The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-07-19

Earned Right to Reach Heavens
Gates--HcId Responsible for the
Unlimited Use of Best Talents.
"Work and Wages" was the topic Of
the sermon by Rev. w. j. Ford in the
Green Ridge Baptist church yesterday
morning. Mr.. Fords discourse was
based upon st Luke, xix:11-27, which
contains the parable of the nobleman
who went to a far country to receive
a kingdom, entrusted money TO his
servants and on his return punished
the one who had hid his pound in
napkin while the others had increased
the sums left in their charge. He said:
1t is natural for men to think Of the re-
ward which they expect to receive after
faithful service. 1t should not be the sole
motive for service and need not occupy
all the thoughts, but it will steal into
our minds at times in spite of ourselves.
Peter asked his Master what they should
have and Christ assured him that sacri-
flee now would be followed by reward
hundred fold greater and eternal life in
| the world to come
Christ made use of three palables which
deal with the different phases of work
! and wages in the kingdom of God There
| is the parable of the laborers in the vine
| yard which considers the subject of the
| relation of the motive to the reward. A
| househo!de" went out early in the morn
| ing to hire laborers for his vineyard.
| They were engaged at the usual rate of
wages, a penny day. At the third hour
| he saw others standing idle and said to
| them: Go ye also into the vineyard and
whatsoever is right / will give you.'
| Again at the sixth and ninth hour he
| found other laborers and engaged them
| with the same indefinite promise. At the
| eleventh hour he found others and asked,
| why stand ye here all the day idle, and
| they answered Because no man hath
hirecd us" He gave these work as he
| had those at the third, sixth and ninth
| hours, promising to give them what was
| right. When oven was come they were
| surprised that all received the same.
| Some have thought that this parable was
| intended to teach that rewards are all the
| same without any distinction or regard to
| length of service or amount of labor per-
| formed. But this is to ignore other pass
ages in Cords word which teach very
| plainly that rewards are not the same
| Understand | am not talking about SAL
walton, that is a gift; the laborers are
| already in the vineyard and there reward
| depends on their work.
l. PARABLE OF THE TALENTS.
The parable of the talents refers to an
| other phase of TIE same general sub
| ject. The talents of this parable repre-
sent the varying ability of different indi'
viduals and the general teaching is this,
| that not the absolute quantity OF work
performed but the ratio of the quantity
to the ability of the worker will determine
the reward. one receives five and gains
| five, another receives two and gains two.
These neil are held in equal honor and are
commended in Identical terms.
In the parable of the pounds the teach
ing is that when ability and opportunity
are equal quantity will determine the re-
| ward. Each servant receives a pound,
but one gains with it ten pounds, another
gains only five while the third uses the
napkin II at he ought to have used to wipe
the sweat from his brow to tide away his
pound.
| The richest rewards are for those who
labor not simply for their own sanctifca-
tion but for the good of their fellow men.
They have invested their money and en-
ergies and sacrifices in a bank that pay,
interest az enc hundred per cent. Moses
made real sacrifice when he gave up the
pleasures of Egypt ard chose to suffer
hardship with the people of God. The
early disciples left all and followed him.
Paul suffered the loss Of all things for
Christs sake, but he reckoned that the
sufferirgs Of this present time are not
worthy to be compared with the glory
that shall be revealed. These noble saints
of God who have filled up their lives with
service 70" the Master will and ought to
receive the fullest measure of reward and
more abundlnt entrance into the heaven
ly land. Those who gave up their lives
rathes than be untrue to their Master
and' whose dying breath went out amid
the smoke of blazing fasots, those who
through faith subdued kingdoms wrought
righteousness, obtained promises, stopped
the mouths of lions, quenched the vio-
lence of fire, escaped the edge of the
sword, out of weakness We're made strong,
waxed valient in fight, turned to flight the
armies of the aliens. Women received
their dead raised to life again, and 9TH
ers were tortured not accepting deliver
ance that they might obtain better res
direction, and others had trials of cruel
mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover
of bonds and imprisonment, they were
stoned, they were sown asunder, were
tempted, were slain with the sword, they
wandered about in sheepskins and goat
skins, being destitute, afflicted tormented
(of whom the world was not worthy
they wandered in deserts and in noun
tains and in dens and caves of the EARTH
BALANCING ACCOUNTS
And these all hearing obtained a good
report through faith received not the
promise, God having provided some bet,
ter things for us that they without us
should not be made perfect" John saw
a great multitude whom no man could
number that stood before the throne anC
the lamb and when he asked, "Who are
these and whence came thcy?' he was
told that these arc they which came ou
of great tribulation and have WASHED
their robes and made them white in tbs
blood of the lamb. If we believe that II
the other life the accounts of this life
are balanced we must believe that som,
will receive greater rewards than others
Doesn't it stand to reason that men like
those who have pointed thousands L
Christ may expect greater reward thar
those who have never been instrumental
in bringing a soul to him and whose livei
have been such as to leave room for doub
as their own personal salvation. For the!
that be wise shall shine as the brightness
of the armament and they that turn man!
to righteousness as the stars forever anC
ever" They will receive crowns but with
out jewels in them. This parable repre-
sents one of this class. He had been
real servant; but less zeal had been les
ardent, his devotion less complete, his ac
tlvity less constant, he received what h,
deserved, his pound had gained nv,
pounds and he was made ruler owe
! five cities, but there were no words
Of special praise he is not called
; good servant" and the Master does no
, say, We'll done" He had not done wha
; he could. He may have done more thar
we have done but he had not felt tn
constraining power of the love of Chris
. as the other servant had done, he had no
an Fl II. At. IL