Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-01-25
Go Work today in My Vineyard

Where is the Lords vineyard? Do you
need to ask? 1t is, my brother, in your
own heart. And this is field which the
most of us need to cultivate with far more
assiduity than is our wont. We trust that
we are christians but what sort of christ
ians? Are we content with the graces that
already are fourishing in us-if indeed
there be any? This work of cultivating
our heart is work that God gives us to do,
and for which he will hold us responsible.
And by cultivating the heart, | mean just
what the plain import OF the word con-
/ veys. mean that we need to cultivate our
/ affections, our love for God and our fellow
men. Doubtless we do not feel that we
have enough religious knowledge. But
the most of us could do without more
| knowledge, if only we could have more af-
/ fiction. 1t is our heart, after all, that is
at the bottom of what we do. Whether we
shall do much or little depends very great
ly upon whether we love much or little
Every one of us needs to cultivate his heart.
1t is not that we should seek mere extern
al emotion which, like the morning cloud
and the early dew, soon passes away; but
| what we do need to cultivate is, first of all,
/ that depth of love to God which will lead
/ to entire conservation to him which will
lead us to do anything, everything we can
/ to advance his cause. And then we need
to cultivate love for our fellow men, the
souls for whom Christ died; genuine re-
gard for the best interests of every one with
whom we have to do, every one whom our
influence can reach. We need to cultivate
this love, for it will not grow and flourish
without cultivation. We must work in
this vineyard of our own heart, we eX-
pect to see fruit there.
Where is the Lords vineyard? Christian
parent, it is in your own family. The
great Father of all has given you these
tender plants for the garden above. How
are you discharging that trust? Nowhere
else can you do your work under so favor
able circumstances. Ties of tenderest at.
lection unite you to your offspring anC
them to you. You know as no one els,
can their varied dispositions. You know
you certainly ought to kuow-how Il
adapt your instructions tothem. And yol
are now neglecting the field that lies RICH
at your very door if you are not seeking Il
train your children for God and heaven.
. There is more, ! am persuaded, in thi
! matter of christian nurture than we prac
tically think. Is there any good reason
why the children of christian parent
should not grow up to be christians them
selves, and this at an early age, ratifyin
thus the VOWS breathed over them in thei
very cradles? Is there any good reaso
why christian parents should not expeC
their children to become christians in yer
: early life? Expect it, when they train ther
= up in the nurture and admonition of tn
y Lord and trust to the grace of covenant
keeping God, who has said, Il will be
u God to thee, and to thy seed after thee. y
( 1t is a work, christian father, christia
Il mother, that you cannot, that you shout
'e not dare to delegate to any one else; fC
II no one else can do it so well. Oh, if Go
u spares to you these plants to bloom in the
/, sweet beauty and fragrance around you
u home, train them, so far as human effo
VI will avail, for the great Husbandman; fC
IL those