Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-03-01
Work.


This is a fast age, and it calls for earnest
christians. Steam and electricity have
made the necessity for corresponding
phase Of development in society; so the
farmer, and merchant, and mechanic, and
engineer, are energetic men; men of bus
iness, earnest, eager, driving; and thus
christians should be. Those expect to sue
coed only as they work, and their expecta-
tons are rewarded only as they work. So
in the church it will succeed as the mem
bers work And all should work, from the
Sunday school scholar to the preacher; go
at it as the farmer goes at a days work on
the farm.
There can be no excuse for want of room.
The fallen need raising, the desolate cheer
ing. Communities need the purifying work
and influence of christians. The good Sa-
maritan can find many one by the road
side of life wounded and deserted. On ev-
cry hand men are taking course that will
end in death, and that with their eyes
open. To arouse such, christians should
work. A word in season is often more
powerful in awakening than the eloquent
sermon, and every one can say word for
Jesus.
Then there is warfare, waged to the
death. Paul in his bold imagery often
speaks of this. II have fught the good
Eobt Tho .,o,u,, Of q. n ,,o,J I,s bi. limo
Of works thrown ~, his batteries planted,
his pickets thrown out, hi, sharpshooter,
stationed; himself a leader, sharp, able,
vigilant, always on hand. To oppose him
the church must be equally in earnest
And the body Of the church must not leave
it to the preacher, must not stand idly by.
II must be fight and not idle dreaming !;
contest, and not vague theorizing The
General said to Us, Boys, do you see the
gable Of that house on the hill? The bat
terry We are to take is the ons just this side
of that. Forward" Selling the colors he
led the way. We did not stand still think
ing the General could take the battery
alone, or that the rest of the army would
break the lines; did no; stop to see the
strangely terrible shock Of battle; nor to
theorize about the right or wrong Of the
war-we had settled that, but we followed
our General.
One need not stop to learn how to work
for Jesus. That is not learned alone il
divinity schools As the bird needs no in
structions to build its nest, 50 the hear
filled with the Spirit needs no teaching t,
show it how to work. Let that be you
guide, and you will be taught how to worl
for the King of kings as you can learn i,
no other way The child when couverte,
at once goes TO work, and thinks not 0
learning how TO work but is taught of tn
Spirit.
On every side chances occur 70 do ser
vice in this cause The fields are whit
with the harvest BY casting the eye al
ound we see many places where the wor
can be putin. One might as well ask wher
he shall find Il chance to chop, as he stanC
in dense forest with an axe in his hanC
as to stand still and ask for chance I
work for souls. Work, there on thy rigl
hand, and on thy left; with that compar
ion, with that father or mother, who is NJ
sayed-that son or daughter; work to sa,
that confdant or friend or neighbor.
When shall work, do you ask? No,
The present is big with importance to ii
unsaved, big with values. And you, f
your own sake, must catch the present
go work today in my vineyard" y
tomorrow not next week or year, but t0Ra
Do we work? not, begin now. Is Il
way fiuty, the service hard, the retur
small7 That is none Of our affairs-Chri
wants us to work, and He will see to Il
rest. Now this remember; "Work for J
sus." V.
Barton, Feb. Is, 1870.