The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-09-19
"pERFEcT THROUGH SUFFERING.

"If could relieve your cough by an act OF
mine you would soon be well. The Lord
could do this in O moment, but he does not;
therefore, as you happily believe the con-
tinuance of 1t must be best. When 1t shall be
no longer necessary or salutary, he will re-
move it fer he delighteth in our prosperity;
and they who love and trust IN him are never
in heavlness of any kind an hour sooner or
longer than there Is need for it.
Faith can satisfy the spirit that the LORD
does all things. and ali things well; but /
know by painful experience Of what stuff the
flesh is made. But the best thought is that
he who loves us knows our pains, and con-
siders that we are but dust. He is oil sutfi-
cient and faithful to strengthen us to any as
signable degree that our situation requires;
whether our path may be through flo,d OF
through the flames makes no difference, pro-
vided he be with US. The cases of the young
men in the furnace and OF Daniel IN the den
were different both were apparently danger
Gus In the extreme, but the certain salety
was exactly equal in both.
If old age gives me prospect OF death,
sickness, Ike telescope, often presents q
clearer view, while it is, as l hope, with you
as vet at O distance. Perhaps, when you
were i'll, you could perceive the objects with
In the vail, beyond this visible diurnal sphere
more distinctly than at other times. l have
known but little Of sickness OF late
years. I attempt to look through the
telescope of faith, which gives reality and
substance to things not seen; but the glasses
are cloudy, and my hands shake. so that
can obtain but very imperfect and transient
gIances. but glance into the heavenly state
is worth all that can be seen here below in
the course OF long life. II the Lord be with
us land he has promised that be wilD in the
approaching transition, we may 60 torword
without fear. Letters Of John Newton to
Hannah More.
Whatever you are. don't be stingy Chris
tian. There are too many such already--ab-
sorbing space and SOIL and yet yielding little
or no fruit. Diffusion brings increase. The
man who buries his money in bag never
gets rich. The more useful work you do,
the more money you give for good purposes,
the fuller-handed you will be, There Is that
scattereth and yet increaseth there is that
withholdeth and 1t tends to penury. a poor,
hard-toiling young lady Of my acquaintance
gave a ffty-dollar gold-piece to help certain
struggling young church, and her generous
gift brought in thousands Of dollars her one
loaf was multiplied into basketful OF bless
ings. Sow plentifully If you want to reap
big harvests. Begin to give money systemat-
ically-so much week, or 80 much month
and see to it that the Master is not cheated
out Of his own. The more sacrifices OF sell
flshness you make for Christ, the more you
will love him.
I suppose that the richest joys of heaven
will be the enlargement Of what we are in
this world. The original loaves will be in
definitely multiplied. Whatever we do for
Jesus here will be our treasure in heaven"
when we get there. Death Is not the end of
serving our blessed master; it is only trans
fer up into wider realm where they serve
him day and night in his temple, and "he
that sitteth on the throne shall spread his
tabernacle over them" If we long for holi-
ness in this life we shall wear the spotless
robe up yonder. All that exceeding and eter-
nal weight of glory will be the outcome OF
what begun here when we begun for Christ
and he begun to be in US. The more COM
plete you make your conservation to Christ
at the start, the nobler, stronger and happier
Christian you will be. and the more glorious
heaven you will have. A great Christian
character Is not built in day; it isthe steady
solid growth OF lifetime. christian 1nte.li-
gencer.
No one should trust himself too much. even
though he has attained to great union with
God. and he be far removed from all creatures.