Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1900-10-17
CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR.
Topic Tor eAe Wreck Begfnnfng Get.
2i-Comxnent by Rev. $. II. Doyle,

Topic Tor eAe Wreck beginning Get.
2i-Comment by Rev. $. II. Doyle.
ToPIc--our stewardship. Luke xii, 42-is
These words were spoken by Christ
in connection with discourse upon the
Importance of being prepared for His
coming ut all times. They apply par
ticularly to ministers as Gods stew
ards. bet Day be applied IN genera! to
all Christians as being in a real and
true ses&r stewards OF God i'll this
world. Life is stewardship. 1t is
given to us of God for the accomplish
ment OF His purposes. not ours. We
usually look upon life as career for
the fulfillment of our own aims and
ambitions, but it is first of all a stew
ardshfp. We have course to run we
have a destiny to fulfill, but over all
we are Gods servants, placed here to
do what He would have us do. and he
only truly finishes his course and full
fills his destiny who first realizes that
life is a stewardship from God and
sullserves everything else TO the one
aim of doing the will of God.
/. The faithful steward, verses 4o-44
In these verses Christ pronounces
glorious blessing upon the faithful and
wise steward. the one who, having
been placed in position of honor and
trust. faithfully performs his work as
a servant of God and is found so doing
at the Lords coming. This servant is
to be made a ruler over all that the
Lord hath. All Gods children who are
faithful to the end are TO be rewarded
by friendship and fellowship with God,
but those who have been faithful in
important service are to rule with
Christ in heaven. There will be de-
srees OF glory and happiness in heaven,
Let us be stewards, and faithful stew
ards, that we may share in this glori-
Gus reward.
.. The unfaithful steward, verses 40
4S. The unfaithful steward is one who
lives as II he never expected to ac
count for his stewardship. He lives
as If the Lord had delayed indefinitely
His coming He gives himself up to
the oppression of those under him and
the Indulgence of his appetltes and pas
sions. A terrible doom. said Christ,
awaited such a steward Suddenly and
Unexpectedly his Lord would come
upon him, and he would be cast out
and beaten. Separation from God is
the doom passed upon the unfaithful
steward. Instead of friendship. fell
lowship and divine power the unfaith-
ful steward is TO lose God and TO suffer
the penalty of his infdelity.
The reward of fidelity and the pun
ishment OF unfathfulness should seri-
ously impress upon our minds as Chris
tian stewards the necessity and i'm
portance of faithfulness to God in all
that He gives us TO do. The greater
our opportunities the greater our re-
sponsibilit!es and the greater our pun
ishment if we are unfaithful. We live
in day of opportunity. God is giving
us splendid opportunities to do good
and great things for him. How bless
ed our lot if we are faithful TO the
trust committed to us and how sad our
fate If we fail. Let us be faithful and
wise stewards whom the Lord when
He cometh shall find ready.
THE PRAYER MEETING.
Have a personal testimony meeting,
letting each one give his opinion Of life
as a stewardship and testify as to how
far he reaches this ideal of life.
BIBLE READINGS.
Math. XIV. 14-30: Mark XII. 41-44 i;
Luke XII, $40; xvi. ITO; ROM xiv, I.
s; Cor. iv. 2; vi. 10, 20; xii. 1926;
Titus /, 10; Pet. iv, 10.