The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-07-14
A Safe Treaaure.

BILE of the rich fool, in which those
words occurr: $50 is he that layeth up
treasure for himself, and is not rich
toward God," says: 2,
"God desires, not that thou shouldest
lose thy riches, but that thou shouldest
change their pla'e. H. has given thee
a counsel, which do thou understand !.
"Suppose friend should enter thy
house, and should find that thou hadst
lodged thy fruits on damp floor, and
he, knowing by chance, the tendency Of Z
these fruits to spoil, whereof thou vert
Ignorant should give the counsel Of this
sort, saying:
Brother, thou losest the things
which thou hast gathered with great
labor. Thou hast placed them in adamp
place. In few days they will corrupt.
'"And the man asks:
"'What, brother, shall dor
"And he were to reply: 80 S
"Raise them to higher room. 3
"Thou wouldest listen to thy brother
suggesting that thou shou!dest raise thy Z
fruits from lower to higher floor;
and thou wilt not listen to Christ adyis-
ing that thou shouldest raise thy treasure !
from earth to Heaven. For he would
have thee lay up earth that thou might
est receive Heaven-lay up pcrishable
things, thou mayest receive eternal."
Restful Prayer. $50 q
Prayer, says the Independent, is not
always petition. 1t is sometimes, and
ought to be oftener thanksgiving. 1t
is sometimes confession. 1t is sometimes
alteration. It is often an uttered and
unutterable communion. That is beau-.
tiful illustration of one phase of prayer
the communion phase-whlch is related
of the little girl of a hard worked and
somewhat nervous clergyman, who could (
only compose to advantage when alone
and undisturbed. Ono day he thought
lessly left his study door unlocked, and
his little three-year-old child softly
opened the door and came in. The mid
lister was disturbed, and little im-
patiently lifted up his face to the face OF
his child, and asked: "My child, what
do you want7" Nothing, papa" s'Then
what did you come in here
for9" ''Just because I wanted to-
be with you," was the reply, and the lit
tie one sat down quietly on the floor, and
said not word. Surely that is form
of prayer that we need to cultivate In
this busy day of ours. To come into
His presence and wait before Him, want !
ing nothing but to be with Him-how
such an hour now and again would rest
us. We have friend, not Christian, !
who leaves his business place down town,
now and again, especially when he is be- '. !.
ing particularly burdened with care, and
rides up to the great Catholic Cathedral
on Fifth avenue, where he sits down for Z
an hour, and then goes back again, to-
business. He says: 'Gt is so quiet
there, it rests and quiets me-" How
much more might we find a sweet and
quiet resting place for our weary and
tired souls and body, by just resting IN
the Lord, sitting without petition at His
feet, or as John, leaning our heads upon
His bosom.
There are two extremes in the way OF
looking at Bible characters; one denies :
the miraculous element in the narratiye;-
the other gives all prominence to the MI
raculous, and practically counts out the
human element. The one extreme tends
to superstition, the other to materialism;
both being ferns of rationalism. 1t Is
well to look at Bible characters in their
completeness and to learn from them that
when God would use man for His work,
he uses a man fitted to that work, and
He secs to it that the man has the char
acter and the training which shall secure
this fitness. At the opening OF this
year we announced, among the many
side light helps to the study Of the Old
Testament lessons, an article on Joshua asa
Military Commander by General Cham
berlain, of Maine, an experience l soldier,
and recognized Christian scholar. But
that article was delayed through the Sc
rious illness of the writer, in consequence
of severe wound received by him in the
davs of our civil war. The subject,
however, has its interest and its value for
all times; and we are glad to lay its
treatment before our readers the present
week. There is great deal more in this
article than an analysis of Joshua's char
acter. 1t shows what should be the
spirit and qualities of every soldier OF
Christ; and it suggests how large place
every fa:th-fllcd and obedient sc want OF
God may fill, and how grand work ne
may do in his sphcre.-S. S. Times
Live near to God, and so all things
will appear to you little in comparison