The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1902-02-28


but canting, and canting is the wors
form of hypocrisy. If we have reall.
felt the religion of Chris in our hearts
let us talk it, and talk it with an illu
minated countenance, remembering
that when two Christian people tall
God gives special attention and write!
down what they say; Malachi 1916
"Then they that feared the Lord spake
often one to another, and the Lore
hearkened and heard it, and book oil
remembrance was written"
Again, remark, we must bring the
religion of Christ into our employ.
ments. oh" you say, "that is very
well if man handle large sums OF
money or if he have an extensive traf-
tic, but in the humble work in life that
am called to the sphere is too small
for the action of such grand, heavenly
principles" Who told you so? Do you
not know that God watches the faded
leaf on the brooks surface as certainly
as he does the path of blazing sun?
And the moss that creeps up the side
of the rock makes as much impress sion
upon Gods mind as the waving tops
of Oregon pine and Lebanon's cedar,
and the alder, cracking under the
cows hoof, sounds as loud in Gods ear
as the snap of worlds confag grafton
When you have anything to do in life,
however humble it may seem to be,
God is always there to help you to do
it. If your work is that of fisher
man, then God will help you, as he
helped Simon when he dragged Gen
nesaret. If your work is drawing wa
ter then He will help you, when He
talked at the well curb to the Samari-
tan woman. If you are engaged in the
custom house, He will lead you, as He
led Matthew sitting at the receipt of
customs. A religion that is not good in
one place is not worth anything in an
other place. The man who has only a
days wages in his pocket as certainly
needs the guidance of religion as he
who rattles the keys of bank and
could abscond with a hundred thou
sand dollars.
I think that the church of God and
the Sabbath are only an armory where
we are to get weapons. When war
comes, if man wants to fight for his
country, he does not go to Troy or
Springfield to do battling, but he goes
there for swords and muskets. look
upon the church of Christ and the Sab
bath day as only the place and time
where and when we are to get armed
for Christian conflict, but the battle
field is on Monday, Tuesday, Wednes-
day, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
"St. Martins" and "Lenox" and ''Old
aundredth" do not mount to anything
unless they sing all the week. A ser
mon is useless unless we can take it
with us behind the pillow and the coun-
ter. The Sabbath day is worthless if
It last only "a hours.
There are many Christians who say:
'We are willing to serve God, but we
10 not want to do it in these spheres
lbout which we are talking, and it
seems so insipid and monotonous. If |
We had some great occasion, if we had |
ived in the time of Luther, if we had |
been Paul's travelling companion, if |
We could serve God on a great scale,
We would do it, but we can't in this
everyday life" / admit that great |
1eal of the romance and knight err
'antry of life have disappeared before
he advance of this practical age. The |
lncient temples of Rouen have been
changed into storehouses and smith |
es. The residences of poets and
princes have been turned into brokers'
shops. The classic mansion of Ashla nd |
las been cut up into walking sticks. |
The groves where the poets said the
rods dwelt have been carried out for
irewood. The muses. that we used to
cad about have disappeared before
he immigrants ak and the trapper's
run, and the man who is waiting for
| life bewitched with wonders will
lever find it. There is, however, a
ield of endurance and great achieve
nent, but it is in everyday life. There
ire Alps to scale, there are Helles-
POINTS to swim, there are fires to brave,
,ut they are all around us now. This
s the hardest kind of martyrdom to
year.
Again, we need to bring the religion
# Christ into our commonest trials.
For severe losses, for bereavement, for
rouble that shocks like an earthquake
nd that blasts like storm, we pre-
cribe religious consolation; but, bust
less man, for the small annoyances of
asst week how much of the grace of
iod did you apply? "Oh," you say,
these trials are too small for such ap-
lication." My brother, they are
haping your character, they are sour
ng your temper, they are wearing out
our patience and they are making you