St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-04-10
A Word of encouragement.
BY Mrs. c. L. Goodell, Boston.

Give and it shall be given unto
YOU" Transpose this and we then
read ut shall be given unto you;
now give" or, 1T shall be given
unto you for you in turn to give to
others"
Here is a promise for Christian
workers, and one that holds good
concerning any Of the gifts or graces
we individually need tor the specific
work to which we are called. II 1t
is the grace OF benevolence or charity
God will multiply our seed for SOW
ing and increase our fruitiulness.
We may have very little indeed OF
our own, but the silver and gold are
His and He is able to replenish our
seanty store in unlooked-for ways.
1T is He that giveth power to get
wealth" If, however, it does not
come to us in this literal way, He is
able to give us what is better STILL.
that true spirit Of charity or love,
which "seeketh not her own" but
Others good the Christllke heart
treasures which are above price, with
which we may enrich the lives OF
those about US. We read of the
Christians in Macedonia, how, be-
cause OF the grace Of God bestowed
upon them. their deep poverty
abounded unto the riches of their
liberality."
Paul intreated the Christians in
Corinth, that as they abounded in
everything, in faith, in knowledge,
in all earnestness and love, they
might abound in the grace of min
istering to the saints" also. Let us
not limit ourselves in this grace OF
giving.
Again, is it the gift of speech or ut
terance that we are called to exer-
else in the service OF Christ? He only
wants to find in US the willingness
to be used of Him. and He will sup
ply the necessary furnishing for this
also. Il will give you mouth and
wisdom" were Christ's words to
his disciples. And as if in tulfllment
of this promise, it is recorded OF both
Paul and Barnabas, that "they so
spake that a great multitude be
leved."
How many timid souls there are,
who, when duty islaid upon the m
for instance, the conduct Of devo
tional meeting or an audible prayer in
the presence of others, shrink back
and exclaim with jeremiah of old, &C
Lord God, cannot speak, for | an
child" But the Lord answered
jeremiah, Say not | am a child, fol
thou shalt 60 to all | send thee, anc
whatsoever | command thee thor
shalt speak. Be not afraid o
their faces for | am with thee.
Behold, | have put my words into
thy mouth" Notice, ae did no
say my thoughts, but my words.
Oh, if we were only more careful tt
get beforehand Gods message, and b.
willing to give that, trusting Him t.
give us the very words to speak
should we not 60 forth with Sc
rener faith and confidence to inspir
others with the same grand trutl
that has taken possession of us
Probably much of the hesitation
we experience in performing a dat,
of this kind for Christ comes fror
looking too much to our own nat
ural fitness or ability, and too littl
to Gods power vouchsafed to u:
There is necessary preparatio
which must first come from Him
we may then say confidently, IL ar
ready" Here am |; send me.
God wants human channels. H
will furnish the power and the word
Paul was so filled with the powe
6 that he exclaimed: Necessity
laid upon me; for woe is unto me it
: preach not the gospel" At tt
e same time he felt his own weakne,
5 so much that he asked his friends t
pray for him that utterance migl
be given him,
OF course it is we'll understoc
that not every one is called ofGod ,
= exercise this gift of which we a
e speaking in the same way or place
@ some in the quiet of the home, OF
If ers in more public gatherings. b
), who shall say whose is the wild
II sphere in the eye OF Him who kno'
h eth the hearts.
Il There are other gifts and grac