The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-27
THE VOICE OF THE PULPIT
FAITHFuLxEss, M SHOULD BE THE
AIM N ALL Our LIVING.
by Rev. James n. Miller, ID. ID, Editor
Pre~bytsrian Board OF PubIica-
ton, Philadelphia, Pa.

lie than to say IL has been faithful no
one could ask for n nobler epitaph than
the simple wosAs. "He was faithful" This
win be the commentator given in the
great final account TO those who have made
the most OF their talents: Thou hast been
faithful" FaithfuIness should therefore
be the aim in all our living.
Jesus said OF Mary. after her act OF love-
when men murmured at her, 'She hath
done what she could" What had she done?
Very little, we would say. She loved Jesus
truly and deeply. Then she brought a
flask Of precious ointment and broke the
flask. pouring the sacred nard upon her
Lords tired feet. those feet that were soon
TO be nailed 10 the cross. That was one
OF the ways love and honor were shown
in these days.
What good did It do? That was the ques-
ton the disciples asked. We know 1t won
derfuIly comforted the Savior's sorrow
ful heart Amid almost universal hatred.
here was one of His friends who believed
IN Him still. Amid maddenirg ennity'
here wxs one who loved Him. While other
hands. were weaving a crown OF thorns
for His brow, to be put on Hin nYe days
hence. and others still were forging
cruel nails to drive through His feet
Mary's hands were pouring ointment on
His head and bathing His feet with the
nard. While many were deserving Him.
here was one who was faithful. Who Will
say that Mary's act did no good? We
cannot know how her sweet. pure, loyal
love blessed that holy life in its anguish
II seemed a little thing. but, little though
q was. II gave the heart Of Jesus thrill
Of low that made Him stronger for all the
dark terrible DAYS that followed. and for
that blacklist, most terrible day Oh all
when He hung upon the cross F..
Call nothing little which gives c0IIIOI.,
strength. courage or cheer TO human
heart A kindly hand-shake when de-
spafr was wrapping soul in folds OF gio '9K
and driving it to madness saVeu IL nie
from suicide. a sympathetic Woru m "tio,,
one was about to yield TO a temptation
which would have left shame, dlshonor anu
ruin. rescued a soul and saved II 1or puE
NV and heaven We DO not KNOW NhaI 4
little What seems so small 10 US as I'D DC
s1v,,ost tnsignifcant may have infinite and
eternal consequences when all its harvest
If results is gathered up in the Judgment.
APPLIES TO EVERYTHING.
This divine law OF faithfulness applies
~ all callings in life and to every kind of
work Some people try to make separa-
ton between sacred and secular matters.
as IL religion applied only to part OF
mans life. But there is moral quality
fin everything that moral being does
The Judgment of God will take In not only
specifically religious acts. but also all that
belongs in ones business or trade
man is a plumber. Some one says,
.sReligfon has nothing to do with plumb
ing But really II has a great deal to do
with 1t. The health of family depends
largely upon the character of the plumb
ing in the house. If 1t Is defective, ana
typhoid fever or diphtheria creeps into tn
happy home, causing suffering and per-
haps death, will God take no account of
the plumbers negligence? No matter how
good a man he may be. how consistent
in his life and character, how earnest In
Christian service, he has proved unfaith-
full in the business of his life, bringing dis
aster upon household
Or a man is q bricklayer. In building
the fiues in 2 house he is careless at one
point. not making his work perfectly safe.
One night, years afterwards, there is a
cry OF fire in the house, and in the terror
and confusion a child's life is lost. The
origin of the fire defective fiue.
Was not the bricklayer responsible?
Should there be no religion in the work
OF the man on whose faithfuiness the safe
~ Of our dwellings depends?
A carriage builder used fiawed iron in
an axle. The carriage is used for years
By family, bearing its precious burden
without accident But one day in COM
strikes a stone. and in the Earring the
axle Is broken, leading TO serious acct
dent in which several persons are injured
Where the iron broke, the naw was dis
covered. Is there no place for religion in
carriage building? Is not the who
makes axles his brothers keeper?
We may apply the truth TO the work Of
each man and woman. One works in a
factory, one in a machine shop, one In an
Office, one in a store. one in a school, One
is physician. one a lawyer, one a
.ora$ nr1a n mechanic n
ister Whatever our calling is, we cam
not be wholly faithful TO God unless we
do our work as well as we can. To slur
IL Is TO do Gods work badly. To neglect
IT is to rob God The work of the uni
verse Is not quite complete without our
part of its work well done, however small
that part may be-
MUST REACH To ALL THINGS.
The faithfulness which Christ requires
much reach to the way the child gets his
lessons and recites them; to the way the
dressmaker and the tailor sew their
seams; to the way the blacksmith YIELDS
the iron and shoes the horse; to the way
the carpenter builds his house; TO the
way the clerk represents the goods and
measures and weighs them. BE thou
faithful rings from heaven in every ear.
IN every smallest piece OF work we are
doing.
Another application of the lesson is TO
promises. There are some people VINO
make promises freely, but as easily fall
TO keep them. Surely We ought 10 Keep
sedulous watch over ourselves In this re-
gard. Parents and older persons need 70
think seriously Of the effect OF failing 70
keen a promise made 70 a child. one OF
the keenest sorrows Of childhood, says
one ..is the disappointment thar comes
from untitled promises. "A promise
carelessly made TO child. Will oIten oe
cherished and depended on Tor many
months. and when at last 1t bears nc
ernie tae child's soul receives a wound
-VfIch Is very slow TO heal
II fs told Of Sir William Napier that
~hsn walking one day in the country ne
met a little girl in sore distress over the
breal<ing OF a bowl she had been carrying
He comforted the child by telling her tha'
he would give her sixpence 10 buy anothel
howl But he found he had no money, no.
even sfxpcnce. in his pocket. He then
nrornised 10 meet the child at the same
hour next day. at the same spot and e
hiring her the money. She went away very
nanny. When Sir William reached home
however he found an invitation TO dine
next day with some distinguished peopi'
,shom he greatly wished 20 see. But n
declined the Invitation at once. telling nj
family of his promise TO the child and say
ing. 81 cannot disappoint her. for she
trusted me implicitly"
That is the true spirit OF faithfulness