The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1878-02-09
RELIGIOUS COLUMN.
Edited BY the Rev. T. J. Hough.

kELtGIUUS CVLUMN.
Edited BY the Rev. T. J. Hough.
TIE SUBSTANCE or 4 SERMON DELIVER
Ed by REV. r. J. lI0tGH, OF THE
METHODIST CHURCH IN THIS CITY,
LAST WEEK.
"Lorl, what wilt thou have me to do v'-
Acts chap 9,v.6.
Onr text contains the anxious in
Qniry Of Saul of Tarsus Immediately
after his wonderful conversion to God,
W.Ord, what wilt thou have me to
do 7" And the Lord answered and
said, "Arise, and 60 into the city, and
It shall lie told thee what thou shalt
do OF eying the voice Divine, he
proceeded at once to the city of Da-
mascus, where he was visited by An
nanias, one Of the Disciples of onr
Lord, who took the blinded scholar of
Gamaliel by the hand, and said,
"Brother Saul. the Lord even Jesus
that appeared unto thee by the way
as thou earnest, hath sent me, that
thou mightest receive thy sight and
I've filed with the Holy Ghost" And
God said he "was Il chosen vessel to
bear His name before the Gentiles."
As soon as Saul was convinced of
the power of God, as displayed in His
son Jesus, and convinced too of his
own duty, he moved forward to its
performance at once with great zeal
and energy, and became the mighty
Panf the Apostle.
Nor was he to be discouraged with
difficulties. He bore with Christian
patience and fortitude, Iardships,
periis, stripes, imprisonments and
finally death in the service of his
Divine Master, and is to-day wearing
the crown of eternal life.
have selected this text with the
view, mainly, Of addressing the men,
bers of my church, and hope also to
derive some benefits from the same as
your pastor and spiritual advisor
Let each one of Us at this, the first
service of the year, make this text
our earnest, anxious inquiry, "Lord,
what wilt thou have me to do -
What humble part can bear in the
church i? What work, what mission
is there for me ? and let us also say
with Isaiah, "Here | am Lord, send
me-" for | cannot afford to he idle
while there is So mucl, to be done.
Brethren, we have a great work be-
fore Us. 1.-THE harvest truly is plen-
teous, bat the laborers are few; pray
ye therefore the Lord of the harvest,
that He will send forth luborers into
His harvest" Our responsibility to
ourselves, to our neighbors, and to
our God, is great, indeed, and We need
the exercise of much faith, and close
and sweet communion with our be-
loved Saviour, to enable US to perform
our work.
Saint Paul says to the church at
Rome, be mot slothful in business;
but ferveut in spirit; serving the
Lord" and thus are we required to
serve God diligently and fervently,
ever remembering that "the Kings
business requires haste"
Patrick Henry said in The balls of
Congress, Eternal vigilance is the
price Of liberty" and this motto is as
applicable to religion as to politics, a
never ceasing;. vigilance ; an unyield-
ing perseverance is the dIop thab
wears away the stone, is the road to
success in either secular or Divine
matters.
Travellers to the East tell rs of q
motto carved on tho walls of the
Delplian Temple, which has Impressed
historians with the industry of the
ancient Greeks. "Nothipg is impossi-
ble to industry" Indeed, industry is
the key that uDlocks tho go]d'caverns;
that drives the steam car through the
mountains that keeps alive the bust
ness Of the world commerce, agricul-
ture, aud religion would langour and
die in the absence of industry.
Every man and every woman has
mission, work to perform, and God
enables them to perform that mission,
that work; we only need tho will to
inquire, and a determination tn perse.
we're. "There are diversities Of gifts.
but of the same spirit" All cannot
be preachers. All cannot he Sabbath
School superintendent. All cannot
he stewards. We must first have
members, then teachers and officers,
and not only have rank and file, but
all must realize that they are 'individ.
ually responsible to perform some
share of work in the body of the
church. If you cannot bring so large
a sacrifice to the altar rs a bullock,
join Mary in presenting a pair of tur-
tie doves. -
In the construction Of a large, costly
edifico, there must necessarily be a Ia
large number Of laLorers empleyed.
Some planning and experimenting
some making mortar and brick; some
carrying materials; some carrying up
the walls With masonry, and some
touching the walls with fresco. The
hewers Of wood and drawers Of wafer
are AZ essential to the construction of +,
the building as the finished artist. !,
And when the mansion is completed.
oil cit down with equal pleasure to adj
mire the shining. charming strncturo
And thus it is, with the great spiritual
temple VIC are erecting under Divine
guidance. There is honorable work
for all. ; IF the pew fail to do their 4
duty the clergy would be powerless.
and rice eersa. A minister, whose
heart and soul is not theron Gully en-.
listed in the great work of saving
souls, is poorly fitted for leading his
flock. ~, ~. 1921. 1t
II have no cause for Gliding ny !
members for inactivity during the
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