The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1861-12-28
Let this Find be in You which was
also in Christ Jesus.

dlSJ liz SAAAASN ONHo"'
CT must work the work of Him that
sent me, while it is day: the night cometh,
when no man can work."-John TX: 4.
How constant and unremittiDg was Je-
sus in the service of His Heavenly Father
" He rose a great while before days" and
when his secret communion was over, His
public work began, 1t mattered not to
Him where he was whether on the bosom
of the deep, or mountain slope,-in the
desert or at a well side,-the "gracious
words" ever proceeded QUITO His mouth
We fad, on one touching occasion, exhaust
ted nature sinking. after day of unremit-
ting duty in crossing in vessel the Lake
of Tiberias,-" he fell asleep" Matt.
vHi) lie redeemed every precious mo-
ment; His words to the Pharisee seem
formula for all, " Simon, l have somewhat
to say unto thee -
"Oh. how our most unceasing activities
pale into nothing before such an example
as this! Would that we could remember
that each Of us has some great mission to
perform for COD; that religion is not
thing of dreamy sentimentalsm, but of
energetic practical action; moreover, that
no trade, no profession, no position, how
ever humble in the scale of society, can
deouaify for this life of christian activity
and usefulness Who were the writer's in
the Bible? We have among them King
"a Law-gyer--a Herdsman--a Publican
Physician! Nor is it to high spheres, or
to great services only, that God looks
The widows mite and Mary's " alabaster
box of ointment are record as examples
for imitation by the Holy Ghost, while many
more mppfcent deeds are passed by unre-
corded We believe that God says, re-
garding the attempt of many humble
Christian to serve u,m by active duty, |
saw that effort, that feeble effort to serve
and glorify Ne: it was the very feebleness
Of it loved -
Did it never strike you, notwithstanding
the dignity of Christ, and the activity of
Christ, how little success comparatively lie
met with in His public work We read of
no numerous conversions; no Pentecostal
reyivals in the course of His ministry
May not this well encourage in the absence
Of Great outward resultsl He sets up no
hirher standard than this" She hath done
what she could." An artist may be great
in painting peasant as well as king-it
is the way he does it, Yes, and if laid
aside from lhe activities Of the Christian
life, we can equally glorify God by passive
endurance. "Wbo am |, j" said Luther,
when he witnessed the patience of great
sufferer, "who am l ? wordy preacher in
comparison with this great doer."
Reader forget not the motive of our
motto verse, 1.-The night cometh - Soon
our tale shall be told; our little day is fit
ting fast, the shadows Of night are falling.
Our span length of time as Rutherford
SAYS, will come to inch" What if the
eleventh hour should strike after having
been "all the day idle2" A long lifetime
of opportunities suffered to pass unemploy-
ed and unimproved, and absolutely nothing
done for God A Judgment day come
our golden moments sQuandered--our tai
ents untraded on-our work undone-met
at the bar of Heaven with the whitening
repulse, " Inasmuch as we did it not. =
" 'Fhe time we have lost" says Richard
Baxter, cannot be recalled should we
not then redeem aud improve the little that
remains II traveller sleep or triAe most
of the day, he must travel SO much the fast
err in the eyening, or fall short of his jour
ney's end"
:" Arm yourselves likewise with the same
mind. '--Erchange.