The Newtown bee., 1900-09-07
The Home Circle.
 CHRISTIAN EARNESTNESS. SERMON BY REV JOSEPH L. GUERNSEY, PASTOR OF THE SANDY HOOK METHO- DIST CHURCH.-PRINTED BY REQUEST. Text. Fec 9:10. 'Whatsoever thy hand ind eth to do, do it with thy might"
CHRISTIAN EARNESTNESS.

0tu O uOs uo IL WAIA lAy AAAoA"
 Solomon, the author of our text, in looking from the present into the future, sees that man continually hastens towards the grave, where "there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom.' ' He understands that death terminates our work of probation, and that what ever is to be accomplished in this world for God and man must be done at once. Solomon is wise enough to know that after we have done our best we have accomplished but little. Evil springs up to choke the good, and human weak. nesses and discouragements limit our success. Since our period of probation Is short at the longest, and since we can do but little at the most, Solomon cries, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy night" In the midst of human uncertainties, inequalities, trials, set-backs, and discouragements, we can achieve no degree to real success without applying ourselves nightly to our work. This is profoundly true in the work of God to which Solomon refers.
 Hard work, constant work, mighty work, earnestness, in other words, is 8 Iys.;a...z.se a.ze ss.cs.ent of success. Earnestness is 6 moral power. The degree of earnest- ness that we have and manifest in any work or cause affects our personal sue cess and the spirit and efforts of other people. The man who is truly In earnest will succeed while the one who lacks earnestness will fail. Earnestness causes one to put his shoulder to the wheel and push nightly and this makes something move. The man who is half hearted and more or less indifferent gives up when he sees obstacles in the way. When the lofty Alps loomed up before Napoleon as a great and mighty barrier to the prog ress of his army, it was the spirit of earnestness that caused the great military genius to cry out, "There shall be no Alps!" It was the spirit of earnest de- termination that caused Gen Grant to exclaim, "We will fight it out on this line if it takes all summer!'
 Earnestness is a moral power and in- spiration within one's own breast. Let 8 man become very much in earnest and he will be inspired thereby to great under takings. Earnestness deepens desire, strengthens the will, and develops cour- age, grit, and determination. It is like fire within one's breast constantly gener- ating great motive power.
 THE CHRISTIAN WHO ENJOYS GODS WORK and who succeeds in His work is the one who is in earnest for God. Discourage ments and failures come to those who are not in dead earnest. Earnestness will make sacrifice to succeed. Earnest ness is moral power in one's own being that keeps every faculty alive and active. If Gods work seems dull and heavy it is pretty sure sign that you have not the spirit of intense earnestness. Receive this inspiration, this baptism of power, and Gods work will not seem dull and heavy then.
 Not only does earnestness give us the power of victory, but it is great moral force that stirs and moves others. This spirit is contagious. The earnest orator pleading great cause moves and en- thuses his audience. The earnest advo- cate carries the jury wi:h him. The earnest patriot fires the breasts of others. The earnest Christian necessarily work ing ard sacrificing for Christ moves men towards the Kingdom of God. Earnest ness in one person encourages and inspires the same spirit in others. It is | a wonderful, magnetic, moving power. On the other hand, the one who is not