Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-04-23

| ITebDy leTldu CuulSh ioSt S'N'HS - "
theme, "Watchfulness J." His text wa
from Mark, 1917:
| watch"
This, said the pastor, is the brief. bu'
all important injunction which our Lore
himself laid upon his disciples in view oil
the calamities that were coming upon
them. He had announced the destruc-
ton of Jerusalem and its magnificent
temples, foretold the end of the world OF
age, and taught them the great scriptural
doctrine OF His second coming; and in
view of their ignorance as to the time OF
any or all of these things, he lays upon
his disciples the duty of "watchfulness.
And then, as if to widen the injunction
and lay it upon all disciples in every
place and iD every age, he says, And
what l say unto you, l say unto ALL
watch" Watch and awake, or watchful-
ness and wakefulness are synonyms.
And there must he wakefulness in order
to have watchfulness. We cannot watch
unless we are awake, And so our Lord
here exhorts us to wakefulness, to watch
fulness, to vigilance, to alsrtness. my
soul be on thy guard"
Watch against temptations and trials.
Any man is strong enough untried, but
then every man must some time or other
be called to endure trials and will surely
and sorely, and suddenly be tempted, and
ought therefore to be prepared and ready
to meetit. And our trial or temptation is
likely to come to us through our weak
point. Every man has his weak point, and
no mans character is stronger ithan it is
at its weakest point, The levee is not
higher than it is at its lowest place when
the water flows over and floods all the low
land beyond. The chain is not stronger
than its weakest link when it breaks when
the trial comes. The Notifications are
not stronger than they are at their weak
est point when the enemy passes in and
surrender. And so the strength of
every mans character must be measured
at its weakest point, Guard well then
your weak points, watch your besetting
sin. But watch also your strong points.
There is no philosophy in this.
While we are on guard at the weak
point, the enemy is very likely to assault
the strong point then unguardcd and en-
ter and sack the city. Multitudes of men
have been overcome at the very citadel
of their strength. Guard well then your |
strong point.
Watch for opportunities of service. |
Watch for work. The watching is en-
Oined in order to work. We are to do |
what our hands find to do with our |
night, and we are to find something for |
,ur hands to do, and this by watchful-
ness. 1t is in Christian service very |
much as it is in other kinds of work.
Almost all openings for business and OPP
for new work and larger use
ILLNESS come to us unexpectedly, and if
We are unprepared, pass us by forever
'Ti ere is a tide IN the affairs of men,
v
omitted, all the voyage of their life
= bound in shadows and in mseres.n
And so it is in the work for the Mas
er. Watch for it and be ready, and you
will find it opening to your hand.
First. OF words be most par 3ular.
Watch your words. Words are the notes
If thought The vehicles which carry them
'ut of themselves and convey them over
o our neighbOrs. Thought becomes
liked and more permanent in words,
yord than in thought. Watch well your
words, then look carefully after your Ian s
uage. Watch against words of slang, I
gainst unchaste words, against profane +
lords, for we shall be judged for every |
lie word. +
Second. Watch your actions. Actions A
Deak louder than words. Thoughts put 4
Ito words and words put into actions t
ecome more and more permanent and s
owerful in moulding character and life, v
I'd reveal us more clearly to our fellow b
en-. Watch we'll your actions then, for
e shall be judged according to the deeds \
me in the body, whether they be good Il
whether they be evil. O
Third. Watch your thoughts. f
thoughts give form and shape to acts f
I'd words. What these will be, depends "
rgely upon our thoughts; and what we t,
ink, even though it may not take form n
acts or words, enters largely into the s,
rmation of our character, and deter r.
ines what we in fact are: "For as a
thinketh in his heart, so is he" Watch k
'ur thoughts then, Keen them clean. ri
hey have much to do in determining ii
'ur character and destiny. h
Fourth. Watch your company, a
Evil communications corrupt good n
lone Sinner destroyeth I,
UGH good" Association begets Simili- d
Ide" No man can be tobacco> q,
st and not smell of the weed fl
o man can live in malaria and not be.
alarious. You cannot touch pitch and
me away with clean hands. Guard
I'll then your company; see that it is te
,an, and intelligent and helpful in- L.
cad of hurtful Il
Fifth. Watch your heart. "As he W
lnketh in his heart so is he" 'Out of a
e heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, d
ulteries, foundations. thefts, falseness, "