The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-13

TO talk in a contemptuous tone, or a de-
spairing way, of our gifts, or privileges, or
sphere of work, is simply sacrilegious and
wicked, All the breadth of love is before
us, all the length of faith is before us, all
the depth of human need is before US, all
the height of spiritual desire is before US.
and all the fullness of God is before US.
And yet we tri1e and complain because our
gifts, or privileges, or means. or spheres.
are so SMALL while men and women whose
native gifts, heredty, temperaments or
opportunities may not have been one-tenth
as favorable as ours welcome the milling
of the Holy Spirit and the outfowing of
self, and press on to do a service and TO
show a spirit that makes them great in
the sight of the Lord" They took their one
talent and made of it ten. while we waited.
and idled, and worried, and fretted be-
cause our ten talents were not fifty or one
hundred. God help us to mako sure of it
that our will is not the most feeble thing in
us, that our spirit is not the most insignifi-
cant thing about us,
THE COMMONPLACE IN LIFE.
We may also go further and prove that
in men "sent from God" the commonplace
duties and cares of every day have their
proper and ennobling part i'm Christian ex-
perience. Running a high partition wall
between the secular and spiritual matters
of our daily life is utterly wrong. If Paul
was right in theory and practice about it,
so that whether we eat or drink. or what
soever we do" we are to do all to the
glory of Cod" then nothing that belongs
TO daily care or duty can be so small or
mean that it cannot be done in such fidelity
and such spirit as to make any one more
pleasing to God.
AS men sent from God" the worth or
success of our life depends accurately upon
the degree of fidelity to the will of Him
who sends us, in bearing witness to the
light. Notice clearly that bearing witness
TO the light by rejecting that light is the
only way to become enlightened ourselves,
as well as the only way to enlghten 9TH
ers; and notice further that we bear the
most acceptable and convincing, as well as
the only real, witness to the light, not by
peglecting and turning our backs upon the
ordinary and commonplace cares and duties
of our daily life, but by bringing down
into them. one and all, the strenuous fdeI-
ity and sweet spirit of the other world.
And so it is evident that there is no man
OF woman TOO poor ana ignorant, too hard
worked and lOwly to have a distinct and
honorable place in Gods great plan and
kingdom work; nor is there any drudgery
so dull and wearing, nor any duty so bur-
densOme and bitter but God can make it. if
we willing, sweeter and nobler under
our hands; and also make that duty or
drudgery a sweet and purifying influence
to our souls. with God all things are pos
sible," and eve can do all things through
Christ who strengthens us"
If; then, we are weak, we are simply US
ing our own strength when we might free
ly have His strength if we are blind and
foolish, we are simply using our own wis
dom rather than His wisdom. When a
man is "sent from God" Jesus Christ goes
forth with him Away. "even unto the end
of the world because the man who knows
and honors his divine mission seeks first
of all and most of all to bear witness to the
light; and in return, the blessed Light
Giver would deny himself, if He did not
bear witness TO the loving fidelity of that
disciple by adjoining his daily life with
brightness, beauty and fruitfulness. The
blessed elder brother will graciously ap-
preciate and acknowledge everything that
we do for Him. And His hundred-fold re-
ward is sure