The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1895-06-06
In the Masters Service.

From the New York Herald
That ye may abound to every good
work.-H Cor, tx, Z.
Faith, to begin with, and, after
that, good works. The faith must
come first, and then the good works
will follow "as the night the day." or
as effect follows cause. The man
without faith must do good on i'm
pulse, but the man with faith will do
good on principle.
Faith in what and in whom? Well,
faith that God is your Father in a
very literal and comprehensive sense,
not by way Of dreamy fantasy, but by |
way of glorious fact; faith that you
are in this world for definite and
easily understood purpose, and that
everyone else is here for the same
purpose; faith that since great many
folk have for some reason-partly
from environment, partly from inher-
tied weakness, partly from a lack of
moral energy-gone wrong, and are
now in a sad tangle, God has COM
missioned you to do what lies in your
power to set things right; faith that
no honest word of encouragement is
ever uttered in vain, and that no
kindly deed Of charity will fail to
bear fruit at some time and in some
way.
You may not be able to work mir
acles, but that is no reason for not
doing what you can. The millennium
is still great distance of, and you
will probably be in heaven long
before it's shining garments rustic on
the eastern hilltops, but that is not
matter about which you need be con-
cerned. We should not be discour-
aged because there is SO much to be
done and we can do so little; but, on
the contrary, satisfied to furnish our
atom for the general mosaic, assured
that the Great Artist who will COM
plete the picture by and by has use
for even the bit Of stone which we
contribute.
We are often deferred from doinS
charity by the ingratitude which
has marked our past experience
Without doubt our kindnesses have
been repaid by Indifference in many
instances, and the natural effect is to
harden our hearts. A natural effect,
but certainly not the effect which
ought to be produced, or which would
be produced if we looked at the sub
ject largely. The gratitude or in
gratitude of the recipient has nothing
to do with either the motives or the
bounty Of the giver.
You are Gods steward, are Jounot2
And you have something, money or
a helping hand, which a man or
woman in desperate straits stands in
need Of, have you not? It would
certainly be agreeable if that poor
creature whom you lift out OF the
mire should express warm appreci-
alton of your act; but, because he
does not, will you pass coldly by all
others who are in the mire and re-
fuse assistance? Do you suppose
that God is Indifferent because the
receiver OF your good gift is? Did
you do the good deed with the ex
pectation Of receiving your pay il
gratitudes Then it was merely 6
matter of speculation on your part, {
sort Of spiritual venture, with the
Lord left out Of it, and instead O
winning you have lost. Your motive
was by no means the highest of which
you are capable, nor was it quite
worthy of the faith you profess.
! On the other hand, if you distrib
ute your bene6cence because you ar,
Gods child, and because God wishe
you to do what you can for His othe
+ children, their indifference is a
nothing compared with His approval