Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-04-19
livinq for the Future

Living for the Future.
Religion must be emphatically real
practical and earnest living in the present
Very justly criticism is passed by world,
men upon a professed christian life which
is so unreal'and prospective as to be with
out power and effect in the present To
have the idea Of what life ought to be, and
belief in what it shall be in the future is
not enough.
This idea must be of practical value in
transforming now the character and con
duct. This belief must be faith known
now by its works. But while we empha-
size thus the relation of religion to the
present we must not forget that the gospel
insists that its power now arises from its
connection with the future. The christian
is one who walks by faith, not by sight,"
who is "sayed by hope" who reaches
forth unto the things that are before" In
full and glorious sense he is one Ering
for the future.
Successful business men must always
live with an eye to that beyond the imme-
date work of the day.
All are ready 70 commend the -agacitv
an practical wisdom OF the young man
who in business enterprises looks beyond
present ease and enjoyment, and abors,
plans, and econumisc4 lor the sake of fu-
ture prosperity. The town or city that ex-
ercises wise f,rrthouCht in laying out large
sums to attract business and wealth to it.
self is esteemed cuterprisinC and sagacious.
And il is true that in such living for the
future there is at the time the most Of en-
joyment. The man denying himself, la
boring hard for the sake of future returns
is far happier now in that course, though
he fails of his expectations, than he would
be, had he no object in view but the pleas
ure of the hour.
The town that is planning and striving
for future prosperity, is uniformly more
thrifty and prosperous now than it other
wise could be- But if this is the case in
things of this sort how much more true is
it in things that concern spiritual life
For the sake Of the presentth christian
must live for the future. This is the
law of successful and efficient personal life
The duties Of the present can be done well
in no other way than as we do these in
view Of their relation to the future The
glory of the gospel is that it treats man as
an inimitable being and connects his life
here with the life to come. Itreveals rAth-
err one life-the life eternal over which
death has no power, and upon which now
we may lay hold through faith in Jesus
Christ The christian must therefore be-
hold the work Of the present in its relation
20 the future, if he would rightly appreci-
ate the importance and the scope Of pres
ent duties. Whatever he does must be
both thankohering for mercies past, and
a testimony to conservation and hope for
the future.
The triais ofthe present can be endured
only as we rememberth future. Gracious
ly our Saviour has marked out for us the
path through suffering to glory. He has
irradiated the sorrows of the present by
the promised joys Of the future. The dis
cipline now borne is but proof of soulship
of the Heavenly Father. In proportion to
the fervor Of our love to Christ, and our
trust in his promises will be our submits
sion and our triumph in present triDula-
tons No one living simply for the pres
ent could sustain its burdens, surmOunt its
obstacles, or resist its temptations. We
must "look not at the things which are
seen" (which are temporal" but at the
things which are not seen" (which are
eternal" five would 81 be Of good cheer
amid the trials which now we endure.
The pl1ns also of the present must he for
the future. In all our purposes. and DE-
recting all our Efforts must he this idea of
future life The christian ought to he a
man of enlarged ideas one who lives for
the good Of his lellowmen here and here.
after. BY the grand objects which the
Bible holds before him, he must be stimu-
lated to direct all his energies in such way
as to confer the most lasting benefits upon
those he may influence.
The plans of the christian must thus out
run the immediate possibilities Of the pres
emit He must feel his responsibility fol
his influence upon posterity and in some
measure realize that the present is but (
moment between two eternities, ard tina
what he designs to do must bear wise re
lation to that future which even now push
es the present from his grasp.
Thus for the sake of diligence, and cour
age, and patience, and wisdom, living fol
the future is the key to true life in tn,
present. For the church as well as for tn,
individual this is the way to live. Not 70
the past, not for present popularity or re
wards, but for the future, the future o
themselves and others saved through thei
influence they are to work in the zeal q
faith and the patience of hope.
And what illustrations of the heroism O
such living does the history Of these chris
tan ages furnish The inspiring example
of those who have spurned the attraction
and resisted the temptations of their owt
day that they might be true to God and
their duty to the future are our rich herr
tage to encourage US to follow their fait
and initiate their devotion.