The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-10-08

herd; the good shepherd siysth his life for
the sheep. But he that II hirsling ana n0s
the shepherd seeth the woif coming. arv ny
catcheth them and scattereth the sheep.
The hireling fieeth because he u hire;
ling and careth not for the shesp.
am the good shepherd Land and snTS Ss my Srsne
shepherds fed themselves. but not the
flock the owner would feed the mock. even
though ne must go without food himself.
eased and failed to strengthen the weak;
they did not seek for those VINO were iosts
and they ruled the flock with iorce aho
cruelty. The owner heals tne sHxS
rules the flock with gentieness anu love-
HE LOVES US.
And such Is Christ, the "good shepherd"
to whom we belong. He loves US Win
an undying love: God cOmmendeth his
love toward us. In that. while We were
yet Christ a.sa hor s YOUR cares
upon Him, for He careth for YOU" He a,
so supplies all our needs. MY Goa sna.. aS,
supply all your need ACCORDING 70 h,s
boundless In his resources. my Father !.
rich in houses and lands. He holden tns ns
wealth Of the world In His HIS namas; n% cold
rHbiss and dismSnds Of silver r,cs.s snH %ntcia
And He gives most literally 70 AL nns
dear children. blessings 80 rich. so iu.i:
so free. Listen! IAN things cssn1 are yours: -;
the world, Or life. or death, or thing:
present, or things to come; all are yours:
and We are Chrlst's. and Christ Is COOS.
He is our ample provider IN an sn'nf
gives us our daily bread. he clothes us ~
beautiful garments, He sends us rain anu
sunshine in due season: He Is our teacher.
our guide. our help. our deliverer' our
~ In . the light Of al, the foregoing revela-
tions concerning Him whose we are, VINO
would not be eager to surrender tnem-
ssTes ssip and sh,s eonirois The control of love is
always lovely, even when that love ls
earthly: because in the very nature OF
things love can choose only the ,ss pest Son.. IL
itself out to the last drop to help ana 70
bless them. How much more. then. must
be the blessedness Of the control OF GOO,
there can be nothing but infinite and
fathomless bliss! Now We are the Lorus.
and knowing how generously ne oea.s
with His own. We are led to abandon our
secrate our all to His service. God de-
mands this act Of conservation upon our
part. 1t Is necessary to secure our con-
Peie from sil TO Ssry,Ss NJ S snd to
bring us into complete harmony WITH his
will. who worketh in US both to VIII ana
to do Of His good pleasure. Listen 70
the DuEnluS WOTuS OA 1duAs S~SSS~'.
You. therefore. brethren, by the mereies
Of God, that ye present your bodies Nv
ing sacrifice, holy. acceptable unto God.
which Is your reasonable service.
ARE ALTOGETHER GODS.
We are altogether Gods. both body and
spirit for Christianity sSnSsrnf YSsr body i
the temple Of the Holy Ghost" The man
who, not neglecting other duties. seeks to
make his body strong and vigorous, y to
be commended for his .piety: a, AthIetics. cs.
iigion. The man, who IL afflicted with =
weak or diseased body. perhaps the fruie
OF old sins. is often greatly hindered IN us
active service for Cod; OUT pody hss 49,. -
no right to defle this sacred edihce to IN
jure 1t by abuse. carelessness or neglect
or to waste its strength In idleness or
looked upon as being necessarily the . en-.
cumbrance and the foe of the spirit; Ihls
is not the Christian way OF thinking.
Rather let us regard 1t as an instrumehit
ly and wonderfully made" and through
which the holy energy OF the spirit may
serve his purpose and do Him nohor As
consecrated SONS and daughters OF Sou.
we dare not exercise caprice. folloW our
own prejudices, wayward wills, irregular
appetites. or lend our services to anotnsr
master. Christ must be all and IN All
mo man can serve two masters GOO
wants the whole soul without reservation
or rhalf-heartedness. and lie ought 70 nav"
1t must be His for all places. seasons
and circumstances: tor life and DEATH and
forever. Well may John Flavel exclaim;
"Ah. what a life is the life Of devoted
Christian. Christ all for you, and you
all for His Blessed exehshhse: .h ..a'. SOW
saith the soul. and all have IL thine
Spurgeoi said that the strongest man IN
all this world IL u consecrated man. John
men who loved no one but God, and feared
nothing but sin. he would set up the KING.
dom of God on earth and shake the gates
OF hell In twelve months.
RESPONSIBILITY OF TRUST.
Upon US rests the responsibility Of trust
in God. This ought not to be difficult
matter to us. yet In times OF real trial our
confidence In Him seems to be very much
shaken 1t ought to be the most natural
thing in the world to trust God; and with
those who dwell near Him 1t Is So In
whom should We trust but IN Him Who
has all power and truth and love within
Himself: We are always safe In putting
our case into the hands of our Father and
God. 'Blessed is he that trusteth ~
tho Lord, and whose hope the Lord Is.
'''Trust In the Lord with all thine heart:
and lean not unto thine own tnderstanu-
ing" is very sensible advice to all believ-
ers at all times, for God who hath made
rich promises to them, Is able and willing
to perform what He hath spoken.
1t is the strong. buoyant confidence In
God and His love which gives energy anu
spirit to do right without doubt and de-
spondence. Our trust in Him must never
fail us. 1t Is our life. The heavens may
grow black at times. and everything
around us have a gloomy cast: but our
poor hearts must not then imagine that
the eternal promises Of our Father will
fail. We must chide such folly and fall
back upon the eternal verities OF the Cos
pei. God Is immovable and immutable.
4 hat t,,t thn np1 hall hsa
as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved.
but abideth forever
Obedience is also expected Of us by Him
to whom We belong. We must submit to
The true convert. at the very beginning
Of and throughout his Christian life. asks
with Paul the question. Lord, what wilt
thou have me to do?. He does not choose
his commander. neither does he have any
lead at his heels to hinder him In the
speedy performance of duties at hand.
He asks no questions: he makes no sugges-
tions; he does not consult his wishes or
feelings. but trusting in the Captain Of
his salvation, he hastens to do what he Is
bidden. Love is the Christian motive to
cult for man to obey.
MOTIVES THAT INFLUENCE
Compulsion, fear. reward and other mo-
tives may enable a man to bend his will
the love of Christ does elicit the response
Of obedience to him that he desires. He
says. "If ye love me. keep my commando
ments." Where there is love to Christ,
there is scarcely any need Of a command
to obey Him. 1t will follow as the stream
from the fountain, or light and heat from
the sun. Genuine love ever manifests in
practical forms. 1t does not begin and
end in mere sentiment, in good wishes. in
signs and tears, but is essentially practi-
CAL and that, too. in ways most pleasing
to the beloved. Nothing can be love In
the sight Of our God which does not shape
itself into obedience. The apostles recog-
its power to work unparalleled marvels.
Thus. by a life of conservation. trust
and obedience can We best glorify God
in our body and spirit, which are His.
What a blessed thought! We are Gods