The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-15

| Lord was the IDOL OK the crowd ne
| was popular after he had Ied the I'VE
thousand; lie was popular on the morning
] or the trfumpnal entry during passover
| week Men never called HIM leatheu.
on the contrary, they frequently oespiseu
| linn Tor his .iilteracy- Ana yei near on
| Heavens, and give ear. oh, earth! inns
| man reversed the teachings OF all the
schools: this man turned The course OF
| the ages: this man reached Heaven, ana
threw UP q highway to its peariy gates.
And why? Why, simply because lie was
| faithful. Jesus Christ reigns ana ruies
! because lie was faithful-faithful
ful to God. and faithful TO man, and
faithful 10 His own sense OF duty
EARLY churches OF our Lord Jesus
| Christ were faithful. When you have
said that. you have said about all. Their
equipment was not IN learned men. The
majority Of them were ignorant OF the
| culture of the schools. Ihey had no
| such evangelical machinery as our Rich
| mond churches employ, such as Sunday
! schools books, religious newspapers, ms
sonary societies, ana the Ike. Ihey
had no money 10 erect comfortable buliu-
| ings, they had no choice singing or o'her
! accessories und apDurtenances OF the
| modern church. They were faithful.
! That - the secret OF .Ieir power. WITHIN
| their own hearts were storage-batteries
| of spiitual power. Ihey mad religion.
| Honest hearts and faithful lives were
their munitions of war against tae
worlds opposition and for the worlds
| conquest.
| Shall not all we, "who profess and can
ourselves Christians" be faithfuiF
We arc subjects OF the king, eternal,
immortal. invisible" Loyalty to Inn
is the subjects first duty. Faiihless-
ness TO Him on Monday or on Suiluay' at
home, or I'm the shop, or manufactory'
| or ION Change" is disiOyalty Painless
ness to Gods commandment on me part
| Of His professed children. is high trea-
SON. which. by all law, human and d.
vine, is punishable with death.
We are Gods servants Coz requires
that we be content In the performance
OF duties, exact in attendance upon all
commands n. as servants, We are not
faithful. whatever else We may be- we are
utterly worthless. and deserve and Will
receive our discharge. Vo have taken
upon ourselves solemn vows We have
entered into lite-cOntract with our
Lord Faithlessness Is breaking our
VOW dishOnOring our sacred, written OBJ
legation. More We arc the executors
OF viii. Remember friends, the last
VIII and testament Of our Lord has
been placed in our hands. BE sim
moment and reflect. we are bound
10 carry out our instructions. not only
in the spirit, but so far as positive
commands are concerned TO the very
letter OF the law. on think OF IT, Trem-
BILE at the thought. Faithlessness on
your part and mine is criminal disregard
yes. nothing less than criminal disregard
of the dying Injunction OF the best
Friend our immortal souls ever had.
Still more: We are the bride of Christ
Know you not that we have been mar
ried to The Lord in the presence of men
and angels. and the union is indissoiuble
in time and eternity? How dare any
Of Us prove troacherous 10 the holy COW
cnant?
Faithfuness. such as Is needed to-day
in the Church and in the world. is chieny
in small matters. Great occasions are
rare Heroes and heroines, who chal
lenge the worlds admiration, and live
in endless song and story, are few and
far between. Ike angels visits. Face
the facts OF everyday life. You and
I look into the countenances Of few
whose memory VIII survive the recoliec- |
ton Of their grandchildren. BE it So
'Howe'er II Doe. IT seems TO me
IT'S only noble to be good
Kind hearts are more than coronets.
And simple faith than Norman blood. ." |
Is IL nothing TO be a good father a |
wise and devoted mother. a true nus |
band, or wife, son, or daughter. Zeal |
and loving friend an upright and patri- |
otto citizen, an honest workman, or man !
OF business Why, friends, IL seems 10 |
me TO be everything; II Is the highest |
possible thing If it be the sphere ia /
which God calls as 10 serve him. So, |
I'm the Christian life. IT is fidelity in little |
duties which makes up the warp and woOt |
Of Christian character.
Little gifts. made on principle, regularly |
By all. are the demand OF the time. The |
Metropolitan railway, In New York, has |
sij,009.0o0 r year income. II is derived |
from passengers who pay fve-cent fares. /
st. Peters, at Rome the mightiest and /
cOstliest cathedral on earth, n sym /
phony I'm stone" a miracle in marble, an /
epic in eternal strength and beauty, arose |
on n foundation OF pennies. Little acts |
Of love. little words OF kindness, little /
daily duties. are the drops Of blessing !
which refresh the world like showers, l
and cause Il TO blossom IKE the garden /
Of the Lord 'He that IS faithful ia The /
least Is faithful also in much but ne /
that Is unjust in the least, Is unjust 1
also IN much"
Heaven is the reward OF faithfulness.
Deed IS more than creed. We read IN l
IfpNtIDNs AAf ie-AAiAANA 'i''t- 1890
abound with blessings" what IS /
blessing? on u Is Gods benedicuon; II
is soul refreshment and enjoyment; ~
is heavenly peace. In what does II con-
sist? In an approving conscience Inc
faithful have II. In a good reputation
The faithful ever enjoy H. among the
good and rieht-minded. In growing m
fuence2 The faithful are like trees
planted by the rivers or water that
bring forth their fruit in its season. In
helpful example? When | asked ABOUT
the successful career OF brother mn
lister. a friend answered: 81 have known
him thirty years. ana ne has ALWAYS be.n
a faithful man." And what shan ! say
of heavenly rewards When after a
pilgrimage OF twenty years thirty years
nifty years eighty years, you go 10 meet
Him. the Lord win say: wei done
good and faithful servant; enter thou
into the Joys OF thy Lord" / near
voice. SAYING unto US all to-day: he
thou faithful unto DEATH and ] VIII give
thee n crown OF life"
There's only one thfs should ''n'''"
TO md Just the task that Is ours
And then. having found IL. 10 DO II
with an our rOd-giyen powers.