The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-12-01
A Golden Thread.

A Golden Thread.
A GOLDEN thread of unity ties together
all the experiences and possessions of q
redeemed man from the first moment of
the change that delivers him from the
kingdom. of darkness right way on
through the endless pulsations of an
unbroken eternity. Grace is glory in
the bud, glory is grace in the flower; and
all which we hope for in the future is but
the evolving of that which is planted in
our hearts to-day, if we love him; it may
have to fight with much antagonism to
itself both without and within. The
tender green is prophet of the full ear
We do not get one gift here on earth
and another perfectly differelt there in
heaven. It is the measure, not the kind,
which varies. That which here, as a
spark of grace, lies often almost hid
among green and smoky wood, there
flames out triumphant as all-brightening
glory. The inheritance is hop, but
the earnest of the inheritance is present
possession.-Alezandsr MeLaren, d. d.
Not Weary.
1t is one thing to put the hand to the
plough; it is another thing to work in
the furrow all the day through till the
night comes. In the early day the
ploughman rises refreshed from sleep,
the dew is on tho grass, the birds arc
singing their cheerful songs, the fresh
breeze of the morning is blowing. But
as the day passes the sun grows hotter,
the bird-songs are hushed, the dew has
long ago dried from the grass, the weari-
ness of continued exertion creeps over
the frame, and it is nothing but toll to
run the long furrows back and forth
across the field. But it is only by this
patient continuance that the work is
done, the ground cultivated.
It is in spiritual husbandry rs it is in
the natural. 1t is not enough to begin
a good work. We must not be weary in
well-doing. 1t is a great deal easier to
begin, however, than it is to carry the
work on to completion. And yet it is
the patient, continuous toll that finally
brings the reward.
Here is a work in Sabbath-school
class, for example. 1t is easy, under the
stimulus of some appeal or in the first
flush OF the desire to serve Christ, to take
up such work. But it is much harder
matter to carry it on week by week,
whether there is Indifference among the
scholars, or an apparent absence of re-
suits, or other difficulties arise. But it ia
the faithful, not the fitful teacher who
gathers the reward. But for the faith
fulness much of the work already done
would have gone for nothing.
We say then to all Sabbath-school
teachers-"Be not weary in well-doing.'
It is noblo work in which to engage.
You will never be able to tell, thil
side of eternity, how much your work
has done.
What is true here is true of oil forms
of church work. There is need in them
all of unwcarying, patient labor
Christian endcavor of every sort calls for
continuance Of effort. Men may we'll be
weary of labor on the farm or in the
mine if it bring them no return. Any
one is entirely justified in quitting any
department of labor which docs not
yield a support. But in Christian labor
the work must be done whether the
fruit is apparent or not. Gods time Of
reckoning is not always here on earth.
1t is the duty of the Christian worker to
toll on, whether he secs fruit from his
labor or not. The pioneer missionary
Morrison was something like thirty years
in China before he could baptize the
first convert to Christianity. What if
he had wearied in well.doing before
those long years were donc'-4merican
Messenger.