The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1897-11-26

been for Jesus sake. Not that He would
nave us suffer, not that He delights in
sending pain ;but because He knows that
the way to glory is the way that He
Himself has trod, the way of the cross.
Ii is true, as was proved in the case of
poor Uncle Tom,
"Jesus can make dying bed
AS soft as downy pillows are"
There's no philosophy about it, moth
ing strange or hard to understand large
faith in our Saviour will take US clear
through. His plans are wisely directed,
then nothing comes to US by chance. He
knows the end from the beginning, then
nothing happens to US of which He does
| not know. He is of almighty strength,
then He can never be overcome, oh, if
we only had this trust, to believe that
| those who come to the Saviour are ev-
ermore objects of His love, we shou Id let
suffering and tria! but lead us to Him,
and through every gloomy cloud we
should hear His sweet voice call, 'tFor
My sake, my child, endure to the end.''
"For Ny sake,'' this impelling power
stands behind all Christian sacrifice !;
and surely it is appropriate to
speak Of sacrifice as we stand about the
table of our Lord. Examine into any
life that has made the world, better that
has added to the sum of righteousness
against the sum Of wrong; and you will
/ find that this has been the impulse back
, of it and through it, "For Ny sake.''
+ Cried the missionary mother, wringing
her hands, as she stood upon Africa's
shore and watched the ship sail away,
BEARING HER CHILDREN TO CHRISTIAN
AMERICA
to be educated, 80 Christ,
give them upsfor Thee!" What motive
stands back of the life of the great apos-
tie Paul? What hidden springs are the
secret of his endurance beyond measure ?
Ambition, was he after that? But he said
that for Christ's sake he was willing to
be made the ofscouring of the earth. Did
he seek wisdom? He said for Christ's
sake he was counted as "a fool. Did be
court the wealth of the world? He knew
how, he said, both to abound and to
be in want of all things. Did he desire a
life of ease? But In labors he was more
abundant than they all. Did he even
cherish his own life? Hear him, as in 60
ing up to Jerusalem for the last time, in
almost every city saying that bonds and
affections await him there his friends
plead with him not to go, hear him as he
exclaims: "What mean ye to weep
and to break mine heart? For am ready
not to be bound only, but also to die at
Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Je-
sus." That last clause strikes the mark.
Paul was what he was, and endured what
he endured, only for the sake of the risen
One who spoke to him on the Damascus
| road. s...
Examine into any life, 1 say, which
hoo hoIY IN nj <,l<l
darkness into light, and you will find it
| ia Christ-centered and Christ-moyed
Mos9 of those who are only able to esti
mate values by the wo Idly standard,
who looK upon those in the ministry as
in it as men are in lother professions, in
it for what they can get, think that if the
glittar of q few more hundred dollars is
held before any minister, he will up and
away. ALL they have not touched the
outermost rim of the minister's life, they
know absolutely nothing Of the motives
which impel his actions. There is many
man OF God working in out-of-th e-way
places, holding upa brave fight with
forlorn hope, keeping straight on though
never praised by men, simply because as
plainly to him as TO Paul in the night the
voice Of His beloved Master speaks ]:
'sBe of good cheer " aFor my sake,'
that is back Of all Christian sacrifice.
Is there not, my dear friends, after AL
touch or keen sarcasm ii the thought
that we call 8 gathering In Gods house