Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1867-01-31
aslioIcas Misrtllanp.

nttho UT tnllaii ~ lOilt ~ " uiiuiH NiAh
the spirit of God Noblcness is not
in the duty but in the disposition that
performs IL; il is not the gift but the
goodness which prompts it that makes
charity the crowning virtue. While
ambition sighs for a EMISSION" sym
pathy becomes ministering angel,
pouring heavenly balm into wounded
hearts; and while vanity languishes
for public display and applause, faith
unseals the lips and touches the tongue
with fire. Trust and hope and gen
orous longings fill the voice with
sweetness, the words with fascination,
and the air with grace and penitence
and love and aspiration make every
act e prayer, every utterance music;
and the breath incense. A great spirit
makes a great life anywhere. Let us
have the spirit and we shall lead the
life. With souls saturated with Christ
ian sentiments and all compact of vir-
tue, an humble lot and narrow round
of duty viii no more restrict our in
fuence for good than the lines on the
map interfere with the shining of the
sun.
1t is q critical time for the church
es, and for the cause of Ged. An ovor-
whelming sense of the absolute need
of the Holy Spirit ought to inspire
every Christian heart TO pray, 90
Lord, revive Thy work" The descent
of the Holy Spirit, with Pentecostal
power, may save our country for a
halfcentury from infdelity and ire
ligion and vics. 1t may quicken the
national conscience, and infusc a new
moral power into every good cause.
At such time, when the Spirit seems
to be drawing near, let every Christ
ian be found weeping between the
porch and the alter, and crying,
IiSpare Thy people, O Lord, and give
not Thy heritage to reproach." 30,
Lord, revive Thy work in the midst
of the year, in wrath remember mer-
cy."
Whatever God may design to effect
by the cultivation of the passive his
tory of his people, it is evidently not
by this means that he designs TO bring
about the conquest of the world.
They may be called to suffer; but
their commission is to go and preach,
to the intent that men may believe
and be saved He bids them seek
spheres of usefulness rather than COM
fort, having first diligently sought to
qualify themselves for such spheres.
True, his service is calculated TO devel-
op and strengthen our faculties and
Christian graces, and so promote our
comfort; but he bids us 90 work in
his vineyard and seek the good of 9TH
ers, because he would have us initiate
the benevolent example of His Son in
seeking our good.
"Strive," says our Lord, "to enter
in at The straight gate; formany shall
seek to 60 in thereat, but shall not be
able" Now, you will observe that
Jesus does not say, "many shall STRIFE
to enter in, but shall not be able" lie
says: "many shall seek'-teaching
us that the chief reason why men do
not enter the narrow gate of salvation
and obtain rest is, that they seek but
do not strive to enter in. 1t is not
difficult to understand what is meant
by striving, and how different thing
it is from mere seeking. Only notice
the conduct Of any one who, in real
earnestness of soul, desires TO obtain
any good you will perceive in his
conduct this striving and not mere
seeking,
Christ gave himself for us. But
are not too many of our gifts for
Christ like the one illustrated by the
following incident? To little boy at
the breakfast table, his father says,
"John, you knew your teacher tells
you you must deny yourself in order
to present an acceptable offering to
the missionary cause; now, what do
you think Of doingg' 81 have made
up my mind, father; | won't eat salt
mackerel for breakfast" am glad
my child, that you are willing to deny
yourself anything for Jesus sake
Why do you select that 7" 30, father
l am not at all fond of it, and il i.
very easy to give it up, and besides
we don't very often have it"
/ verify believe there's not sweet
or word in the Bible than the word
"Come." lam sure that when it fell
from the lips of Jesus, when the Spir
it and the bride uttered it, when il
was echoed by the tongues of apos
ties and saints, and in all these case,
was addressed to the weary and heavy
laden-to those who were atheist.
with spiritual noeds-it was so full o.
grace and truth that it could not be
exceeded in preciousness by any worc
in human speech; and this WORD
"Come" is the keynote of the gospel
"Come" with whatever thirst You
faint, "come and drink; come anC
take the water of life freely"
Associated piety acts with a con
centraled radiance and power; anC
under its inspirations Christians, lift
ing their eyes also on the distant har.
vest fields, unite to send them tn,
faithful laborer, to reap and gather
fruit into life eternal. Would they
but keep in remembrance the fact
that holy aggressive movement fol
the conquest of the word is theiI
"being's end and aim" and would
they but place themselves in array foi
the work, and remain united therein
with n proper sense of dependence OF
their head, they would soon witnes.
results more glorious than have vel
followed the publication of the gospel