'A few Sundays ago, we were! remembering together how our Lord reminded us that cares, riches and Jleasures destroy the growth of the spiritual life. We know that He iwas not referring to the enjoyment lof legitimate pleasures, but rather to our allowing pleasures to come in jand take the place of spiritual things. It is not at all with the Idea of discountenancing our bringing our Christianity into our! pleasures. The more we do that, ithe better it will be, both for our: [Christianity and our pleasures. The our giving so to our pleasures that actually we allow them occupy the place in our lives that belongs to our Saviour, and to destroy within us the growth of spirit ual hopes and desires It may be that, within the hearts lof some of us, the root of spiritual ife is more' susceptible to the destructive power of outside influence! than in the hearts of others, and we need to be more careful. [Some plants are more sensitive than. others. We take special pains to protect a valuable plant from re forces; the greater its renter our care. What} value have we Christ-given spiritual I us, who, values it, is not aware lof its extreme sensitiveness t> the lly influences that ever are beating upon it with relentless force Jand subtle energy? I do not mind making the confession that my own spiritual life is so sensitive to these adverse influences, that I am thankful beyond words for the opportunity Sunday gives for spiritual in-gathering: To play organized games, or and listen to comic songs though no one enjoys these things more than I do in their place, as long as they are clean and wholesome.
God has in His loving Providence Jordained Sunday not only as a day lof rest, but that we may have opportunities for giving special attention to spiritual things, and may be the better fitted to cope the temptations and difficulties and disappointments "of the following days. May we have grace to use it aright, as it comes round wee'e by week, and remember that, the more truly we honour His Day? the more jiully we learn to honour Him.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.