The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-12-13

1
repeat" And how shall they preach I'M
less they be sentY'
/ am opposed to any missionary move
ment that has anything smacking Of a
| church fair as a basis. A gentleman in
Maine who has studied church fairs pref
~ carefully, voiced very nearly my sentf-
ments, when he said: "A church fair is
n place where we spend more money than
we can afford for things we do not want,
IN order to please people we do not like,
and to help the heather who are happier
than we are"
However much we dissent from the last
clause Of this declaration, the first part
receives our hearty endorsement. Breth-
rem OF tho pew, my idea is, we should
take the missionary cause close home,
and study the question Of contributing to
the financial end Of it, very prayerfully.
| We should be careful to see that album
dant means are provided for those who
are sent. We should make up our minds
as to how much we can afford to give
to the missionary cause, and then. it
would be safest to double that amount
believing in the declaration that there is
a giving that does not impoverish No
person has ever yet suffered, however,
prodigal the gift; provided always, the
gift in the proper spirit
Whose pocket-book is tbatF said a
friend to business man, as he drew
well filled wallet from his pocket.
why mine. Of course; whose else could
1t be?' ITO whom the pocket belongs
depends on another question. If you be-
long to the Lord, guess the purse is his
also" Well said the man thought
fully. your remark throws new light
on the subject, 1t never impressed me as
it does now, that l am to carry and use
this pocket book as the Lord directs.I
never looked at it in the lght in which you
place it,"
With such sacrifices God is we'll
! pleased" Unless doing good and giving
costs MS something they are not sacrifices.
However, rich we are, or educated, or
well dressed, we are of no value in his
service until we plan not TO live for our
selves alone, but we must resolve that
in whatever sphere we move, we will do
ali we can, and give all we can to save
the world for Christ. Not until we come
to realize that we are not masters, but
stewards of the worldly belongings yah
which a merciful Providence has blessed
us; believing that ''it is not all of life to
live, nor all Of death to de- do we rise
duty The christian church must not be
like the Nile, which flows 1000 miles
without a tributary, but like the Amazon
which drains a continent for its waters.
During the terrible reign of the French
revolution, when Madame Roland came
in sight of the guillotine, as she was be-
ing led to execution, she exclaimed "Oh,
liberty what crimes are committed in
thy namep So are men mistaken until
this day. They pursue riches upon the
theory that wealth means happiness.
They heap up riches knowing not who
shall gather them. They overlook the
fact that wealth brings responsibilities;
they forget that the word of God express
~ declares that he TO whom much is Civ
en-. OF him much shall be required. 1t
will be hard at the last great day-the
day of final accounts-to stand before
the Judge of the quick and the dead
under the most favored circumstances;
but think of it, being called to judgment;
in the face of the declaration, "0f you
shall much be required" There are
two kinds Of riches in the world: riches
that come from selfshness, from miser-
ly boarding are always an evil and
that continually.
There is another kind Of abundance,
) which is the natural result of honesty,
industry, SKILL inventions and faithful
ness These are natural blessing to all.
They give to the poor; they contribute
to the support of the ministry; they aid
the church and her institutions; they
help in sending the gospel to all lands,
and no one is poorer for this wealth. The
promise OF increasing abundance, is one
OF the motives that keeps men from idle
ness, and shows all by visible object
lesson that industry, faithfulness and
morality are favored by God and by ma
ture.
, Wadsworth truthfully and beautifully
says:
'I'Il fares the land
To Fastening ills a prey;
Where wealth accommodates,
And men decay
Wealth can safely increase, only as
fast as religion and morality prevail.
Then it is great opportunity or means
: Of advancing Gods kingdom. Riches,
like fire, are good servant but bad
master.
Worldly wealth and wisdom are used
for ones own pleasure, while heavenly
wealth and wisdom are used to serve 9th
ers Worldly wealth and wisdom when
found to fail to give real peace and sat
faction, and soon vanish like the dew;
but, when they are employed to serve 9th
ers, they store up treasures in heaven,
and are admired and copied by others.
Some christian girls in Japan were dis
cussing how they could glorify Christ by
their lives. One said, it seems to me
like this: Zone spring my mother got
some flower seed; little ugly black things,
and planted them; they grew and bloss-
omed beautifully. One day a neighbor
coming in and seeing the flowers, said:
oh, how beautiful! / must have some
too! Won't you please give me some
seedY"
Now IL this neighbor had seen the
flower seed she would not have asked for
them; twas only when she saw how
beautiful were the blossoms, that she
wanted the seed" And so it is with
christianity. Our friends NAV not want