New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-06-28
Lord, What Wilt Thou Have Me
to DoP

day protected him and provided for
him, who will say that man is not the
Lords to the greatest extent of which
we can conceive of the idea of pos
session. And if this be SO, who will
deny that God has the right to every
service which man can pay! Should
not, then, every man seriously ask
himself from day to day this question,
''Lord, what wilt thou have me to do 2"
If from our hearts we should ask it
would it not be shown US what we
should do as plainly as it was Paul,
the great apostle to the Gentiles !
And then, if we were as willing to
obey, though it called for great efforts,
and often for great humility, what
would we not see accomplished for the
Lord We would have the men,
bers of every church working indi-
vidually and as company for the
conversion of the world. There
would be much crossbearing, no doubt,
but there would be more enjoyment
in religion. The reason there is no
more religious joy and rejoicing among
Christians is because there is too little
working. The Lord is not going to
pay you "gOod measure, pressed
down, and running over" for life of
idleness. He would not thus encour-
age slothfulness. You must feel if
you would find and retain the favor of
God that you must do something.
Paul felt this Immediately when the
Lord met him in the way, and brought
conviction to his heart. He said,
Lord, what wilt thou have me to dol"
A man can not sit down on the stool of
do-nothing and let the world go to
ruin around him, and yet retain the
favor of God.
Many feel that if they could accom-
plish great things and win great
name among men they would bestir
themselves, but not seeing such a
prospect they put forth ne exertion.
But there are many little things, things
easily to be done in the work of ex-
tending the kingdom Of Christ over
the whole earth as well as great things.
These are important, however, just as
the thinking is necessary to perma-
nency in building a stone wall. If
God has not given you the capacity
for handling large blocks of granite,
then work with all your might in put
ting in the chinking. "Ah, but that
isn't doing much" That's not so
honorable
Not doing much! Is it not obeying
God? And is not obeying God doing
much Not honorable ! Is not all
work for the Master honorable! Il
may be that your field is more obscure
than another; the world may not know
SO much,ofi it, and the praises of mer
may seldom fall upon your ear. But
the work is not being done for man
but for God. He watches every steI
you take, counts every tear you shed
in your anxiety for the success of hii
cause, and will reward you accord
ingly.
, If minister in answer to the in
, quiry of his heart, lord, what will
/ thou have me to do 2" finds himself il
! the order Of Gods providence in al
obscure field of labor, among a poor O.
ignorant people, is he to feel that hi
, work is less honorable than that in thu
great city? Or that the souls Their,
are less precious to the Redeemer
. No! all of Gods work is equally hon
l orable. All souls are alike precious
! The searcher for diamonds may Of
3 ten find those that are rough and IN
. slightly. He does not for this reason
/: however, threw them away, eensid
! ering only the more polished ones val
!, liable, They are diamonds, though no
+ attractive to the eye, He therefor
!. gathers them up, not presuming to f.
J avalue thereon until they have Passe
/ through the hands of the poliaher
The latter thereafter will be more com
1 petent 70 establish the value. So lie
the minister Of God inthe most obscur
4 field Of labor, among the most unas
summing people, gather in souls to th
! Church, and to the service Of Goo
and uncoath and ignorant thong
ID they be- they ars soon to 30 into Ii
hand Of the great poliaher-.thei
4 creator; and he in fixing an estimat
& thereon viii decide every one, eve
Z the weakest and dallest. Of priceless
Il value.s st1a sdi 81 mid uf
: But these feelings should not oni
= possess the heart Of the minister, b.
every member Of the Church Of &c
should also feel that he occupies hi
I present position IN the order Of God
! providence. And after seeking /
1 eazpept prayer TO know what Go
(. would have him do. lie should In
!, mediately and constantly obey th
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