The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-06-21
international sunday.school Lessons.
Christian Duty.

CHRIST JESUS taught no more beautiful
and benefcent principle than that 1--WE
are not our own. No man liveth to him
self or dieth to himself. We are debtors.
Every man is to look not on his own
things, but also on the things of others.
We are to bear one another's burdens,
and so fulfill the law of love-" Our Mas.
ter set us an example of ineffable beauty
in this regard. He "pleased not Him.
SELF" He came not to be ministereG
unto, but to minister to others. As the
sun expends itself in giving light and
warmth, SO Jesus made His earthly exist
ence one constant expenditure Of bless
ings. That journey to the coasts of Ca
naan was probably just for the relief OF
one afflicted woman and her daughter
Never does my Savior appear more low
able to me than when he girds the towel
about His loins and stoops. to wash His
disciples feet. so ought ye," He
sweetly says, ito wash one another's
feet" This is the meaning OF the phrase
!. Ye are the salt of the earth;" for the
prime use of salt is not to keep itself, but
to preserve other objects from putrefac-
ton.
Is it not about time for every Christian
professor to feel that, if he is not stand
ing rebuke to rascality and falsehood, and
if he has NO antiseptic qualities, then he
is fraue himself? Is it not time, too,
that the idea of absorbing Gospel every
Sabbath and giving out none during the
week should be regarded as disgrace to
his Christian professionf This question
cannot be pushed home too close to every
member of Christ's Church: ''What are
you here for? Who is the better for your
influence, you gifts, your acts, and
your example? ~ Our self-denying
Redeemer gave the chief reason for
His coming to earth to make men
and women Christians when he said: =" 1
have chosen you and ordained you that We
should 90 and bring forth fruit" That
fruit is godly and beneficient living. No
other religion in the universe ever had so
sublime purpose. If all who profess
and call themselves Christians would
simply lice out their holy professions, the
conversion of the world would soon be
achieved. If even single State or
single county were thoroughly Christian
lied in every house, every school, every
place of business, and If Jesus shone out
in the domestic, social and civil life of
that whole community, then the whole
world would be attracted to look at so
ocouSitu oPcCtd1lc. 1ucu Tie WHOic
world would see what men and women
could be made Christians for. Infidelity
would hang its foolish head before such q
triumphant argument for the religion of
Calvary and the Gospel But until
Christ's representatives live out more thor
oughly the teachings and spirit Of their
Lord there will be an abundance of that
secret skepticism which steels the human
heart against Gods glorious Gospel. 1t
is for this very reason that SO much of the
Roadway gained by Sabbath eloquence is
lost during the other six days of counter
acting influence. One day of good
preaching is no match for six days Of in.
consistent practice. God will never honor
His church with complete success until it
completely honors Him.-Rsp Theodore
L. Cuvler, in N. r. Independent.