The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-25
THE VOICE OF THE PULPIT
A SHORT LAY SERMON, WITH 'LIFE's
USEFULNESS, AS THE TOPIC.
NJ. ID. TOlman, of Fitchburg, Mass.
Says the Present Age Is n Test
ing Time for the Churches.
by their fruits we shall know them.
Matt. vii, 90.

Here is an assertion of the Christ, very
clear and very pronounced 1t appeals to
every ones sense of justice and urges to
good accomplishment 1t is a stimulus for
the performance of the best work.
The motive for this accomplishment may
be three-fold: that Of pleasing God, that Of
benefiting the world, and that of the re-
ward. Knowing this, that God rewardeth
every man according to his work. the rec
ompense of the reward in one way or an
other is inseparable from the work.
Every right-minded man rejoices in being
OF use in the world, enjoys the doing of
valuable, useful work. 1t is as natural for
a healthy, normally constituted man to de-
light in well doing as it is for him to
breathe Note the little child putting his
first penny in the contribution box. What
shy delight in the dimpled face! What i'm
portance the act has for him! He knows.
vaguely, that 1t is for some good purpose
and his joy is accordingly great. The act
calls forth the best impulses of the child,
begins his education in philanthropy.
AS with the child, so with the man; a
good deed, kind service. reacts upon the
doer. makes good blood" as the doctors
say. We know that every good deed done
In the world benefits by Just so much the
whole world, including, primarily, the doer;
ing others we ourselves are blessed.
Every mans task" says Emerson sis
his life preserver; the conviction that his
work is dear to God and cannot be spared
defends him." Who shall set a limit to
the power of mans work for God and
the world?
1t is written of Jesus, while He was yet
young. that HE increased in wisdom and
stature and in favor with God and man.
What a beautiful growth that! And He
kept on growing until He had attained that
wonderful knowledge of Gods fatherhood
of the world. And how He tried to teach
others to see it as He did; to trust as He
did,
But you may say, 'it is difficult to see
as He did, to trust as He did" Yes. for
lie had attained knowledge a wisdom
divineness that made His vision clear.
His trust perfect. And IL He who could
see 1t all clearly, thus believed and trusted.
may we not take it for granted, "accept it
on faith" though we cannot as yet see it?
Furthermore, and this is for the encour-
agement of all, Christ had attained it by
growth-such growth as may be yours or
NINE 1t Is not always an easy growth
there are difficulties often. but it is well
worth the effort. looking unto the promises
abundantly given. Looking unto Jesus
the author and finisher of our faith" He
placed no low ideals for His followers: the
very highest was given for their attain
ment And yet He led them along by easy
stages, step by step, urging the Importance
or little duties which make the sum of life
rarely giving command without a prom
ise twining about it to gladden. it's perform
ance.
Take. for example, Cast thy bread upon
the waters and thou shalt find 1t after
many days." Cast your bread of kindness
upon the world; cast your bread of wis
dom upon the world; benefit somebody by
what you have. Give and it shall be given
unto you, good measure, pressed down and
running over"
Do you think a good deed ever went un-
rewarded? 1 answer for you Never A
good deed is in itself its own reward. 1t
pays an interest to the best handbook that
ever was held, and that is your own heart
Every good deed exalts, ennobles the doer
Consciously or unconsciously, you are find
Ing the bread that you cast upon the
waters IN nobler life, q life of larger pos
sibiltties for one good deed leads to an
other, and life, to be real. is full of such
avenues of action, such growth, such pos
sibilities. These good deeds may cost you
little or they may cost you much Thew
may seem to you trivial or they may seem
to you great, but God knows how to meas
ure them.
Every duty. faithfully done. from day to
day, ...-
Helps. how much we may not know. in the
onward way.
Be it little, be it much, it will speed along
On it's way with goodly cheer be it but a
song.
Be it but a helpful word. vanquishing a
Re IT Soma great yY,ipistr,, for rooa.
throng.
II every living person were working along
the lines of duty, what a benefcent world
we should have-the kingdom of heaven
within us and the kingdom of heaven with
out us! And this word, duty" is the very
keynote of our text, for it is by the per-
formance of our duty that we shall bring
forth the fruit.
Now, there may be some who would like
to have their duties clearly defined for
them. The word duty in a general way,
appeals to them as u vague term, meaning
nothing very particular, and often regarded
as an uncomfortable word, by rea son of it's
Indebtedness. and because not understood
Ask a child what is his duty and the an
swer will be, nine times out of ten, ITO be
good" The chiid's answer, to be sure is
the summum bonum of attainment, but the
way to the attainment he is not always
so clear about. As with the child, so it is
with some Of larger growth; if a duty were
given them clear and definite they would
endeav6r its accomplishment with alacrity
Consider for a moment the scope of duty.
1t is vast. II is infinitely varied. In this
brief discourse there is only space to sug-
gest one field of definite duty
Iou, my friend. may not be connected
with any church. 1t may be that you give
churches in general very little sympathy
1t is even possible that you regard them
with certain sort of hostility.
If so, did it ever occur to you that per-
haps you do not know enough about them
to estimate their value correctly? Some
one has well said: ITO be interested it is
necessary to be informed" Possibly a
duty for you presents itself just here
Would it not be we'll for you to look into
the churches little?
You will not find that any of them are
perfect-no honest clergyman will tell you
that he thinks they are-but they are seek
Ing to work in that direction along the line
of growth. Read about the seven churches
of the Scriptures-none OF them was per-
feet, and some OF them We're far from ii.
very far, indeed; yet Gcd's care and guild
ance was over them all, and they bore
much fruit" So to-day they are endeavor-
! ing 10 help mankind, individually. collect