Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1902-10-08
CHRISTIAN ENnEAvoR.
wopse FOR the week BeSinnip~ o

Hopge For the week BEGINNING Oct.
I2-Comnent ~ Rev. $. NJ. Doyle.
Topic.--Fraitfm er frmtless--Ioha Nv
Is. i6. Mark al, i2-ls
The purpose of the Christians life
Is frudfulness. "Ye have not chosen
Me-" says Christ but I have chosen
you and ordained you that ye shoald
so ar1l bring forth fruit and thar your
fruit should remain. that whatsoever
ye sbaIl ask Of the Father IN Ny name
He gives YOU Ii is here declared by
the Master Himself that the purpose
OF G pllshlp Is service. We are
saved 90 serve The kingdom II Christ
Is 70 pa extended IA the world tbe
end az His disciples Cod u EAt
hays escd The angels ia heaven b ear.
~ f5rwera Ills work, hui He has or
daiaed chat It should be carried f1r-
ward by those who have been saved
IN Jesus Christ. We work, ana he
works with us. We are colab9rers
with God FOR the extension Of HIS
eaase and Kingdom In the world We
ere not to be oilers IN His vineyard;
neither are we 70 be fruitless. bot orr
lives are to be filled with service and
with the fruits that result from the
faithful endeayors Of those who are
Chrtsts to extend His kingdom In the
world
Not only IS the fact OF service set
forth here. but In the parable Of the
vine and the branches we have set
forth the conditions Of fruitfulness.
On this subject Christ says: Abide IN
Me and in yon. As the branch can
not bear fruit Of itself except II abide
In the vine. no more can We. except
We abide IN Me. l am the vine; ye are
the branches. He that abideth In Me
and in him. the same oringeth forth
much fruit, for without Me sc can do
nothing" The branch Is fruitless ex-
cept II abide in the vine. So is the
Christian except he abide in Jesus
Christ
IL human qualifications were the
prerequisites TO success In Christian
life and service, il is well known
fact that many would not possess
them: but II Is possible for every chfM
Of God TO abide In Christ and to have
SRt&f IA AAkA&s al AN%AfA
Christ by faith and live lives Of faith
and devotion and Of prayer, Christ win
dwell In our hearts and we will abide
in Him. and the requirements VIII be
met that win make 1t possible for the
best fruits OF Christianity TO be pro
duced In our lives,
The results % being fruitful and OF
being fruitless should inspire US to In
fnitely prefer the former to the latter.
The fruitless branch IS cut down. cast
aside and destroyed Every branch
In Me that beareth not fruit He taketh
away. II man abide not in Me, be
Is east forth rs a branch that is with
cred. aud men gather them and east
them into the FIRE and they are
bnrnedS This Il the result OF fruit
Iessness In Christian life and service.
The possibility OF such result should
warn us against negiecting to abide in
Christ and the neglect to bring forth
fruit in our lives on the other hand.
they that are fruitful hsve their ca
pacity for fruitfplness Increased.
EVERY branch that hsreth fruit He
purSefh IL that IL may bring forth
more fruit" Thus we see that the pos
xsbilities are constantly increased by
the faithful performance Of duties de-
wolving upon Us The man TO whom
two talents were given had them In
cree Used 20 four: the man 90 whom FIVE
talents were given had them increased
to ten This is the law In the king
dcm OF God. To them that faithfully
perform the services required OF them
there come increased opportunity and
increased ability. and every service
has It's reward. Behold. come
quickly" says Christ In the Revela-
ton. "snd My reward Is with Me. to
give TO every man according to his
deeds"
BIBLE READINGS.
Matt. XIV. 1880; XIV. i+-s6: XVI
6i5: John tx. 4: Rom. XII. /. . Ii:
I Cor. 4. 81: Nv. IS; Gal vi. o. Eph. =.
ISIS. VI. SO: Phil If. i4-I7: I'll. tbs:
Col ~. 1917; ". l-e: Rev. IL 10