Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1898-04-06
SERMONS OF THE DAY

Rev. George H. Hepworth's Sermon In
the New York Herald Is Entitled
"Nothing is Smal''-An Address by
Evangelist ID. L. Moody on Bible Texts.
The New York Herald publishes the COM
plete result of its recent competition for
prize sermons printed in its columns. The
hrst prize was awarded by the Herald it,
self, and the second, third and fourth
prizes were decided by the votes OF its
readers. The successful competitors were
As follows:
First prize, $1,000, to the Rev. Richard G.
Woodbridge, pastor Of the Central Congre-
gational Church, Middleboro, Mass. Sub
ject, ''The Power of Gentleness."
Second prize, $500, to the Rev. W. S.
Perkins, pastor Of st. PauPs Universalist
Church, Meridian. Conn. Subject, Burden
Bearing"
Third prize, $500, to the Rev. John D.
Long, pastor Of the Presbyterian Church,
Babylon, L. I. Subject, "The Good Side OF
Life"
Fourth prize, 5000, to the Rev. Edwin P.
Parker, pastor of the Second Church, Hart
ford, Conn. Subject, Law of Kindness"
DIR. hepworth on "Nothing is Small.
TEXT: Thou hast been faithful over
few things, L will make thee ruler over
many things; enter thou into the Joy OF thy
Lord. Matthew XIV, 81.
know of, no part of Scripture which
contains the kindest and most encouraging
statement of fact that ever fell from the
lips of Christ. 1 oftentimes wonder what
circumstance suggested this subject-what
impelled Him to put gentle hand on our
shoulder, as though to say, "Be not trou-
bled." To do things we'll is to do Gods
work in Gods way. Nothing is trivial that
Is worth doing at all.
1t is true that not all can be great in the
sight Of men, but every man may belong to
tn, tf..a
humblest walks of life who will wear COW
eted crowns in the hereafter because they
did their simple duty in simple fashion.
When we get into the other world we
shall be profoundly surprised to find that
the Lords standard of value is very differ
ent from that to which we have been &C.
customed. We regard social position,
wealth, Intellectual culture as of prime i'm
portance and rather imagine that the Lord
will hesitate to condemn any one with these
three enviable possessions. But it Is clear
that we and He do not agree, for with Hin
q pure heart and sweet, placid and gentle
life are worth more than all else besides.
Not even God can make either your
heart pure or your life sweet without you1
assistance. Nor can you make pure
heart or a sweet life without His assistance.
These desirable results must come from a
close association of God with man and Of
man with God. When your weakness,
moved by divine ambition, is commingled
with His omnipotence, then and then only
can the ideal soul be produced. He can
make wealth, He can give you the genius
| which will make you famous, but 1t Is alb
| solutely necessary for YOU and Him to work
in holy partnership before the thing which
| heaven prizes most can be attained.
When we step across the border we shall
| find that many of our earthly ideas OF
value are either mistakes or prejudices,
and that lives are acceptable and profit
able only in proportion to their spiritual
symmetry and beauty. The more a man
| does for others, therefore, the more he
does for himself and II he cares only for
himself, to the neglect of others, he will
| have to go into the primary class In heaven
| and learn what true religion means.
Someone said to me recently In despair
ing tones, "My life amounts to so little.
| live the humdrum days in n humdrum way
and il 1 should drop out of existence II
would make no difference to anyone" i
that were true it would be very sad. But
this man was to my mind one of the
| worlds heroes. knew his environment
and knew what he had done with it, how
much he had made out of it. Yes, he was
manual laborer, and his hands were
| grimy with toll. He was saint In over
alls. He was the guardian angel of al
aged mother who thought herself ir
heaven long before she went there becaus,
the son was so like Providence. II,
strained every nerve to give his boys al
education that they might be fitted to dc
better work than he had done.
You say "All this il matter OF course.
Then add, and Gods blessing is a matter
| of course.
That was narrow life2 No; ii was as
wide as Gods love could make 1t, and as
| noble as an archangels.
He who does the little duties of life will
| large heart makes himself great in soul
You can better afford to stand before Goo
In honest rags than in the purple and fine
linen Of dishonesty.
The important question to be answered
is not, Who are you? but What are you?
Your pocketbook does not weigh n:
much as your moral principle In the scales
OF God.
1t is rank heresy to say that your life is
worthless if you are doing your work well
Heaved is full of princes who found il
hard to pay the rent Of their earthly
| houses.
Never allow yourself to say, and espe,
cially to feel, that the work you are doing
is insignificant or the place you will fill is
of no Importance. To do that is to make
an uncslled for criticism on the Lord, fol
you hereby declare that the duty He has
set you to do Is not worth doing. II there
is a mistake anywhere it Is In your opinion
Of the value of things and not in His judg.
ment as to what He needs to have done
You have no right to hold any such opinion
and II you do 1t is because your Ideas are
based on false principles.
No matter how humble your sphere. I'll
1t full by pouring your best and noblesI
qualities of character into 1t. A pool o.
water Is a thing of beauty when the moor
shines on 1t, and the smallest soul that evel
breathed is a miracle when the spirit Of GOO
Is reflected therein.
1t requires many hands to make a watch
II one of the hands which fashions one o.
the cogs of one of the wheels does its work
badly the watch will never keep good time
If the whole is to be perfect every par
must be perfect.
SO 1t is in the universe. You do not know
but God knows that unless you take pain
to make your cog of the wheel with fidelit.
you may do a damage which cannot easil.
be repaired.
Little things done well make grea
soul, and small duties are always grea
duties in the eyes of the angels.
GEORGE II. HEPwoRTH.
|