Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1900-11-02
SAVANNAH, TENNESSEE, FRIDAY NOVEMBER ?, 1900.

anytnlng OF the humlllty OF Cnrlstr
The disposition of Christ was also
the spirit of prayer. Prayer on the
mountains, prayer on the sea, prayer
among the sick, prayer everywhere.
Prayer for little children: Father
thank Thee that Thou hast hidden
these things from the wise and pru-
dent and revealed them unto babes"
Prayer for His friends: Father, ]
will that they be with Me where ]
am" Prayer for His enemies: "Fa-
ther, forgive them; they know not
what they do" Prayer for all ma.
tions: ''Thy kingdom come" How
little of that spirit you and I have.
How soon our knees get tired. Where
Is the vial full of odors which are
the prayers of all the saints? Which
of US can keep our mind ten min
utes on a prayer without wanderingf
Not you, not I. Oh, that we might
have the spirit of prayer which was
the spirit of Christ. We want more
prayer in the family, more prayer in
the church, more prayer in the legis-
lative hall, more prayer among the
sick, more prayer among the aged,
more prayer. among the young. The
great advancement of the church 10
to be in that direction yet.
While the council of Nuremberg
was signing the edict that gave the
church its freedom, Martin Luther
was away off in a room by himself
praying for that accomplishment.
Though there was no line of COM
munication between the place where
the council was assembled and the
room where Martin Luther was pray.
ing, Martin Luther suddenly rose from
his knees and said: "It Is accom-.
plished; the church is free. Victory,
victory!" Oh, for this direct line OF
communication with the throne OF
God, so that 1t may be said OF US
as it was said of Luther: "He got
what he asked for!" We want, like
Daniel, to pray with our face toward
the holy city. We want. like Stephen,
to pray gazing into Heaven. We want,
like the publican, to pray shifting on
the heart of conviction. We want,
like Christ, to pray the Christ who
emptied His heart of all its life
blood and then filed 1t with the sor.
rows, the woes, the agonies Of all
nations.
Cold mountains and the midnight air
Witnessed the fervor OF his prayer.
The spirit of Christ, remark lastly,
was spirit OF hard work. Not one lazy
moment in all His life. Whether He
was talking to the fishermen on the
beach or preaching to the sailors on
the dock or administering to the rus
tics amid the mountains or spending
an evening in Bethany, always busy
for others. With hands, heart, head
busy for others. Hewing in the Naza.
reth carpenter shop, teaching the lame
how to walk without crutches, curing
the child's fits, providing rations for
the hungry host. Busy, busy, busyl
The hardy men who pulled the net out
of the sea filled with foundering treas
ures, the shepherds who hunted up
grassy plots for their focks to nibble
at, the shipwrights pounding away in
the drydocks, the winemabers Of En-.
gedi dipping the juices from the val
and pouring them into the goatskins
were not more busy than Christ. Busy
busy for others. From the moment
He went out of the caravansary oi
Bethlehem to the moment when the
cross plunged into the socket on the
bloody mount, busy for others. Doe,
that remind you OF yourself? II does
not remind me Of myself. If we lift Q
burden, it must be light. If we dc
work, it must be popular. If we sit
in the pew, it must be soft. If We
move in a sphere of usefulness, II mus
be brilliant. II we have to take hole
OF load, give us the light end Of the
log. In this way to Heaven fan us
rock us, sing US to sleep. Lift US W
toward Heaven on the tips OF YOU
fingers under silken sunshade. Stant
out Of the way, all you martyrs whit
breasted the fire! Stand out OF tn,
way and let this colony Of tender-foot
ed modern Christians come up ant
get their crowns!
What has your Lord done to you
0 Christian, that you should betra.
Him? Who gave you so much richie
that you can afford to despise tn
awards OF the faithful? At this mo
ment, when all the armies of Heavel
and earth and hell are plunging int
the conflict, how can you desert tn
standard? Oh, backsldden Christian
is it not time for you to start aney
for Heaven?
Now, have shown you that the dis
position of Christ was a spirit of ger
tleness, spirit of self-sacrifce,
spirit of humility, spirit of prayer
a spirit of hard work-fve points. Wi
you remember them? Are you read
now for the tremendous announce
ment of the text? "If any man hav
not the spirit of Christ, he is none @
|. His" Are you ready for that state
ment? Can you stand up and say
"Yes, we have the spirit of Christ
Not one Of us can make that answe
to the full question, yet / am to dt
clare to you there is no discourag,
ment in this subject for Christian pee
pie. You have the seeds of this cha
, acter planted in your soul. 1T dot
not yet appear what we shall be-" Yo
might as well blame an acorn for nc
being an oak of thousand years q
! to blame yourself because you are nc
equal to Christ. You have the In
plantation within you which will Ell
large and develop into the grandel
Christian character, and there is n
Encouragement in this text for 70
to try to love and serve the Lord. All
, high. Sheathe not your sword unit
you have gained the last victory. Clim
higher and higher until you reach tn
, celestial hills. Crowns bright and ri
, diant for all the victors, but death t