The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1895-06-28
IN THE MASTERS SER
VICE.

New Dlh lltldiu
That ye may abound to every good work.
II. Cor, iX., S.
Faith to begin with and, after that,
good works. The faith must come
first, and then the good works will
follow "as the night day" or as effect
follows cause. -o,.i.lu Wa" without
faith may do good on impulse but
the man with faith will do good on
principle.
Faith in what and in whom? We'll,
faith that God is your Father in Il
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
every one else is here for the same
purpose: faith that since great
many folks have for some reason
partly from environment, partly from
inherited weakness, plrty from a
lack of moral energy-gonc wrong,
and are now in Il sad tanglc. God has
commissioned you to do what lies in
your power to set things right: faith
that no honest word OF encourage
mont 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 mi
raclcS. but that Is no reason for not
doing what you can. The millennium
is still a great distance OF. and you
will probably be in heaven long be
fore its shining garments rustic or
the eastern hillt0ps, but that is not d
matter about which you need be con
cerned. The boy who died in the first
battle Of Bah Run did as much fol
his country as the boy who saw Lee
offer his sword to Grant. We Shoult
not be discouraged because there is Sc
much to be done and we can do 50
little; but, on the contrary, satisfied
to furnish oar atom for the genera
mosaic, assured that the Great Ar
tist, who will complete the picture by
ana by has use for even the bit o
stone which we contribute.
We are often deferred from doing
charity by the insratitude which has
marked our past experience, Without
doubt our Kindness have been repai(
by Indifference in many instances
and the natural effect is to harder
our hearts. A natural effect, but Ger
tainly not the effect which ought tt
be produced, or which would be pro
duccd if we looked at the subjcc
largely. The gratitude or ingrati
tude of the recipient has nothing t
| do with either the motives or tn
) bounty of the giver.
f You are Gods steward, arc you not
4 And you have something, money or
helping hand, which a man or wOma
D in desperate straits stands in need OF
, have you not? 1t would certainly b
f agreeable If that poor creature whor
you lift out of the mire should expires
a warm appreciation Of your act; bu
because he does not, will you pas
c0dly by all others who are IN tn
=, mire and refuse assistance? DO yo
SUPPOSE that God is Indifferent b'
cause the receiver OF your good gil
is? Did you do the good deed wit
the expectation of receiving your pa
in gratitude Then it was merely
matter Of speculation on your part,
sort of spiritual venture, with Oh
" Lord left out of it, and instead
winning you have lost. Your moti'
y was by no means the highest of whic
& you are capable, nor was it quit
y worthy of the faith you profess.
J. On the other hand, if You distril
D. ute your benevocncc because you al
Gods child, and because God wish'
,r YOU to to do what you can for II
n. other children, their indiffiffcrence
10 AZ nothing compared with His a
.r proval. You are working for Hill
,t and the work you do, Irrespective
W gratitude or ingratitudc, makes yt
u more "a man aud gives you u quail
OF character which Is obtainablc