The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-07-17
BENEFICENT CONGREGATION.
DIR. A. A. NcKensie Preached at the Be-
neficent Congregational Church.

Drs n. n. Mchensie lreacheu tho DO
neflcent Congregational Church.
His subject was the question Of ma
ierial and future rewards. The text was
from Matthew tx: "a. "Lo, we have left
all and followe thee; wnat then shall
we havew
The ioel OF unselfish christianity had
not yet obtained when the disciples
turned from their daily life and began to
follow the ihel young Christ wnolly.
There was nothing more natural than the
q iestion OF prcunarv losses and pecun-
iury reward. The language, however, Is
largely ngurativr. These men ia olden
time did not leave all. We speak OF
leaving all IA our day and taking up the
cross, vet there 10 no such thing In its
fullest sense. Few understand what TAX
ing up the cross literally means. aud SO
ia those days men wantsd to know what
they were TO receive for being ostracised
from society and giving up mosS of the
rewards which had attend d their daily
duties
Now Christ did not spurn these aue.-
tions. He answered taem iully. He
promised no money wages. He tod
them that they sh )uld have abodes with
God hereafter aud u hundred fold more
on earth Than they had before.
These men were actuated by the same
spirit as influences too many o. US today.
trary to MI teachings OF the New Testa-
meut. His truth breathes everywhere
in every line Of the apostles writings.
Life Is worth living for today. Not for
tomorrow. Today Is just as good day
in which to be rich as j. any day In the
future. Today 10 just as good day to
reap the enjoyment OF CHRIS ian life as
the future or the hereafter. The idea OF
reward hereafter Is not essential to
christianity. lie who Is a christian be-
cause he expects to get TO heaven
thereby cn.,.., rs e psgaa; pssa,. The aim aim
rightly for the jov that such living
brings at once. II we do that the reward
will follow naturally, but TO keep the
eye on that heLven which 10 to como Is to
transpose the true order Of Things.
The husbandMnu sows seei ia spring
according to the teachings or nature
Rain comes. sun shines. and the Gro. 8
are harvested. Ii he sows Oh rock, IN
the sea, or In the midwinter, what
becomes Of his cropf No one would
/ sympathiz. with such a thougntless man.
God works In an orderly way. Ii we sow
Alright heaven will meet our Efforts halt
way and more and the harvest will come
naturally. 30 too IL we live Alright.
Heaven will come In the end naturally.
Or, Mckensie spoke OF the parable OK
tho prodigai sDn as illustrating that the
wayward sinner wor~s for wages and
lure AS did the prodigai son In u far
country. What was tue resultf He was
hungry and his pay unsatisfying. But
when the son turned from his wayward
LIE aud came home. his father gave him
not wages. Mol he gave him bread, he
gave hun n fathers love. The prodigal
had turned home and he Joined fathers
affection there. q I'd IL hau been there all
the time. It had never faltered. No
where does Christ offer Us wages or re-
warJs. He urges the life Of u christian
upon us and y is ours as we'll as in the
future. JOY Is never intermittent and
never ceases IL exists always II you will
The idea that goodness and worldly
prosperity 20 together Is as old rs Jou.
You need TO rid yourself OF IL at once.
God works In natural way and IL we
act and i've naturally we snail get on
well as christians. II IL were true that
christianity aud wealth were sure TO
co-exist christianity would cease at once.
Once tell man that II he prays ten
minutes extra each day aud his stock
will 20 up, and prayers ceass at once,
he prays no more. He sells and buys
stock on his knees aid he turns the
sanctuary of God into "a stock market.
The two thoughts are entirely different
and distinct The rich man may be- u
sinner and tho good man u beggar, but at
the same time economic laws and the
laws of God are right and true. You
must live for God, you may or may not
give up all to follow him. but IL you do
follow him that eternal voice Will be
heard. we'll done, thou good and faith
full servant.