The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-06-15
International Sunday School Lessons.
EARTHQUAKES.

s'He that is faithful in that which is
least is faithful also in much" Ii we
interpret these words in the light of
what follows, we discover that in Gods
thought every mans life must follow
some plan: that mans life is unit;
that it can follow only one line. In the
immediate connection Christ says: mo
man can serve two masters Faith
fuiness to one implies unfaithfulness to
the other. Man can be true TO only one
Lord. Every mans life must move in
one of two directions. He will be good
or bad: noble or base; sweet or foul.
In one of these directions man is certain
20 90. No middle ground is possible.
There is gulf of separation fixed. On
one side or the other the whole man
must stand. Painless, broken. disturbed
rs his life may appear, there is, never
theleSS, constant movement toward
one or the other of these en,iS. This
teaching underlieS the text. So much
Christ assumes as understood when He
speaks of faithfulnesS.
.'He that is faithful in that which is
least Some one has said that many
Christians are like Naaman, the Syrian.
They want TO do some great thing"
The disciples disputed among them
selves concerning the highest position
in Heaven. Christians are hardly aware
of the extent TO which this idea controls
in religious activity Sometimes it takes
form in undisguised ambition. Some
times it IS simply the desire to appear
well. Sometimes it is seen in the guise
of humility. There are Christians
who would not cherish an ambitious
thought. People who refrain from tax
ing an active part in real work for
Christ for fear they will be thought self
seekers, who. in this, are actuated by
the same motive that fills the ambitious
heart. These people will do anything
possible to help 4 friend. Indeed, they
are not content when working for the
Lord unless they are doing some great
decd or making great sacrifices.
This is the thought of the human
heart. But man does not view these
matters as God does. Man tries to do
great things when God sees the little
things are of value. What man thinks
great, God seems TO make little ac-
count of. God has put us here in the
sphere of the little things. He has
put us here to test our faithfulness.
We are in state of probation. If we
are loyal s. in that which is very lit
de- He will give us enlarged oppor-
tunity. If this of life De true, then
everything, even the small. st, is of in
finite worth. If we take up piece of
embroidery and look upon the reverse
side, we see only tangled maze Of
different colored threads; but if We
look upon the finished work we may
see the perfection of beauty, in which,
if single thread were wanting. the
work would be incomplete. So when
We look upon our earth-life we see only
a tangled mass of deeds, purposes and
thoughts, no perfection. Nothing COM
plete, nothing right. But if we are
faithful here, when we look upon the
finished web in the upper world, we
shall see the beauty of plan and execu-
ton. Or, il we have been unfaithful
even in a little, the fact will show in
the married and broken life.
"Fai;hful in l.ttle, faithful also in
much, was favorite maxim with
Jesus.
Whosqever shall break one of these
least commandments and teach men so. +"
. he shall be called the least in the
Kingdom of Heaven" Christ in His
daily life while on earth paid the great
est attention to details. The disciple
may not do otherwise and escape con-
domination and loss. Waiting for some
great mission we neglec: the duty of the
hour. 1t matters not how kind-hearted,
generous. anxious TO serve. ready to
suffer. We NAV be: if unfaithful in the
least, the door of great opportunities
viii never open. The little things which
we by neglect despise are Gods step
pings to glory These, which are here
ON earth the lowly ornaments of saliva
ton, shall. in Gods presence. BECOME
the sum of Heavenly blessings. You
may desire to do brilliant things. but
Christ requires an everyday, and even
a commonplace, religion. What Christ
commands is, not that you should out
strip your fellows in Heavenward
flights, but that you should cheer
and help Your brother. Faithfulness in
the lesser ministries is the essential con-
dition of true Christian living. 1t is this
promotes the growth and peace of the
church. increases the power of the
preached word and lifts humanity to-
ward God. What the age requires is
not a far-fetched, but an everyday re-
ligion: not ecstaeies, but plain and SIM
pie deeds of love, will heal the hurt
from which souls suffer. Not your feel
ings, but the feelings of others, are the
tests Of true service. We need faith