The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-09-10

late every ChriStlan TO Increased ac-
tivity In the Masters service.
Here are two men who have found
Christ precious to their souls in years
past--men who started out as equals and
who in the Christian warfare should have
held equal step, yet see how much they
differ now; one has had q willing mind
and open heart, and day by day has gone
on climbing higher and higher toward
the measure of tee stature of perfect
man Of Christ. And the other has gone
on his way taking little note of the means
by which Christian progress is secured.
He has remained in a treadmill, and
after long years as he looks to see what
advance is made he finds out his mistake.
He is where he began. I,v.
Who does not think regretfully Of all
The possibilities rich and rare, which
never reached their fulhlment - the
wasted opportunities, the sins Of commits
sion, and yet my brother, my sister, you
are child of God. He claims you even
now as His son and His daughter, yes,
with tear.stained eyes the true believer
takes courage and looks onward; he re-
pents of the past; he asks help for the
future. How little we have done the
mighty works of the venerated mon
whom the church honors, and the Christian
activity and zeal Of many about us re-
buko our laziness, our lack Of courage,
and our weak faith. There are many
years Of Christian living before many of
us, We fondly trust, ere we are changed
from the mortal into the immortal.
Christian sonship is then to be moro fully
attained in this life. Doubtless, q day
comes TO every one who follows Christ
when he can say, and say 1t gladly, "To
die is gain" But to most of US, here and
now, those other words Of the Apostle
have an intenser meaning; "To live is
Christ" How eagerly then does he who
prizes his present sonship, but regrets his
past life, which has borne SO little fruit,
determine to secure richer harvest and
live nobler life in the future.
The amount of growth possible to him
in this life Is unknown. 1t ought TO re.
joice every Christian to feel that it Is un.
known, that no man, not even he himself,
knows where the limit is drawn. Whom q
man knows that in certain direction he
can 60 SO far, and only so far, 1t often
hinders his action. he sees the end and
the joy Of reaching out after that which is
beyond, which by energetic action may be
attained, is taken away. But while IN
certain departments of life this is true,
made true by limitations Of physical OF
mental power, by lack Of friends OF
wealth, perchance, yet In this higher
realm Of spiritual growth there is, there
can be no limit He who attains to the
fullest likeness to God, and gains deep.
er realization Of sonship In God, he need
never despair; for him there is no obsta.
Gle; all that hinders and paralyzes effort
in other directions will, II rightly under.
stood and wisely used, aid him here.
Press on, grander things are before you.
No man is fully conscious Of tho vast
power Of some kind within him, which, 4
1t find fitting-field for action and mighty
incentive thereto will come forth. Ny
brother, make great trial Of the spiritua
gifts God has given you. Tho law o
growth from use holds here as in all othel
lines Of activity, but added thereto, is tn,
/
unknown power given Of God. He gives
HIS spirit In some measure 70 every som
but 10 MN VINO needs more, VINO uses
more VINO asks tor more, ne Is more lid
eral. "God giveth not His spirit by meas
ure.D
Again, let us pass, now, on from the lif'
before US IN Time 70 tne life before us II
eternity Inc possipiL'les Oh development
IN similarity 70 1od' tnen,who cas unfold
How do the comparisons which we us'
mere ana now iali ust Time nnite ma
swept on and widened into the Infinite
The scene OIL our activity mas broadene'
from the small circle OF our human hogizol
into the immensity OF the universe. Th'
weakness OF hesh has changed into th'
strength OF unwearying spirit The weak
ness and narrowness Oh human though
quickens and expands In that more DIVINE
radiance. The sinfulness and selfshnes
OF this life Is replaced by holiness ant
utter devotion TO the Father OF the Spirit
The companionships OF earth are changes
for tho companionship OF Heaven. Tn
IRON mas been rehned' IL Is al goid there
our nope Is ever oeing iuiniieu' our iait
mere tne substance Oh tnings noped toI
tho evidence Oh tnihgs attained' tne evi
dence OF Things seem now immeasuraol
the possisiiities' tnen, ior tne BON OF God
VINO can comprehenu tnem'
Our text furnishes us with several usefu
lessons. Let us consider these briefly.