The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1886-12-30
BE CONTENT.

The Duty Of CultIvating Spirit which
Has It's Strong Root In Faith In Gods
Goodness to Us.
Tho inspired letter writer said to the
Hebrews: "Be content with such things
as ye have" That is Gods message to
us. Cam wo accept it and obey it in
this restless agep Would not obeyance
10 it paralyze the brain and the hand Of
enterprisee Let us see:
l. God does not ask us to unmake
ourselves. but to he what He made as
to be. He has given us power to be
developed, and world to be subducd.
If the race had remained in the Garden
of Eden its life would not have bcen
apathctic. G d said to Adam: "Be fruit
full and multiply, and subdue the earth,
and have dominion over every living
thing" He set before the first man
that goal toward which the race has
leen pressing ever since. Adam was
not to be SO contented with Eden that he
would not seek and strive for any thing
beyond it. He reE1iced in his paradise
home. It was all that he could desire
as the starting point of his career. He
was free from disconnected murmurings
and from d satisfied longings. Yet he
looked forward to a grand future; to a
worldwide conquest. If he had not
fallen, he would have moved onward to
things he had would not forbid or pre-.
vent his obeying the law of his nature
and his destiny.
2. True contentment is not incon-
sistent with true activity and enterprise,
for they have the same root, viz, faith.
Why were the Hebrews to be content
with such things as they hadp Because
they believed the promise: II will never
leave thee nor forsake thee" Why did
Paul forget the things that were behind
and press towards the markp 1t was
because he had faith in the prize Of his
high calling. When the Israelites were
wandering in the " lderness, il the
pillar that led them paused they p tched
their tents. They believed that God
had chosen the best place for their
camping, and they slept trusting in His
prot ct on. When that pillar moved
they struck their tents and followed il.
They knew that it would lead them In
the right way, and guard as we'll as
guide them. The same faith that led
them to accept the place of rest and re-
p',se led them to gird themselves for the
journey. And it is so in our pilgrimage.
We trust in God and are content. He
has given us the things that We have.
They are better than we deserve. They
are the very best things for us here and
now. since loving Father has provided
them with full knowledge Of our oir-
cumstances. We dare not murmur.
We dare not envy those who seem to be
more highly favored. We repose with
filial ia th upon the wisdom and the
goodness of God. But tomorrow. when
His Providence summons us to 60 for
ward. we will obey with ke filisl faith,
knowing that His hand will lead US and
His right hand hold us. (Ps. cxxxix.
10.)
s. Gods hand is in the history Of the
world. Our Christian civilization u in
accordance with rs will He has led
| us up from barbarian TO wealth and re-
finement It Is through His blessing
tina the descendants Of the nomads ol
the fifth century are the millionairos Of
the nineteenth. But IL those nomads
had been content with such things "a
they had. We would all be nomads still.
The spirit { rat has animated the Anglo
Saxon race In its wonderful progress
was not from beneath. but from above.
II was the spirit which God breathed
into man when he made him In His own
imsge-the spirit OF noble aspiration
the spirit that, while it rejoices 10 what
is already attained, yet is ever ''reach.
ing forth unto those things which ars
before" ta
The apostle Paul wrote to the Phil p.
plans: al have learned whatsoever
state am In. herewith to be content v
And he wrote TO Timothy; ''Havine
food and raiment, let ~ b therswitt
4 conssnt" Yet, In one sense Paul VA
/ the most discontented man In his day
and generation. He never could stay
long in one plsce. AZ soon - he had
gathered church strong enough 70 sup
4 port him IN any city. hs lsft q 70 50 b
another whore he would have 70 live b
manual labor. Though pressed viti
uissionsry work and care \ Greece. b
| hasssd 70 80 10 Jerusalem, spd SID
ssWhen ! have been theSe, Uust a1sl
i ~ Rome" (Acts xix. a. Why aD0l(
i nat Paul havs ben satls0ed "a Heneil
II n EpAesgs OF IN Connthp 10 wae -
f1piro1 by 3 nohlo aUb13on - ~ ~ u