Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1900-09-05
CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR.
0s0pic For the Week Beginning Sept.
o0COmment by Rev. 8. II. Doyle.


e-Comment by Rev. 5. II. Doyle.
Tos1c.-our simple duty.-Luke xvii, 40.
THE PARABLE.
The parable of the blowing Serv-
ant Is not a very familiar one. In
some books on the parallels of Christ
1t is not to be found ut all. Yet Il
teaches Christians a very important
lesson and warns them against very
grave danger, peculiar to Christians
only. II you have a servant, says
Christ, who has been blowing or feed
ing cattle, doing his work faithfully,
when he comes in from the field you
do not say, "Sit down to meat" but
MAKE ready wherewith l may sup,
and afterward thou shalt eat and
drink" SO likewise Christ adds when
we have done all that we have been
commanded. we shall be Improbable
servants. having done simply our duty.
THE INTERPRETATION.
What does this parable of the
blowing servant mean? 1t must be
studied in the light of its surround
iugs, and the one lesson that it is in
tended to teach must not be lost sight
of. nor must it be taken to teach too
much. Christ's disciples have asked
for an increase of faith. Christ re-
plies that a little real faith would &C
complish what seemed to them impos-
sible. that faith as a grain of mustard
seed would remove trees and plant
them in the sea. Then follows this
parable, and what for but to warn the
disciples against the danger Of being
unduly proud of what they could do as
a result of their faith and Of thinking
that in what they did there was per-
sonal credit and merit Suppose they
did do great things? Would merit be
attached to it? No. Because in all
they might do they were only doing
what was their duty and doing it by
the power of God Himself.
A servant does his days work faith
fully. He comes in from the field.
Does the master say, you've done
well; sit down and eat?" No. The
servant had but done his duty. The
master owned him. There was still
work for him to do. other duties to be
performed - the masters meat must
first be prepared. Thus Christ warned
the disciples against attaching merit
to their personal works. They were
Gods servants. Their service belonged
to Him as a result of ownership. The
fulfilling of it in this relation would
give them no claim to merit. Simple
duty demanded it of them. and after
all was done no man could claim to be
more than an Improbable servant.
Let us remember that this is only one
phase of our relation to God. We are
His sons us well as His servants. and
in this relation God is love and not
simply just.
THE APPLICATION.
An emphasis needs to be placed upon
duty in religion. There Is too much of
4 tendency today to emphasize senti-
ment and personal inclination. There
are too many who serve God when
they feel like it and neglect it when
they feel otherwise. Duty has its
place, and an important place We are
Gods and should serve God as result
of this ownership and not for rewards
that may be attached to the perform
ance of duty. Feelings change; duty is
Interchangeable. Christianity is opposed
to natural personal inclinations. and
hence we cannot give them the SUI
preme place in our religion. Men ought
to obey God, though obedience may
conflict with personal inclination, and
II by Gods grace we do accomplish
something let us not be pulled up. for,
do what we may, We only do our duty.
THE PRAYER MEETING.
Have the parable explained and ap-
piled, followed by an open voluntary
service.
BIBLE READINGS.
Eccl. tx, 10; xii, 10, IA; Job. xxi. 1-3;
Math. XIV. 80; Acts V. 20; Rom. xii, 1,
2; Cor. vi, 10, 20; TX. 16, II; x, 81; Col.
1, II.