St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-03-21
Giving as We Have.

Perhaps it is but theory however,
will state it, and you can take it FOL
what it is worth. 1t is this: | am in
clined to believe that nearly every
Christian has-hidden away somewhere
in head, heart, OF possessiOns-d some
thing, which if discovered and put out
to interest, will pay heavy tribute tC
their own heart culture to the building
up of the saints, or to the extension Of
the Masters kingdom. In order the
better to enforce what | have to say,
will choose a text, "Silver and gold
have none, but such as | have give
thee"
The application wish to make of the
text is this: Too many Christians are
apt to think of serviceable gifts as Pc
ter said of money, "Silver and gold
hare nOne.n Whereas the truth is,
there is probably no Christian man oil
woman who cannot contribute some
thing toward lettering the world.
Though we may not possess the ''silver
and the gold" that is, the distinguished
gifts and attachments which the world
asks for, still we each owe to society
and the church debt which can only
be paid by our giving to them "such as
we have"
Blessed be God, this is all he asks of
us: The measure of our responsibility
is, "Such as we have" but this we must
give, if we do not wish to incur his dis
pleasure. And let me say right here,
that the humblest Christians ''such as
l have" when rightly used, includes
untold wealth and power. A brief con-
temptation of the text referred to has
led me to think of three important
things suggested by it,-an important
duty, an important fact, an important
question. The important duty is that
of giving to God and our fellOw-men
"such as we have"
VI IL bHtlt DC HE d NillluS ulilut
it is accepted according to what man
hath, and not according towhat he hath
not"
The fact referred to is that most
Christians possess more serviceable tai
ents than they themselves suppose. To
illustrate this point, allow me TO re-
mind you of the call of Gideon as re-
corded in the sixth chapter of Judges.
You will perhaps recall the circum
stances and scene. The Israelites were,
at the time, in the deepest distress.
Because of their continued indulgence
in sinful ways, God had in large part
withdrawn his protecting care. For
seven successive years, as soon as their
grain was ripe enough to harvest, the
Midianites would decend in force from
their mountain Businesses and steal it
all away. One day during this heart
saddening period, young man named
Gideon was engaged in threshing out Il
little of the gathered grain; but fearing
lest the marauding Midianites might
either see or hear him if he threshed it
in the usual way, he had taken the pre-
caution to seek out a sunken wine
press, in which he was at work, proba-
bly, bordering the sad conditioned his
people, and wishing God would come
to their rescue. Lifting his eyes for a
moment from his work, he saw a person
sitting under an oak-tree near by. II
proved to be an angel sent by God up
on a mission to Gideon himself. "The
angel said unto him, The Lord is with
thee, thou mighty man of valOr; )" and
there came revelation from God .tc
Gideon that he was the chosen of Goo
to work deliverance for the oppressed
Israelites. Gideon was like great
many Christians nowadays, he coult
not believe it possible that he possessed
any serviceable talents he apparently
was so surprised at the intimation tina
he could be of service, that he almos
looked upon the words with which tn
angel addressed him as a cruel mock
cry. fl were to say to you as the an
gel did to Gideon, "'The Lord is wit
thee, thou mighty man of valor,' an,
has a special work for you to do,n yo
would probably consider the words a
almost a cruel taunt spoken with sar
castle intent. But in Gideon's case tn
sequel proved his error, and reveale
the work even Gideon could do whe
he willingly placed himself in God
hand as an instrument for him to wor
with. $50 in this thy might. Hav
not sent thee ?' said the Lord to hin
And then to Gideon's pleadings of pc
sonal unttness and inability, the Lor
replied, "Surely l will be with thee
1t is we'll for us ever to remember tn;
when we engage in Gods work we hay
the promise of his presence and helr
and that, after all, is the surest guaral
Zee of success. The sense of person
dnttness which Gideon felt was real
only proof of his greater fitness to
used by God. We may set it down
rule, that God does not call to gre
work those who think themselves COZ
petent to perform it,
1t is an easy matter to recall d
names OF some of the most efficie