The St. Louis Republic., 1902-03-08
YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES
Topic: "The Secret of Endurance"
lHeb. Vi, 2t-27; Ex. xxxiii, 9-23S.)

! The topic universal for the different de-
nominational young peoples societies Sor to-
! morrow evening is. THE Secret of Endur-
| ance.'' founded on Hebrews xi, 2i-21 and
Exodus 1Xxiii. s-23
The kind Of endurance referred to In the
topic under consideration Is that OF
OF Moses. the man OF Cod" is cited as a
marked case OF endurance in carrying out
the will of God in the work OF life. of him
! i is said. He endured as seeing him who
/ IS INVISIBLE When he turned his back on
the honors and pleasures of the court Of
Pharaoh and cast in his lot with the peo-
| pie OF God" IT Showed a decision of char
acter almost without a parallel in his
tory. What was the secret of his decision?
FAITH-We are told that''By faith. Moses,
| called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
choosing rather to suffer affliction with the
OF sin for season: esteeIning the reproach
OF Christ greater riches than the treasures
OF Egypt; for he had respect unto the rec
oision, Moses was 70 years old, and had
won name and fame IN the land of Egypt
ae had before him all the honors possible.
mighty In word and deed" and commanded
the armies of Pharaoh. But all this was to
hin Is nothing compared with the promised
toward the Promised Land. for he looked
for a city. which hath foundations, whose
builder and maker Is Cod, BY faith he
forsook Egypt. not fearing the wrath of the
King; for he endured as seeing him who is
invisible" BY faith he led Israel through
the Red Sea and through the wilderness TO
Sinai; SINAI. BY faith he communed with God on
Mount Sinai and received the tables OF
stone on which were inscribed the Ten
errecie and led Israel through their forty
years OF wandering in the wilderness. BY
faith ne lifted up the bragen serpent on
pole, and BY faith he had Pissah's view OF
the Promised Land. Thus it was faith,
faith in God and his promises of Messiah
to to come: come: that SUSTAINED him Ip all his life
IT was like faith that enabled Joshua
moses successor. to lead Israel in the
conquest Of Canaan We are told that by
after they were compassed about seven
days" It was by the same faith that such
heroes es Gideon. and Barak. and Samson,
and Jeptha- and Samuel. David. also. and
the prophets. triumphed over every obsta-
Gle in the prosecution Of their nfs's work
So; too; with the apostles. the founders
waited IN Jerusalem for the promise of
the Father" which they received on the
day of Pentecost. By faith. Peter preached
that memorable sermon which resulted in
the conversion of 1900 souls in one Gay.
By faith he continued his defense of Chris
uanitv until all Jerusalem was filled with
the word" By faith Paul prosecuted his
great missionary work until he had reached
every important center in all the Roman
Empire, and even in the regions beyond"
BY faith. the apostle John saw from the
lonely Isle OF Patmos n marvellous view of
heaven and the redeemed ard received a
wonderful revelation of the church to the
end of time.
The same has been true Of the heroes of
Ihe church in all succeeding ages. In the
second Century such men as Ignatius,
Bishop Of Antioch: Justin. martyr; Poly
carp Bishop Of Smyrna: Irenaeus. Bishop
OF Lyon, and Origen. all died in faith mot
having received the promises, but were
persuaded OF the commandments and en-
hraced them. and confessed that they were
strangers and pilgrims In the earth" In
succeeding ages. Cyprian, Bishop Of Car
image: Chrysostom and Augustine bore like
faithful testimony Of the gospel. BY faith,
Lnther OF Germany. Calvin of Geneva,
Zwingle OF Switzerland and John Knox Of
scotland undertook and accomplished the
great reforms Of their times
THE LESSON-Thus II will he saen that
the secret OF endurance in the prosecution
OF any line OF Christian work has its basis
IN faith in God and the promises made
through Jesus Christ. Nothing short of
this will produce those staying qualities
SO necessary to success. Paul said TO the
Galatians: 'Ye did run well for a time"
and were he living on earth to-day he |
would make the same statement OF many |
who enroll as the followers Of Christ There
are entirely too many ''rsady-to-halts'' IN /
tha church to-day. They are ready to give |
up to every obstacle that confronts them, /