(b) The body is not to be indulged. — Modern civilization addresses an ever more powerful and persuasive appeal to the lower appetites of man. The cravings of the senses are stimulated in many ways, and a wonderful organization of sensual service has been developed to satisfy them. The body is an instrument for making money, and the patient servitor of sensual pleasure, and for many nothing more.
(3) We glorify God in our bodies by trusting the love and power and resources of the Father-Soul who dwells within us. Our want of faith limits God. They who are able to concentrate upon the central fountain of life, and affirm that all that is God's
1 N. D. Hillis, Contagion of Influence, 205. a A Kempis.
206 THE BODY FOR GOD
is theirs, do find the lower conditions controlled ; the moral conditions of the psychical nature, and the physical conditions of the animal nature, are practically dead because they are " hid with Christ in God."
Tf One of the finest organs in Europe is in the Cathedral of Fribourg, a town in Switzerland. A good many years ago a young man came to that Cathedral and asked to be allowed to examine the organ. The attendant, not knowing who he was, at first refused to permit him to do so. After considerable per- suasion he suffered him to look through it, and then in response to further persistent entreaty he allowed him to sit down and attempt to play. Forthwith there burst from the great in- strument such strains of heavenly music that the attendant stood spellbound. " Who are you ? " at last he ventured to ask. " My name is Mendelssohn," was the reply. " Mendelssohn ! ,J cried the attendant, lifting up his hands in amazement, " and to think that I refused to let you play on the organ ! " There is One who wishes to bring music to the glory of God out of our lives, if we will only allow Him. Let Christ touch us, and we will be able to glorify God.1
(4) To glorify God in the body is manifestly self -identification with the brethren of humanity. " If you would glorify God in your body, know that the humility that loves to serve, the self- subordination that induces you to leave your heaven of personal comfort to be identified with your brethren's sorrows, will pro- pitiate the only element in the nature of the Absolute that requires propitiating, which is His yearning, hungering love." God's human children need us all, bitterly need us.
King's children are these all; though want and sin Have marred their beauty glorious within, We may not pass them but with reverent eye ; As when we see some goodly temple graced To be Thy dwelling, ruined and defaced, The haunt of sad and doleful creatures, lie Bare to the sky, and open to the gust,
It grieveth us to see this House laid waste, It pitieth us to see it in the dust ! 2
1 J. Aitchison. a Dora GreenwelL
Spiritual Detachment.
Literature.
Banks (L. A.), The Sinner and His Friends, 1.
Church (R. W.), Village Sermons, i. 305.
Cox (S.), Expositions, ii. 404.
Dykes (J. 0.), Plain Words on Great Themes, 43.
Finlayson (T. C), The Divine Gentleness, 170.
Henson (H. H.), Light and Leaven, 209.
Hodgson (A. P.), Thoughts for the King's Children, 151.
Horder (W. G.), The Other- World, 159.
Hoyle (A.), The Depth and Power of the Christian Faith, 153.
Jerdan (C), Messages to the Children,, 56.
Keble (J.), Sermons for the Christian Year : Easter to Ascension, 251.
Leffingwell (C. W.), in Living Voices of Living Men, 153.
Little (W. J. Knox), Manchester Sermons, 81.
Manning (H. E.), Sermons, i. 349.
Martineau (J.), Endeavours after the Christian Life, 439.
Matheson (G.), The SpiritiLal Development of St. Paul, 288.
„ Times of Retirement, 152.
Parker (J.), City Temple Pulpit, v. 88. Potts (A. W.), School Sermons, 244. Ridgeway (C. J.), Social Life, 52. Robertson (F. W.), Sermons, iii. 169.
Spurgeon (C. H.), Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, viii. (1862) No. 481. Vaughan (C. J.), Lessons of Life and Godliness, 311.
„ (J.), Sermons (Brighton Pulpit), 1869, No. 680 ; xxv. (1884-85)
No. 1292. Vincent (M. R.), God and Bread, 363. Webb-Peploe (H. W.), He Cometh, 33. Wilson (J. M.), Sermons in Clifton College Chapel, i. 79. Wood (W. S.), Problems in the New Testament, 80. Cambridge Review, ii. Supplement, No. 40 (Bradby). Christian Age, xxxiii. 21 (Talmage). Cliristian World Pulpit,xiv. 65 (Rogers), 344 (Short) ; xliv. 44 (Smith) ;
lxx. 273 (Home) ; lxxii. 9 (Taylor). Cliurchman's Pulpit : Lenten Season, v. 92 (Cooke). Homiletic Review, xx. 537 (Hoyt) ; xxxi. 44 (Storrs).
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Spiritual Detachment.
But this I say, brethren, the time is shortened, that henceforth both those that have wives may be as though they had none ; and those that weep, as though they wept not ; and those that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not ; and those that buy, as though they possessed not; and those that use the world as not abusing it : for the fashion of this world passeth away.— I Cor. vii. 29-31.
The subject of this chapter is marriage. But marriage is part of a larger subject. The great question agitating the Corinthians is whether a man should, on becoming a Christian, maintain the occupations and relationships which he entered into previously. The Apostle's answer is, Yes: "Let each man abide in that calling wherein he was called." Let the slave remain a slave, though he may take advantage of an honourable opportunity of becoming free. Let those who are married remain married, and those who are unmarried remain unmarried. " But this I say " — there is a change of word (from Xeyco to ^tj/jll), in order probably to give special emphasis to the assertion — " But this I do declare : though I counsel none to change their state, I counsel all to change their attitude towards these and all other earthly things." And what are the earthly interests towards which Christian men are to change their attitude ? He names marriage, weeping, rejoicing, buying, and the use of the world generally. But how is this possible ? Because the time is short — literally " is shortened, abridged " — there is no very long time now for any one to feel the duty of detachment irksome. And finally there is wisdom in it, for this world is neither essential nor enduring-- < " the fashion of this world passeth away."