The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-08-20
PULPIT UTTERANCES.
REcoMpENsE OF CHRISTIAN LIFE.
Tho Reward OF the Righteous as Por
trayed by Rev. Charles II. Thwlng.
of Cambridge, Mass.

Behold, we have forsaken all and followed
Thee: what shall we have therefore. -Mdtt
Itr: "a.
The words of Peter represent two ways
Of viewing the Christian life The one as o
complete surrender; the other as the sub
ject Of rewards. By the one way we are
in peril Of making 1t repulsive; by the
other Of causing its degradation. To the
answering therefore Of the question
"What shall we have thereforep invite
your thought here. What are the present
compensations of the service of Christi
shall not be so bold as to attempt to lift
the vail which hides the future life and to
picture the glories and growth of Heaven.
Neither can / hope to suggest more than
two or three of these many and multiform
present rewards Of Christian service.
AS you ponder upon this question think
you will find that one compensation Of
Christian service lies In the assurance that
you are cooperating with the best forces
of mankind, that you are putting yourself
in the line Of the operation Of the highest
and ths most lasting powers of humanity.
You are part of that which makes for
Righteousness. That you are a motive in
the advancement Of the race, as you are a
lever, be ii never So slight, in lifting up
the world is a source Of profound graft
tude. You are in that army of noble
workers which makes the best history.
You are one in that line of true men
who receives the ball Of progress and
hands IL on to him who comes after you.
1t is only the Christian whose life and
vork are thus embodied in the noblest
forces Of the race.
| acknowledge, and acknowledge with
pleasure, the active philanthropies and
the healthful reforms which are born and
nurtured beyond the pale of the Church.
Against them | utter no word os'con.
domination; against them l speak words
OF commentator. Those who thus labor
have their reward: it is the reward of put.
ting their lives and operations in the
line of those forces which work for
righteousness. But in a degree higher, in
meaning nobler, does Christian put his
life into the work of the power which ele-
Yates mankind. II Is only the Christian
aim which provides an ideal high enough
for man. IL is only the Christian motives
which furnish strength sufficient for per.
manent activity. 1t is only the Star of
Bethlehem which guides men TO His shrine
Of purest worship; only the stone quar-.
ried at the resurrecton.tomb that is the
worthy foundation Of life.
Difficult IL Is 20 conceive of remorse more
torrible than the remorss of one who lies
at the eve OF death and who at last recog.
nizes that his life has not only been a
wreck, but also who feels that his life has
been rock against which other lives have
dashed themselves into ruin. A man may
lose his own soul, the loss is terrible; but
that man may lead other souls into
ruin, that is more terrible A life that has
been as a cyclone and that touches only TO
destroy; life that is as a fetid pool send
ing up aud out poisonous miasmas; a life
that is "A giant despair sallying forth to
capture, aud imprison, and murder; such
life is british, IL is worse than brutish: it
is Satanic, devilish.
II any life has failed TO cooperate with
the noblest elements Of humanity, IL de-
serves to sorrow. But not SO the Chris.
tian. He realizes that he is working with
those forces which make for peace and
truth. In che crypt Of the old cathedral at
Glasgow, facing toward the statue Of John
Knox, Is window with n picture Of the
Good Samaritan, and above Il these
words, in broad Scotch: "Let tho deed
shaw" 80 tho Christian can say that his
life, his work, is to shdU. In his lie, IN
his work in relieving The evils OF the race,
In giving light for darkness, Joy for sor.
row, be has his compensation. You NAV
say that your life is a small life, thatyour
work is a small work Say It II you will,
but also tell you that great results mny
Cow from your small life and your slight
work.
You, by your slight deed in your weak.
ness, may save life from death. At one
time "the history of Europe depended up.
ON the question whether the lookout man
upon Nelson's vessel would or would not
descry ship Of Napoleon's expedition to
Egypt which was passing not far off, So
says the late Prof. Jevons In writing OF
the philosophy Of history. But, farther,
upon you, upon the deed Of this hour, may
depend whether other souls shall sink into
an ocean Of forgetfulness, or rise into a
perpetual zenith Of life. What compen.
satioul "What shall we have thereforeP
An aching head, heavy heart, a weary
back; "many sorrow, many labor,
many a tear" "What shall we have
thereforep II you have wound prints in
your hands and feet, II you have crown
OF thorns, II will be only what he had.
What shall we have thereforep You
VIII also have what be had; the conscious.
ness that your arm is striking strongest
blows against evil, that your hands are
lifting high the standard OF tho right.
Would you see its monument, look about
you;" words are written, inscribed, con-
corning Sir Christopher Wren ON the walls
OF st. Paups, in London. Is there any
compensation Of Christian service moro
aweet or more precious than the assurance
that you are by might and main working
with the best forces in the world for the
Improvement of the racer
"What shall we have thereforeYn In
answer TO Peters question remark that
- second compensation OF Christian ser.
vice is the assurance that you are COOP
,rating in the work Of God. That you are
o worker together with God In His special
work for humanity, that you are putting
Your life in the direct line Of the move. I
nent OF Divine forces, is compensation in.