Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1900-07-04
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvOR.
Topic For the Week Beginning July
SComment by Rev. =. II. Doyle.


-Comment by Rev. :. II. Doyle.
Topic.-The power Of small things--Mark iv,
so-s2.
The parable of the mustard seed re-
quires no particular explanation or
elaboration. 1t is simply a readily IN
derstood illustration of the power of
little things, of great results from
small beginnings. and was spoken to
Illustrate this character Of the Chris
tan church. There are many people
who despise the day of small things,
but it is most unwise to do so. Small
things may have great powers either
for good or evil. and both in the natu-
raj and the spiritual world God often
begins His great works with a day
of small things.
l. The power of small things in the
natural world This Is illustrated in
the mustard seed. u grain of mus
tard seed WAS a common expression
among the rabbits fer anything exceed
1t s small. 1t was among the small
es; and tiniest of the seeds, and yet
wien sown in the earth "it groweth up
aad becometh greater than all herbs
and shooteth out great branches; so
that the fowls Of the air may lodge
under the shadow of H." Small In the
beginning. the mustard seed becomes
great and powerful in the end. Nature
abounds with such illustrations The
giant oak was once a tiny acorn. The
boundless, mighty sea is made up Of
little drops of water The moss Is but
very little plant. yet when Its seeds
fall on damp, swampy, treacherous
morasses they grow up and bind the
ground together with such bands that
1t becomes quite safe to pass over
building. In fact. a broad and durable
bridge. Throughout creation the grand.
est and most complicated ends are OBJ
talned by the simplest means. 1t Is
all because there is a great God be
hind the simple means.
=. The power of small things in the
spiritual world. As in the natural so
In the spiritual world-God seems to
delight to produce great results from
weak and Insignificant beginnings. The
mustard seed is a type of the kingdom
of heaven. The origin of the Christian
church was most insignificant. Skep-
tics would have been inclined to smile
had they heard Christ say to His little
band of followers, Go We into all the
world and preach the gospel to every
creature" But who would smile at
this command today? The mustard
seed has become great tree. its
branches spreading over all the earth
and sheltering and blessing all man
kind. Works of grace in an individual
heart, in community or nation, are
der the blessing of God assume gigan-
tic proportions in the end. That God
thus works in the spiritual world
should encourage and inspire all Chris
tan workers. We may only be able
to do small, insignificant things for
God or for His church, but the results
from these trihing efforts may be very
great. Let us not despise the day of
small things. Let US not make light
Of trifes. ''Trifies make perfection,
and perfection Is no tribe" God can
make much out of little.
THE PRAYER MEETING.
Have an open meeting, with volun-
tary participation.
BIBLE HEADINGS
Isa. xviii. 9-13: Ps. xix. IA; Zech. IL.
La; Math. x. ~; xii. SO; XIV, 1880;
XVI, G-13: Mark xii, 41-44; John vi,
lib; Jas. Iii. Is.