Daily globe., 1883-07-22

ana greene country town Where no man
should be oppressed gained more inhab-
itants in three years than New York did in
fifty.
To great many men and women duty
is the rule by which everything must be
tried. Every feeling and impulse are sub
ordinated to the iron-clad law of duty.
Prayer and praise, acts of kindness and
charity, are performed at the bidding of
duty. Many christian parents govern
their households in the name of
duty. We all know what sort of homes
they have. A mother once remarked, IT
never break my word with my children.
always punish them when I tell them
will" "Don't you sometimes find some
excuse for their disobedience?" asked a
friend. "No, if did I should not break
my word" Duty admitted no extenuating
| circumstances, nor any recommendations
| to mercy. The whipping was sure. We
all remember the story of the father who
promised his son fogging if he went
into the water without his permission.
One day the boy came before him
| dripping from the river and
| without listening to word of
explanation, which the trembling boy
vainly endeavored to give, he whipped
him numerically. The exposure and
beating brought on fever which ended in
death. Before the end the father learned
that his boy jumped into the river to save
the life of playmate.
God requires men ''to do JUSTIFY and at
the same time, "to love mercy" The SER
vice of God is service we owe Him un-
doubtedly, but the loyal performance of
obligations is only the letter of the law, it
is, excepting the bondage of fear, the low
est view that can be taken of our relations
to God
A man may do right because he fears
the judgment Eand the final punishment
of sin; Or he may be convinced that he
owes loyal. service to God and endeavor to
discharge his obligations as far as pos
sible, he may bow down his head as a
bulrush, and spread sackcloth and ashes
under him." but the service and the fast
are not what God wishes from his child
ren. It is not dutiful service or self i'm
posed penance for sin, but love of singing
from pure hearts, love to God and love to
men. God commended his love to men
by giving His Son to save them and bring
them eternal life. As men are redeemed
by love so love ahould be the ruling power
of their lives. God is the best and truest
friend man can have, and in return for
his great love he asks a service of love rem
dered with gladness.
The great difference between a religion
of duty and religion of love is shown in
daily life. When person prays because
he thinks he ought to pray, what cold
and empty thing prayer is. But where a
man speaks to God as one
friend addresses another, only
with reverence, as the one is weak finite
being,and the other the loving, ,omnipotent
and eternal God, prayer becomes more
sweet and tender than the intercourse of
friends. Prayer is the natural expression
of love and trust in the goodness and
mercy of God
When Christian stops SHINING, it is not
alone because it is his duty, but because
when he sins he. wrongs his best friend,
because ''Christ is cruc1fed afresh AMI put
to an open shame every time his children
sin.
The highest pleasure of friendship is its
perfect trust and confidence. "The peace
which passeth understanding is trust and
confidence IN God. Perfect love casteth
out fear" and perfect service is a service
of love. "The love of Christ constraineth
u.s." said Paul, and it is the appreciation
of this great love, which never fails in
every emergency. that restrains "a Chris
tian from SHINING. How could he grieve
or wrong.a friend who endured agony and
death for him?
To do right because one ought to do so
is better than an absolute failure
in well doing, but the work often grows
to be burden, and duty becomes a task
master. To do right because it is pleasing
to God and because man loves him and
wishes to please him, is to be a healthy
and happy Christian.
''Serve the Lord with gladness.'' This
earth is not vale of tears, but a harvest
field, where glad hearts make light work.
A sorry, melancholy Christian is travesty
on what his Maker intends him to be.
What! does he believe that he has
God for his friend and can
/ the ills of life SO overwhelm him that he
can only sigh and groan? ''How can you
be so happy" said friend to the blind
painter. Because God wills it. and His
will is my pleasure. He will take care of
me-" That is a sensible, healthy faith
and holding it a Christian Will ind