The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-04-21
SERVANTS OF CHRIST.

THEIR TALENTS.-Christian are the SER
wants of CHRIST, to whom he has entrusted
the management and progress of his king
dom of truth and righteousness, having de-
parted from the earthly visible life, to come
in spiritual, unseen presence ant. power, and
manifested in the providential crises and
judgments of human life and history in the
successive victories of truth over error, OF
right over wrong, and of holiness and happi-
ness over the worlds sin and misery. The
talents given them to employ in their Mas
ter's service to promote his kingdom and
improve their own lives, are their several at
tainments, capabilities, capacities and OPP
portunities. The truths of the Gospel, the
virtues and graces of personal character and
conduct, personal powers and worldly pos
sessions of all kinds, social and official posi-
tions, family and business relations, these
and much more, possessed in varying de-
grees and of different kinds, are the trusts
apportioned by the Master to his servants,
in the care and use of which he demands
great faithfulness and strict fidelity. Not
only ourselves, but the conservation of all
we possess and may attain, are demanded
by our religion, The true Christian gladly
renounoes all things else for the sake of truth
and righteousness, seeks by all means avail
able to promote his Masters cause, and re-
joices greatly in the experience of his relig-
ious life and labors. The service of CHRIST
is true liberty, and its rewards are rich and
satisfying.
THEIR REWARDS.-The rewards of
Christian service are first of all personal i'm
provement and spiritual advancement. He
who seeks to redeem and bless others most
surely redeems and blesses himself. The
teacher learns more than the pupil. By
cheerfully embracing the smallest opportu-
nifty and exercising the fewest and feeblest
gifts, larger opportunities will open and more
and greater powers will be developed. The
humblest service qualities for greater useful
ness, and usefulness is the measure of dig
nifty. The greatest is the servant of all.
Then the JOY of loving service and Christian
helpfulness, and the fellowship of self-deny-
ing fellow-workers are satisfying in the high
est degree. Among true Christians each es-
teens the other higher than himself. The
community of feelings, ambitions and en-
deavors is perfect. This is the highest at
tainment and reward of Christianity, the
ideal Christian community, wherein loving
and doing good is the SOULS perfect bliss,
and all are crowned heads, being kings and
princes unto COP. In the Revelator's vision
Christians who should be faithful unto death
were promised crown of life. The crowns
of the kings and princes of CHRIsT's king
dom of heaven are not inherited nor con-
ferred upon favorites, but attained. They
are the immortalc haplets which the graces of
Christian character weave upon the brow of
the faithful servants of CHRIST. The true
reward of righteousness and sign of true dig
nifty was Swallowed in the ancient myth which
declared that the first crown was woven by
the Graces. The distinguishing grace of the
Christian is self-denial, the symbol of which
is the cross. "No cross, no crown" is a
negative statement of a law of compensation
in the kingdom of heaven.