The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1893-07-27
CHRISTIAN ENDEAIOR COLUMN.
The Gospel Of the Hand-Crip.

Many Christians are inactive. not be-
cause Of positive disinclination to work.
| but from sheer pcrplrNity. Their very
humility. although in itself prime vir-
| tue, MAY be the cause Of much of this
| lnertne~S. The timiu ones. in the
! churches. are Il legion. and to them We
mast turn oar attention.
The strong will take care of them
>clVos. hlt the weak mus, be fostercd.
| There are offices and talents: there
are fits and misiits. We ma, rightly
infer, however. tha, lhcrr is place. a
right place. lor al. He is Il happy one.
who finds and fills il.
We speak Of church work. and of
Christian duty-and both are limited.
To few has been given IN, talcn, for
leadership. although the world is fulI of
w"uid-ht leaders. In every church.
however. there is much work. Gods
own work, whirhIcan be done without
brilliant. a.llinments.
"po the duty ;ha, lies nearest" That
i we'll: but what is ..nc:r,st" and uha,
IS 'duty: 1t i al this point 'hal.nany
are prrplcNrd. And h. that is wise
"lnn'th snulS. Undoubtedly. Hu, not
all arc 'Wi~," alun- this line. nor do all
apply themselves to wisdom. This is
no; all due t" di>inrlina: ion in many
perhaps in mn>t-.':,,,,.. /; is due.
rather. 10 their exalted ron,,p,i,ln of
what ought 10 br u"nr. and their mis-
conception "i the simplicity OF it,
Not many wise, ""not laany mighty"
are called: bat God had chosen Tia, weak
things OF The world ito do hi, viii. and
ra'iN on his work. It j. Iii, work. no,
ours. II mast b. done in His name. and
i"r Ills sake. We can not do rr.,,
things. Faithful over = few ,hinrs
ruler over many things. rhi, i Gods
way. 1t should he oars.
We cannot teach: we cannot lead: ~.
canno! preach. i;ut We can do some
thing for Christ. Each must find his
peculiar sphere and his special work.
Sti.l there i something tha, al can do.
Shall We begin here: This is AN :.raral
!nr The wc:.N and to the weak. /, i, a
suggestion To the icrpicNcd and the
passive. And. prrhars the strong may
we'll lart;.kr of the rhildr,ns food.
And he that is wise winnrth souls"
They who rrpcl. never win. w, who
ar" wis" viii. first. via men To MS. AM,
then 10 Christ. At any rate We will
try.
IN effective agency for doing ,his is
,he gospel OF the hand-grip: gospel
"hlch all can preach. and for the pi.ich-
ing of which ;hcrc is unlimited oppor-
tunlty. y gospel. by the way. which is
| bT 40 means worn thread bare hv too
| frequent and interchangeable repetition.
\ gospel simple. it is true. hu, GOSPEL
| that is not. therefore. fooli,n-uul,ss.
| indeed. il Is the ''fuoli,hne,s of God"
which lis wiser than men" 4 cup of
cold water, given with the proper mo-
tive. neither lose, its effect nor lis rec
ompen>c. Whose dotth :he most ti.ir-
lal kindly office. unto the least Of these.
Ills di~cip cs. shall in no wise lose Lii.
reward. "lna~anuch as yr did it
yc did Il unto me" \ mcchan-
zeal deed. done in Il rerfunctory way.
doe, Eot satisfy the conditions. Tn.
pumt-h:udIc act can bc done. with
promptncos and precision. by mere
anton&ton: bat sympathetic hand-yrip
can oily be given hs man. The strong
and the weak: the timid and III: bold.
all can preach this gospel for the glory
Of God and the elevation Of humanity
y stranger greeted with a pleasant
smile and 4 cordial grip is likely to
come again. The hcad-ohcphcrd knew
the sheep by name. and carried the
lambs in his arms. y genial warmth
ana Il tender human sympathy on the
part Of Il! towards ali j. III keeping with
the preaching and the practicinr Of
lin who il the head oysr all thing, 10
tn. church.
| This gospel must not b" c'cgatcd cx-
c.u-iycIy IA the Smile On up commit
tee: bat 10 IL effective. i; must be all
perya>ive--it mus, hc preached by the
entire church. The pcrplexe;. ard the
passive can participate. No talent is
necessary. no briiliancy. no ri.ia prep
sira'ion. 10 capital. except a heart full
of l. ye fnr Christ. aud desire. Ia do
something ~" His sake Begin with
this. and a larger wori; raay bc yours
? in God. good time.