SELF-DENIAL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 275, 20 November 1899, Page 2

SELF-DENIAL.

In the Newmarket Church yesterday morning the Rev. J. T. Pinfold, Ph.B., preached on the above subject from Luke ix. 23-24. Ue said that selfdenial is a fundamental law of the Chrisitian life. The Jews to whom Christ spoke were familiar with a cross-bearer, because the Roman authorities often made the criminal carry the cross on which he was to pay the penalty of his sin. So they would understand what Jesus meant when He used the words. "Let him take up his cross and follow Me." Self-denial is God-like. Jehovah withheld not His own Son, but freely delivered Him up for man's redemption. So Christians must be willing to deny themselves, even to the laying of the most prized treasure on the altar of self-sacrifice. We shall thus be enabled to fulfil life's supreme mission, and follow in the footprints of our Divine Master. Nature teaches that nothing in the world exists for' self alone. The flowers attract the bee with their sweet fragrance, flaming corrallas, delicately tinted petals, and lovely honey, receiving in return from the head and shoulders of the bee the golden pollen without Avhich the blossom could not be fertilised, the fruit formed, nor the plant reproduced. In this work of self-denial all may engage. There, is no aristocracy of grace beyond the circumference _of whose circle the blessings of salvation cannot be obtained. "If any man will come after Me." The duty of selfdenial is not like an exotic plant, that sheds its fragrance only a,t. stated times. The Christian is "to take, up his cross daily." The fragrance of his unselfish life is to be enjoyed by all with whom he comes into contact, especially those that/need it most. The world expects to see in the follower of Jesus the spirit of their Master. Just as sterling silver has the hall miark, so the Christian has this distinctive mark of genuineness. Selfdenial leads to unique development of mind and heart; it brings into ex-; ercise such good qualities as sym-1 pathy and benevolence, and results in j the enrichment of our higher nature. Hence Christ affirmed. "For whosoever will s<a.ve his life shall lose it, but . hosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it." Selfishness is self-destruction —it leads to atrophy. , He who denies himself truly lives.

The bra.**-, troohv «.v<. man ob___»?'"

Is that which o'er himself, himself hath

gained. Self-denial brings its own reward in the intense satisfaction that arises from the exercise of unselfishness, in the. great delight that comes from following Jesus with an ever-increas-ing degree of nearness; and finally in the, eternity of blessed.ness that is to be enjoyed with ripened powers at tho right hand of God in Paradise.