Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-04-21
SERMONS OF THE DAY,
RELIGIOUS TOPICS DISCUSSED eY
PROMINENT AMERICAN MINISTERS,

Evangelist ID. L. Moody on Bible Texts.
The New York Herald publishes the COM
plete result of it's recent competition for
prize sermons printed in its columns. The
flrst 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. Pauls UniversaIist
Church, Meridian. Conn. Subject, Burden
Bearing
Third prize, $500, to the Rev John D.
Long, pastor OF the presbyterlan 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 q
few things, will make thee ruler over
many things; enter thou into the Joy of thy
Lord."-Matthew XIV, 81.
I know of, no part of Scripture which
gives me more good cheer than this. 1t
contains the kindest and most encouraging
statement OF fact that ever fell from the
lips of Christ. l oftentimes wonder what
circumstance suggested this subject-what
impelled Him to put a gentle hand on our
shoulder, as though to say, "Be 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 tho
sight of men, but every man may belong to
heavens nobility. There are men in the
humblest walks of life who will wear cov-
eted crowns in the hereafter because they
i'm n 10 drrf IN, ctv v,,.Ia fnr1
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 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 Him
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 your
assistance. Nor can you make a pure
heart or sweet life without His assistance.
These desirable results must come from u
close association of God with man and OF
man with God. When your weakness
moved by adivine 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 it 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 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 in despair
ing tones, ''My life amounts to so little. 1
live the humdrum days in Il humdrum way,
and il l should drop out Of existence it
would make no difference to anyone" If
that were true it would be very sad. But
this man was to my mind one Of the
worlds heroes. l knew his environment,
and knew what he had done with it, how
much he had made out of it. Yes, he was
q manual laborer, and his hands we're
girimy with toll. He was saint in over
alls. He was the guardian angel of an
aged mother who thought herself in
heaven long before she went there because
the son was so like Providence. He
strained every nerve to give his boys an
education that they might be fitted to do
bette. work than he had done.
You say "All this is II matter OF course"
Then add, and Gods blessing is matter
of course.
That was narrow life? No; it was as
wide as Gods love could make it, and as
noble as an archangels.
He who does tine little duties OF life with
large heart makes himself great in soul.
You can better afford to stand before God
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?
ath oh
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 1t
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 uncalled for criticism on the Lord, for
you hereby declare that the duty He has
set you to do is not worth doing. II there
is 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 il you do it is because your ideas are
| based on false principles.
No matter how humble your sphere, I'LL
| 1t full by pouring your best and noblest
qualities OF character into 1t. A pool OF
water is a thing OF beauty when the moon
shines on 1t, and the smallest soul that ever
breathed is miracle when the spirit OF God
| is reflected therein.
| 1t requires many hands to make a watch.
| II one of the hands which fashions one OF
| the cogs of one of the wheels does its work
badly the watch win never keep good time.
If the whole is to be perfect every part
must be perfect.
So it is In the universe. You do not know,
| but God knows thut unless you take pains
| to make your cog of the wheel with fidelity
you may do a damage which cannot easily
| be repaired.
| Little things done we'll make q great
| soul, and small duties are always great
duties in the eyes Of the angels.
GEORGE II. HEPwoRTH.
AnnDEcc aY MNODY