Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-03-04


which he obtained witness that he was
righteous. God testifying of his gifts;
and by it he, being dead, yet speaketh.'
Abels deed--the Offering of a proper
sacrifice-is even yet remembered and
spoken Of. John says, And there are
also many other things which Jesus did,
the which if they should be written
every one, suppose that even the world
itself could not contain the books that
could be written, that is to say that If
these unwrtten deeds of our Savior
had been written they would still be
talked of; they are, nevertheless, part
and parcel of Christ's earth life" Paul
says again. For we must all appear be-
fore the judgment seat of Christ; that
every one may receive the things done
in his body. according to that he hath
done. whether it be good or bad" The
things received at the judgment seat
whether for good or i'll to us. will be
governed by the record of our deeds.
The name of Judas has become a
synonym for all cowardly, hypocritical
acts. His deed is unalterably woven
into the fabric of his life. Deeds of
mems life therefore do not vanish away
with the breath or strength that gave
them birth, but they live on and on, if
for good to bless their author, if evil to
In the text we have speaker of au-
thority indicating to us the proper
criterion upon which to plead for pros
perity, for our friends in earthly things.
Both wealth and health enter into that
consideration. We are somewhat sur
prlsed that these should be so prominent
especially wealth. We had thought,
sometimes. that wealth was detrimental
to perfection in Christian character.
For We know the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, that though he was ricli,
yet for your sakes he became poor that
we through his poverty might be rich"
That is-rich in the blessings he brought
to humanity. His ,Nceedlngly bitter
poverty seemed to be necessary to, and
the measure of, the proposed blessing,
Again Jesus says, "And again l say unto
you, it is easier for camel to go
through the eye of a needle, than for a
rlch man to enter into the kingdom of
God Paul glored in the fact that he
mad been compelled to give up all his
possessions for the gospels sake It is
certainly a great mistake to suppose
that wealth is a hindrance to accept
able Christian service, else the Holy
Apostle would not be so solicitous for
the prosperity of Gaius. But he has not
ialied to give us the secret of his safety
IN desiring such advancement for Gaius.
All rlches' health, honor, influence,
power and authority filled Gaius' soul
had prospered. He was no longer a
babe in Christ but had grown to mature
manhood in the development of his
christian life. He had been exceedingly
dlllsent IN the Lords business, 1t would
ne perfectly safe to trust him with the
greater amount of wealth or authority
because ne had been faithful in that
winch was infinitely greater He had
peen true to the best interest of his i'm
mortal soul. He had given this price,
less treasure its true place in his affec-
! Mons. Gods Image and likeness" that
had been, given him had been Of greater
concern to him. God was pleased with
him. He had been a faithful servant. I
have no doubt that God heard and an
swered that prayer. What dangerous
prayer that would be for most men to-
day. What a revolution would be
wrought among men if it should be an
sWered. The fact is men have not corr
sidered Gods share in this earthly part
nership. He is not in their thoughts nor
plans. Life is lived, business is carried
on, pans are laid without ever consider
ing the Great Partner of the firm. IF,
as the text intimates our wealth, health.
social position and worldly advancement
was dependent upon the prosperity of our
soul what poverty would be ours what
wretched hearth, what multitudes of.
bind, lame and wrettched beggars we
would see, what poverty and restitution.
what a famine and pestience would
prevail, What changes in the business cir
cles. What a revolution would be
wrought. The banker would become the
bCggar because his soul had never been
fed, nourished and enriched in Gods ser
vice. His WasherWOman would occupy
mansion with brownstone front, be-
cause her soul was rich in it's prosperity
in the things that make for Righteousness
and true holiness. The undertaken would
flourish like geen bay tree because or
excess of business in his line because our
health is to be measured by our SOULS
prosperity. Behold we have not given an
hour to it's cultivation in years, our soul
is dead within us, our body would there
fore have to dice. How surely the belle
of the bail room would become like the
church at Laodicea. Christ said to that
church. II council thee to buy of me
gold tried in the fire, that thou mayesr
be rich, and white raiment, that thou
mayest be clothed, and that the shame
of thy nakedness do not appear, and
anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that
thou mayest see." The church referred
to did not consider Gods claims. Neither
does she. And look at that multitude that
still remain alive-they simply exist.
They cannot prosper in the things Of
earth, because they do not feed their
souls regularly upon the mama that
Jesus brought The lords house and
the Lords table is eraced by their
presence only monthly or semi-yearly.
The image of Christ within them is
dwarfed. starved-a paralytic; poor
,puny, pitiful creature because not fed
with the bread of life. But look. There
is another company: they possess all
things; heirs of God; joint heirs with
Christ, who inherits all things. Gods