The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-05-05
RELIGIOUS READING.
ANY Work for Me!

Any Work for Me!
Yes, there is plenty of work for yotl-
whoever you are God says to every
one, Go, work in my vineyard: the
vineyard is very large. 1t includes the
whole of life. There is something LOT
every one to do for God.
/ Gods vineyard is not place IN whlcn
man can work certain number OF
hours in day. 1t requires his whole
time-his waking and his sleeping hours.
1t is great error to suppose that we
arc doing the Lords work only when we
are engaged in devotional exercises OF
laboring for the conversion OF sinners, or
for the edifcation of Christians. Ihat
which man does heartily, as unto the
Lord, is the Lords work. The farmer,
when he is carefully and wisely cult
vating the soil, is doing the Lords WORK.
Ploughing is as truly a religious act as
praying. The merchant when he makes
an honest exchange is doing the LORDS
work. Dealing justly is as truly re-
ligious act as warning sinners to tiee from
the wrath to come. A man IS dong
Gods work when he is doing that which
pleases God.
A man is doing the Lords work when
he is faithful to his employer-does
fair days work; when he takes proper
care of his health; when he governs
his temper; when he is careful, to speak
the exact truth; when he is courteous to
strangers, and lends helping hand to
the needy; when he has word OF en-
couragement for the responding; when
he sets an example Of industry and hon
esty; when he returns good for evil;
when he leads such m upright, benevo-
lent God-honoring life, that men take
knowledge of him that he has been with
Jesus. Religion does not consist solely
in reading the Bible, praying, attending
church and laboring for the conversion
of men. These are important duties,
but they do not include the whole OF
duty. Gods will has reference to every
act of our lives.-N 7. Observer.
Spiritual Power.
Spiritual power comes only. from the
Holy Spirit dwelling in and working
with and through the human spirit, and
by the instrumentality of the truth as it
is in Jesus. Believers in the Lord Jesus
Christ are made new creatures by the
power of regeneration, and are receivers
of it by the grace of God. The
church is organized to receive and use
this power with men and with God in
the world. But the church cannot do
her work without sufficient and continu-
GUS supplies of 'power from on high"
to keep her moving regularly and eth
ciently. Ever since Jesus Christ went
up to glory from the Mount of Olives,
the Holy Spirit has been in the world,
convicting it Of sin, of 'unrightcousness,
and of Judgment, and converting innu-
merablc millions of sinners from the
error of their ways. lie has also per-
fccted that good work which Hethus be-
gan in them. Rcvivals of religion, refor-
nations of faith and practice, and
great ecclesiastical publications have
made new eras of spiritual power in
Christcndom, and the conversion OF Pa
gan peoples to Christ has given them
new civilizations and new moral and re-
licious life. But it would dishonor the
Holy Ghost to suppose that even Ills
greatest influence is confined to crowds
and masses of people, and to that strain
ed excitement which sometimes over
whclms large communities. The simple
hearted Russian Christians to whom
Richard Knill brought the gospel, used
to call him ''the man on fire." The min
istries of Baxter, Doddridgc, Chalmers,
MChcync, and William c. Burns-like
those of the Rcformers, the Wcsleys and
Whitefeld, and the later work of Spur
geon, Moody and other living leaders OF
the sacramcntal host, are signals of that
inexhaustible reserve Of power which the
Comforter is using now, and will pour
forth more abundantly as the church is
able to receive it and as the world needs
it. There never has been nor will there
be any lack of it for the greatest emer-
gcncies of the church or for the victories
Of the Lamb. j. r. Taylor. D. D.
The Soul Set FREQ.
Happy is that soul which freed from
its earthly prison, at liberty seeks the
sky; which sees there its Lord, face to
face; which is touched by no fear OF
death, but rejoices in the interruption OF
eternal glory. At rest and secure, it no
longer breads death and the enemy.
Now, O Lord, it possesses thee, whom it
has long sought and always loved. Now
it is Joined to those who sing to thy
praise, and forever it sings to thy glory
the sweet sounds of never ending bless
edness. For the fatncss of the house,
and rivers of thy pleasure, thou glvest it
to drink. Happy is the band Of heav-
emily citizens, and glorious the sofcmnity
of all who are coming back to thee from
the sad toll of this our pilgrimage, to the
Joy of beauty, and the joy of universal
splcndor, and the majesty of all grace.
There shall the eyes of the people see
thee face to face; there nothing at all
that can trouble the mind is permitted to
the ears.
What songs of praise! What sounds
of harmonious Instruments! What
sweetly flowing choruses! What music
rises there without end! There sounds
continually the voice of hymns and
pleasant chants, which are sung to the
glory of the heavenly inhabitants. Ma
lignity and gall of bitterness have no
place in thy kingdom, for there is no
wicked one, nor is wickedness found
therein. There is no adversely, nor any
dcceitfulncss of sin. There is no want,