The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1898-04-01
|O]R WEEKLY SERMONS.
ESPECIALLY FOR
THE FAMILY FIRESlDE.


"Nothing Ia small"-An Address by
Evangelist ID. L. Moody OH Bible Texts.
The New York Herald publishes the com
plete result OF its recent competition for
prize sermons printed in its columns. The
first prize was awarded by the Herald it
self, and tho 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 tho Central Congre-
gationul Church, Middloboro, Mass. Sub
ject, 1.-The Power of Gentleness."
Second prize, $500, to the Rev. w. s.
Perkins, pastor of st. Pauls Unversalist
Church, Meridian. Conn. Subject, Burden
Bearing"
Third prize $500, to the Rev. John d
Long, pastor of the Presbyterian Church,
Babylon, l.. 1. 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 "NothinE is Small.
TEXT: Thou hast been faithful. over
fow things, will make thee ruler over
many things; enter thou into tho Joy of thy
Lord. ."-Matthcw XIV, 81.
L know of. no part of Scripture which
gives mo more good cheer than this. 1t
contains the kindest and most encouraging
st3.ement OF fact that ever fell from tho
lips Of Christ. l oftentimcs wonder what
circumstance suggested this subject-what
impellcd Him to put gentle hand on our
shoulder, as though to say, "Bo not trou-
bled." To do things well 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
heavens nobility. There are men in the
humblest walks of life who will wear COW
eted crowns in tho hereafter because they
did their simple duty in u 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 ac-
cuStomed. We regard social position
wealth, intellectual culture rs Of prime i'm
portancc and rather imagine that the Lord
VIII hesitate to condemn any one with these
three enviablc possessions. But it is clear
that we and He do not agree, for with Him
pure heart and n sweet, placid and gentle
life are worth moro than all else besides.
Not even God can make either YOUR
heart pure or your life sweet without your
assistance. Nor can you make a pure
heart ora sweet life without His assistance.
Those desirable results must come from
close association of God with man and of
man with God. When your weakness,
moved by divine ambition is comminglcd
with His omnipotcncc, then and then only
can tho ideal soul be produced. He can
make wealth, He can give you tho genius
which will make you famous, but 1t is alb
solutely necessary for You and Him to work
in holy partnership before tho 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 prejudices,
and that lives are acceptable and profit
able only in proportion to their spiritual
symmetry and beauty. The more n man
does for others, therefore, the moro he
does for himself and il 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 I'm despair
ing tones, "Ny life amounts to so little
1.-Two the humdrum days in u humdrum way
and IL l should drop out OF existence il
would make no difference to anyone" n
that wcr" true il 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
Il manual lahOrcr and his hands were
grimy with toll. He was Il saint in over
nlls. lie WAS the guardian angel of an
aged mother who thought herself in
heaven long before She went there because
the son was so like Providcncc lie
strained every nerve To give his bows an
education that they might he fitted to do
better work than he had done.
You say All this Is II matter of course -
Then add, and Gods blessing Is II matter
of course.
That was a narrow life! No: ii was as
widcas Gods love could make it, and as
noble rs IN arcianCrl's.
He who docs til" it'll" duties OF life with
large heart makes himself great in soul
You can hrttrralrord to stand before God
in honest rags than in the purple and nnc
linen Of dishonesty
The important question to h" answered
Il not, Who are YOU? hut What are you?
Your pO:kcthook does not weigh ns
much as your moral principle III the scales
ofGod.
1t Is rank hcrcsy to say that your life is
worthless II you are doing your work we'll.
Heavcd is full of princes who found il
hard to pay the rent of their earthly
houses.
Never allow yourself to say, and cspc-
cially to feel, that the work you are doing
IL insignificant or the place Won will FIJI il
of no Importance. To do that is to make
an uncaled for criticism on the Lord for
you hereby declare that the duty Ho has
set y"u to do is not worth doing. If there
is II mistake anywhere it is in your opinion
or the value of things and not in His judg-
men: rs to what He needs to have done
You have no right to hold any such opinion
and if You do it is because your ideas are
based on false principles.
No matter how humble your sphere fill
1t full by pouring your best and noblcSt
qualities OF character into 1t. A pool of
water is thing of beauty when tho moon
shines on it, and the smallest soul that ever
brcathcd is Il miracle when tho spirit Of God
is reflected therein.
1t requires many hands to mako n watch
If one of the hands which fashions one of
the coSs OF one OF the wheels does its work
badly the watch will never keep good time
If the whole is to be perfect every part
must be perfect.
So 1t is in the universe. You do not know,
but God knows that unless you take pains
TO make your cog of the wheel with fidelity
you may do damage which cannot easily
be repaired.
Little things done make great
soul, and small duties ire always great
duties in the eyes OF the angels.
GEoRGE H. lIE"woRTu.
ADDRESS BY MOODY.