It is deceitful above all things,
and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Another
says: "Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it
are the r?f life "
The condition of a man's heart is therefore of the
very first importance. The heart right means the
man is right. There is a strong and steady demand
for such men and women. Every profession in life
needs just such men. Right principles are especially
tried and tested in the legal profession, and morally
strong men are needed there, to remove the reflections
often cast upon that profession. Men who are ut*
terly without principles go to lawyers and expect to
be defended in their wickedness the same as if they
were honest. A wicked man's success is often due
largely to the willingness of lawyers to help him. That
profession must therefore share the blame of his wrong
doing. But the hearts of many lawyers are right?
like Governor Hughes, God bless him, who, is a good
example.
'Ts thine heart right?" Then go into medicine, because
good principled men are needed there, too. "The
son of man came not to destroy men's lives, but to save
them." This is the honest effort of the majority of
medical men, but still some M. D.'s are willing to sell
their birthrights for a mess of pottage.
'Ts thine heart right?" Then you are better qualified
to teach others and be helpful to them than by
being simply learned, or "a college graduate." Your
learning will then be of greater service. With a plastic
condition of mind and good principles as to your moral
' * *
I OF THE SOUTH. 5
qualifications, your example may be of tremendous
importance. You will be able to sow seed that will
germinate in life conduct, that will make civic and
national life purer and better. Arnolds there are who
never saw Rugby, and such there must be if the
stream of life is to be clearer.
"Is thine heart right?" Then the business world
needs yOU. tO trive the lie to the rnrrent cavinor "On/.
w J "&' ^ *,Vcan
not be honest and succeed in business.-" If success
means simply accumulating by plundering others,
then you can not be honest and successful, but fortunately
it does not mean this. Thousands of men are
carrying on business honestly and using their means
for the Church, missions and philanthropy, and have
the means thus to use.
"Is thine heart right?" Then, if the opportunity
comes, get right into politics and stay there. Politics
will never be better till enough right-hearted men get
there. Why should it be that a man like Governor
Hughes is so prominent? He should not be an exceptional
man, but the average man for honesty. All men
ought to be as honest as he is supposed to be. In
political life the bad are often where the best should
t_ _ t r . i - * *
ue. 11 tne nest is toul those in it should try
to cleanse it. It is a safe thing to say that if men like
ex-President Roosevelt and Governor Hughes had been
in authority in Europe and America for the past one
hundred years, the world would be better, if from no
other reasons than because those in authority were
honest. Men of right hearts are especially needed in
politics, and needed now. Church and State must be
kept separate, but.the Church, in my opinion, even
clergymen, should endeavor to get men with right
hearts into politics, and so invade the very citadels of
the evildoers. It is no use to be afraid to fight the
devil because he happens to be in politics. Isaiah and
Amos were in the Church, and were the strongest kind
of ooliticians. God needed them and thev fame out
against corruption and all evil alliances.
"Is thine heart right?" Then you are needed and
will be useful in the ministry. The rescue work of the
world. The work that Jesus left for his followers to
do will be your work. He came "to seek and save the
lost." Do not wait for the glow of "perfection" to fill
your soul before you are willing to go into the field of
the holy ministry. Peter was not a perfect man, but
his heart was right. "Thou knowest that I love thee."
Hosts of men and women are perishing in the face of
the good, comfortable assertions of the optimists.
There are multitudes of men and women who are without
Christ, even if we do have now more Christians
than ever before. Sin may be less disgusting in these
days, but it is just as effective as ever. Look at our
prisons, police force, courts of justice, legislatures, the
list of crimes, intemperance, vice, piurders and numberless
divorces! Men's hearts are not right. The
ministry calls for the right men to fight sin, the foe
of God and man.
"Is thine heart right?" If so, you may enter law or
medicine, teaching or preaching, political life or business,
which is the world's busy workshop. The challenge
calls you for your best and fullest gervice.
Parsonage, Torringford, Conn.