ch is reckoning of highest worth that which is less worthy than God."
That is to say, the ambitious longings of self, will if unchecked become
the ruling passion, thrusting all else ruthlessly aside and degrading
the highest powers of the mind to satisfying its feverish desire. In
Ephesians, fourth chapter, thirty-first verse: "Bitterness, passion,
anger, loud disputing, evil-speaking ... malice." Its assertiveness, and
demand for a due recognition of its worth, its rights, its opinions, its
proper place, bring bitterest burnings, and worse. It will not be
needful to review congressional, and political, and society life for
illustrations. They may be found much nearer one's own door.

Was there ever such a list? Such a being whose heart begets and nurses
such progeny! This being has the smell of hell, and of the evil one
himself. Ah! now we are getting at the straight truth. Self is Satan's
personal representative in every human heart. Its door of entrance is
the door of disobedience. It can have control only where one allows
himself to get out of intelligent sympathy with God. The self in Peter
was recoiling from that cross of which Jesus spoke. How keen Jesus was
in recognizing the suggestor of the thought that found expression
through Peter's lips--"Get thee behind me, _Satan_." Self is Satan,
condensed into each man's life, though in some he dare not exhibit his
coarser traits; and in others he is being _constantly conquered_ by that
power of the Spirit of Jesus which comes through absolute, glad
surrender to Him.

This sly Satan-self may often be recognized by a favorite question it
asks among christian people about a great many so-called unimportant
matters:--What's the harm? But a true follower of Jesus never lives down
upon the plane of "what's-the-harm?" He lives up in a higher sphere with
his Master, who "pleased not Himself," but made it the steady,
unfaltering aim of His life to do always those things that were pleasing
to His Father. Men thought Him narrow and fanatical, but He cared not so
long as He could daily hear that clear, sweet voice saying "This is My
beloved Son, in whom _I_ am well pleased." The final touchstone which
the follower of Jesus applies to every matter is this: _Would it please
Him?_

Let everyone here who earnestly desires to fit into, and to fill out,
Jesus' plan for his life, take paper and pencil and make a list of his
personal habits; such as his eating, what he eats and how; hi