Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-09-17
ALWAYS ABOUNDING.

The apostle Paul, reaching the climax OF
his argument in the fifteenth chapter of the
First Epistle to the Corinthians, urges upon
Christians that they should be "always
Astounding in the work of the Lord" The
exhortation is applicable now.
"Always abounding"-it involves much
There ia to be no cessation of Christian work
There must be no folding of the hands
There must be no indolent moments. AL.
ways! Every year and every day, while life
lasts, the Christian must in some form OF
other, be at his Masters business The indi.
vidual character of the work will of course
vary. But, in some way or other, the Chris.
tian will be always abounding.
Then the emphasis comes on another word
abounding. The Christian works not merely
from a sense of duty. He has entered upon
service of love. He works, therefore, not
as slave under the eye of task-master
His is the service of loving child. He will
do all he can. He will work with zest And
so he will abound. 1t will be full and
hearty service he will render.
TO this "always abounding" service the
Christian is called by the very fact that he is
child of God. Nothing less than this can
be expected of him. Is he his own? Is it
not his heavenly Father who has claim upon
all that he can render Shall the child Of
God dole out his service in stinted measure
Can he do it?
Gratitude calls to it. The Christian is
saved with an abundant salvation. Full and
free and priceless is the gift of life in Jesus
Christ. Shall not he, then, who has received
all, give the utmost he can in return?
Desire for growth calls to it. The arm
grows most in muscular power which is exer,
cised the most. The mind grows most in in
tellectual force which is used the most. Siml'
larly, the Christian who is "always abound
ing in the work of the Lord" will grow most
rapidly in every Christian grace.
The claims of fallen humanity call for it.
So much to do-a world fast rushing to des-
truction. So few to work-only here and
there those who love the Lord Jesus. What
need, then, that all such should always
abound in every good word and work.
The sure promise calls to it. 1t not labor
thrown away. 1t is not even labor of doubt,
full success. 1t is work that leads to certain
and everlasting results. There is no work
done for God that falls fruitless to the ground
The promise is sure: "Be ye always abound
ing in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye
know that your labor is not in vain in the
Lord."-American Messenger.
COMING OF THE LoRD.-Nothing Is per-
feet, nothing complete, until the return of the
Lord from heaven. The hope of the moral
universe is suspended upon that The groan'
ings Of the creation converge upon that. The
individual Christian shall not be like his
Lord until he appears and the church, which
is simply an aggregate of imperfect individu
ality, awaits the same glorious epiphany fol
her deliverance from spot and wrinkle, and
from the corrupt associations Of worldlness
hypocrisy, and every other form of evil which
ciings to her. Should not true Christians
therefore, fix their eyes upon this grand, Ger
tain and exclusive hope Of the church-well
may Paul call it "that blessed hope"-the
coming of the Lord from heaven? There is
no hope for the church but this, and there is
no hope for this terribly agonized world b. but
this Let US embrace it and hold 1t fast. Oh
that your voice could reach the myriads Of
Gods people who are groanipg in spirit, thai
we might call their attention to this blessed
hope, whose realization shall make the church
of the future the radiant bride OF the glorious
hridepr0om.-