The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-09-29

crery dollar Of the salary can and must
DC rdiscd1 Would he'fud If in } on as a /
member of ms militant church; Do /
you believe his cause is bound TO VIM |
What work for Jesus are you doing:
CHRISTIAN WORK IN ACT OFT
FAITH.
In its primary aud essential idea
Christian work is an exercise Of the al
fections Both in its spirit and out
ward manifestation it is an act OF faith.
IL is written This is the work oi
God, that ye believe on him whom h'
nath sent" Belief. or faith, then, Il
me beginning and the end Of Christian
work.
Ii occupies Fundamental place a.
the actuating motive in every fern OF
Caristian activity. Other motives may
cooperate with this and may not b. al
together unworthy. secondary con-
,iderations may stimulate the laborei
and add to the efficiency OF his work
But every form Of Christian activity
that is really work for Christ is the
fruit of faith. 1t is inspired by the
love of God, by a zeal for the honor OF
Christ, and by a desire to do good
to our fellow-men. as the control
ling motive. There is other work
that passes as Christian beDevolenct'
and that in a general sense = really
benevolent and commendabie work.
but this is the only work that Christ
recognizes as performed in his service.
This is the only Christian work. the
| only work that entities the labOrer to
the Christian reward. This is the ser
wee to which Christ calls his disciples.
| md the only service which Is of any
value in a Christian sense. This mo-
| I'VE is present as the controlling iDceD-
i've in every act of Christian work.
But Christian work Is an act of faith
also in its outward manifestation.
Having entered upon his work as an
.ct of faith, the believer is sustained
1 and guided by it at every step. Il l.
only as he is animated by this grac,
hat he seriously and honestly enters
upon any service Of a distiuctively splr-
| tual nature. Men give money ana
/ L. -,tl, IN
the temporal wants of the needy and
The suffering. without faith. But they
nave no proper interest in the spiritual
| Welfare of the lost. and no capacity iol
loing them good ia this direction The
disposition to do good TO our iello"
men. and the power to do them good IT.
, spiritual seuse, are impaired by faith
Other things being equal, the degree Of
he believers faith is the measure Of hl-
spiritual power. lie honors God and II
efficient in winning souls and IN ciify-
y ng his fellow disciples in proportion a.
ne lives near to Christ. Ii We are con
s.ious OF ineiiiciency in the service OF
our Master. we do well to inquire
whether the cause is not TO be found il
MS direction. 1t may be conceded
hat one man has a capacity for variou
D forms of Christian work that another
lacks. Bat this lack may be to a g'ea
xtent supplied by the cultivation Of Z
relieving, earnest aud devOut spliit.
The history Of the church from Its or
abiz4tion TO the prese IS an illustIa
ION Of this truth. The Apostles an'
heir associates were moved to thea
' aerilous and self-denying labors by
4 simple trust in their Divine Master
= hey were sustained under the bard
,bips and trials TO which they were eX
u possd bv the same spirit. aud they de
rived all their power with men fion
the help which they obtained from Go'
through the exercise Of this grace. INT
neir successors IN the work of givin'
ne Gospel to the world ba'e brel
J mighty in this service in proportion "a
d hey have been imbued with the spiri
p IF the Apostles and Of the primitiy
" vangelisls.
If we would be more efficient then
l. m our Christian work. if we would b
/" more successful teachers in the SAT
y bath school. and more useful in al! on
relations we should endeavor TO rise I
, the exercise of stronger faith. W
+ should labor to develop and strengthe
our spiritual life. We must learn
. place less confidence iii our naiura
d capacities and to exercise an unfaltei
+ ing trust in the power Of Truth Of tb
q Gospel. as it is rendered etlicacious b
D. the presence of the Holy Spirit.-Prei
byterian Teacher.