Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-10-17
DO WHAT YOU CAN.

UO WHAT IOU IAN.
She hath done what she could.-Mark xiv, 8.
Mary, the sister of Lazarus and
Martha, whose home was in Bethany,
offered to Jesus token of her personal
affection and confidence. 1t was a
small thing to do, and yet the Master
seems to have regarded it as OF some
Importance.
She had an alabaster box of costly
ointment made from the roots of the
East Indian nard, and according to
the usage in Oriental lands she poured
it on the head of Jesus. It's perfume
filled the house, and some of the dis
ciples were indignant at what they
called the waste of precious substance
which might have been sold for three
hundred pence for the benefit of the
poor.
Jesus rebuked their complaints by
saying that Mary had ''done what she
could" 1t was not within her power
to assist Him in any great way, but
she improved her narrow opportunity
| and extended to Him q most gracious
courtesy.
The lesson is very significant. We
may not be able to do large things, but
we can all do something. Not every
life can be conspicuous, but every life
can be beautiful. We are working for
the approval of God, not for the praise
or applause of men, and though the
world takes no note of our little acts
of beneficence He sees them. and that
should be satisfaction enough. No
man ever lived in so small sphere
that he could not be helpful to some
body at some time either by word or
deed, and these scattered words and
deeds are the seed corn whence springs
the heavenly harvest.
Great men and women are doubtless
needful to the progress of society, but
not more so than little men and wo-
men who perform their humble tasks
with serene faith and answering
fidelity. A general directs the battle,
and when the strategy of his genius
has wrought victory we place his
statue in our parks, but after we have
given him all due CT edit we must not
forget that the victory was really won
by the courage of the common soldiers
whose names are never mentioned.
When we travel over the country
road we look with awe-struck wonder
at the range of hills on the horizon
line, their tops empurpled by the set.
| ting SUM- The clouds rest on their
brows like crowns filled with diamonds,
whose facets flash with many cOlored
lights. But need we be unmindful of
| the graceful ferns, the thousand wild
flowers which Nature has woven into
carpet for our feet? While admiring
the one shall we ignore the other !?
The same creative force which lifted
the hills from the valley has fashioned
also the pimpernel which peeps from
the sod to give us cheer. What are
hills without verdure? Every tree
ing bud, serves to make the picture
perfect; and who is rash enough to say
that the moss on fallen trunk has not
mission as we'll as the stately pine,
the pride and glory of the forest?
| We need not be discouraged because
we live near the ground rather than
near the sky. Our prime duty is to
recognize our limitations, and not fret
ourselves into restlessness through
envy of those who can do easily what
we cannot do at all. Aspiration and
ambition are we'll enough in their way,
and we should always be prepared for
a larger opportunity when it presents
itself; but it is fatal mistake not to
do the little things of to day because
we expect to do great things to-mor-
row. The logic of happiness teaches
us to be content with what we have
and to make the most of ourselves in
our present surroundings. Then, if
wider chance happens to come our way,
we shall be equipped to make good use
of it.
1t is great pity that the popular
theology should dampen our ardor to
do what we can. 1t has wrested the
loo Df ho Of 10 hot SOL
our righteousness are as filthy rags"
from its proper Interpretation and bid
den US believe that, however honest
our motives and however selfsacrific-
ing our daily lives, they count for
nothing in the sight of God, unless we
accept long array of dogmas which
no ordinary mind can comprehend and
about which theologians themselves
differ.
We are wounded "past all surgery"
by such statement. 1t is utterly in
credible that God should reject the
man who believes little and lives &C
cording to that belief, refusing to al
low him to enter heaven because he
cannot accept everything which the
Church teaches as truth.
Besides, it is false; it is unreasonable.
1t does not commend itself to the COM
mon sense of mankind. A good deed
done with a pure motive will never,
under any circumstances, be disap
proved on high. No matter how long
or how short your creed may be. if you
love your fellow men and preserve
your personal integrity amid tempta-
tion and hardship, the dear God who
is our Father will not regard you as
clothed in filthy rags, but on the con-
trary will say, ''Thou hast been faith
full in few things; l will make thee
ruler over many things"
Do what good you may, therefore,
and trust to the love of God rather
than the caprice of men. If you live
in narrow circle. fill it full of holy
thoughts and noble actions. No day
will pass that shall not give you the
opportunity to lend helping hand to
some forlorn soul. Men and women
need encouragement, for our years are
filed with trouble. So far as lies in
your power do good by word or deed,
or both, and when yon wake from the
last sleep the angels will lead you into
the presence of One who will give you
a kindly welcome.-N. =. Herald.
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