The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-05-11

]
To those who have let another winter
pass and taken no stand for Cnrist-to
all such. let me say read the twelith
chapter of Ecclesiastes Rev. =. II. Ia
tum in the Observer.
NEGLECTED OPPORTUNITIES.
/ see men before me now, fired with
| high purpose, strong IN VIII. resolute III
/ determination. powerful IN acti0n.w no.
would they only stop saying. What
Will | do with my self; and begin 10
saw. Lord. what wilt thou have me to
dor" would at once discover the secret
OF happiness here and heaven hereafter.
/ What am mcalculable loss to the Church
/ had Saul never been converted. 50 God
must reason and angels think when
/ they SIZE IN our cougi cgations these
good men. able men, strong mon. not
using their ability. rot eXeTtiug Their
strength for tAe hottest cause Of earth
or heavcu--the cause of the Church OF
Chust.
And when. at the end of long and
laborious life, in the blessed service of
/ Christ. the aged apostle, who bad been
/ through so much, thought it all over,
me- could say. Il have fought good
fight aud could claim "a glorious
crown" from the hand OF the righteous
Judge 81 the day Of accounting. His
assurance rested upon nothing done
/ before conversion. The result of all
these labois was summed up in tins
one wall oi despair: 81 am not meet 10
bee called au apostle. because / persecu-
ted the Church OF God. ~ The truth Is.
. ST. Paul knew that be mad a crown. be
cause hc was conscious that he had
borne q cross. Depend upon 1t. brcth-
rem. all that is good beyond this life de-
ponds upon the relation t. Christ ma
this life. sum mp the teachings OF ST.
Paul - conversion i'm tins one verse:
. Remember 10. They are not my words.
F Tucy are the words OF Jesus.
40 him. that knovelh 90 do right,
and docth ID not. To- him it is sin.
Fellow labOrcTs IN the GOSPEL as often
q, Won uC.G stimulus. or crave cncoui-
aocmrnt ir your work. get them from
F a faithful following OF The great ap0s-
tle 10. Paul.
a guild named after him assumes the
responsibility Of doing great things by
ihe very assumption of les name.
Nevertheless. whereuutO YOU have al
ready attained. walk by the same rule.
mind the same thing.
/ In your iabors here IN the great ne
trlpolis of the western world, at the
close of tine nineteenth century. condi-
F tiaus are not so dInrent bat you can
claim tine same grace that Paul had IN
every ,imr of need. the ever present
help that he found in every hour of
trouble. the same iu'tilmeut Of the
Mister promise that he emf ly,d. "Lo.
/ am with YOU always. Whatever
you do. De- it giving cups OF cold water
Il isis name. or persuadmg improvi-
dent ones honestly to lay 10y for
future distress. mimstariug tu sick
and afflicted. or oiliciatiug in ser
vice. reading the Bible. or EN-.
gagug i'm prayer. socially minglne
with men less blessed than yourselves.
or that harder work seeking to llilu
elcc for holiness those with whom YOU
are very intimate. only be cOnsccraici
mcn iu a.l your doiugs. love your Sa
yicur enough for all about You to see
every word Of yours VIII be- blessed.
every deed viii ne prosreIed and what
SOU d1 here viii be- rocouutei upon
cteu8. records hereafter.
%. what q thought, clyvating and de-
pressing. exciting and humliatng
.ioth at ouce--"Ne are worker, t.
eelhpr with God. lie take. our iitti,
and make, of J. 40 much. We may be
Bankrupt. even. ia bodily strength anr
mental yig0r: men may account u
uchle ANA foolish: no matter. II there
bc anything in US of spirlluaI devotion
God Will gather up our few fragment
ard USE them iu HIS service. Brothers
since God viii DO tins, wants To do this
why mot let Him;
During a heavy storm of the c7as
Of Spain dismaated merchantmen
was obsorvcd bg British frigate drift
mg before the gale. Every cyc an,
uu., were 0n her; Il canvas shelter Oh
q deck. almost level with the sea-. sus
.c.ted tho idea that even Yet ther'
might Boz lie on beard. With all thei
faults. nO Iaen are moro alive 10 hu
man needs than rough and ready fali
0rs. Tine order % put ship about
instantly given. & boat j., presently
owered. and starts away beallug dowl
Noon the wreck. After the drifuu.
hulk 20 these gallant tars over noun
tain swell and da.hiug seas. They reac'
ii. They shout. as they see strange oO
i.ct roI from that canvas screen agains
the Ice shrout of "a shivered maSt. The.
haul DC into their boat. /, proves T.
be- tine tuuk Of man, head and knee
bent logctlA& 50 dried uo and shliv
cued. as ,o Is hardly felt Within Oh
ample ,hro~. 10 is conveyed back 4
the snii auu lane on tine deck. In hOrro
aud pity the crew gather around Il
miserable object show signs of life- r.
VVea o5 nu."n'7' ,7 l"' "'''nu'.'''
bend over 'iie o""5 'no l'l'' "Io '. .''i..
moNe."nH ln'n u'ep sVi'u'0''' a.. i o-,
las lIt voice Oh one iirAl'r ll'i'l TIC N' i'