The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1901-05-09
"The Night COmeth When no Man
Can Work.

These words of the Savior should be to
all christians in particular, and "every
body in general" an impetus to make the
most of their lives, vet how often it is the
case that "our lives are graves IN which
the best possibilities Of moral and spirit
ual beauty and strength lie sleeping,"
The undeveloped power of usefulness in
our hearts and hands are never called
forth and we sleep the day out, forgetting g
the night cometh apace This should be
very serious thought to rejecting minds;
think of passing in idleness the precious
hours given YOU, think Of falling Into
the hands of the living God with moth
ing to show, for having existed We are
told in Heb II, 90, that God is consum
ing fire" taking, in consuming flames,
vengeance upon them that know him not
So many people have misconception
of working for Christ. AS example: A
yong and Jealous woman, in discussing
this subject said to me once, Il can't do
anything, | have no money, can't be u
missionary, l can't pray in public
stopped her-"but sister" said /, haven't
YOU an influence" And so it is with others,
because they can't do great big things,
they relapse into sleep and do nothing !!
Had John Bunyan felt this way when he
was imprisoned in Bedford Jail, we would
never have had his grand and uplifting
allegory THE Pilgrims Progress" Had
Paul and Silas felt their labors were
at an end when put in prison, what we
would have missed!
y youth dying out of Christ exclaimed
in despair gather my influence and bury
it with me-" He realized what potent
power it was, but lost sight of its immu-
liability. He had as we'll ask that the free
winds be bound, the angry waves chained
or the fierce lighting be checked in it's
path'a as to destroy his influence. Yet we,
the possessors of such an eternal, in
destructible power can say "there's moth
ing I can do" Two years of i'll health,
frequently confined to my bed for weeks,
have taught me even in my feebleness, I
have a work to do. And when | have
clasped a trembling hand in the love of
Christ or spoken cheering word to
disconsolate heart or by smile made the
day brighter for those around me, feel
my labors are blessed and at the coming
of the night, the moments will have some
thing to keep in store for me. In our con-
scious weakness, when we are unaware
of what we do, others are receiving i'm
pressions from our words, looks or actions
impressions that may effect their des-
tiny. 1t is in this unconscious strength
that we are placed "at the head waters of
the great river Of humanity, where
pebble may change the direction OF the
streamlet." Longfellow illustrates this
beautifully in one of his poems. He bids
US stand on the bright, green sward, shoot
an arrow, watch its flight, then find its
resting place when it comes down. In
after years, while rambling among the
grasses and trees, it is found sticking in
an old oak tree! Young lady, be careful
how you inger around the punch bowl
or at the card table. You, in your life
rambles, may encounter your influence
piercing once manly heart. Let US con-
secrate our influence to virtue, to man
kind, to God, that our lives may be like
"a star glittering in its own mild lustre,
undimmed by the lustre of another and
uneclipsed by the deep shades of the mid
night heavens" Let US work the works
of him that made US, for the night COM
eth when no man can work"
NJ. 0. LANIER.