Newport weekly independent., 1902-08-08


 leaving all and following Jesus; about being called out into special work for Him; about forsaking father and mother and wife and children for the Gospels sake, We say it reverently. | We do know that God calls in some | cases from the office, and the work shop, and the bench, and the home, out into special and exclusive work for Him. but to the majority the call comes coupled with the admonition let every man abide in the same call ing whereiG he was called" God don't want you in His special service if you have not proved faithful and profitable to the employer whom you were serv- Ing when you thought the call came. Seeking the righteousness of God means not standing out on the street corners preaching the Gospel. That may be part of it. But it means better work in the shop, more conscientious service behind the counter, more car rying of the burdens of the home, than ever before.
 Paul, in the sixth chapter of the eplstle to the Ephe esians, gives some practical directions as to how this se- cret of success can be applied in prac- tlcal way to the human life and eXperi- ences. The seeking first of the King dom of God and His righteousness is not slipping off to church or prayer meeting to leave mother to do the dishes, but is in "honoring thy father and thy mother" by means of little thoughtful services; it is not in the clothing and feeding and housing of the wife and children alone, but ''ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nur- ture and adm onition of the Lord;" it is not the perfunctory performance of the task our employer has appointed us, but is servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; not with eye-service, as men, pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; with good will doing service as to the Lord and not to men;" it is not the dom1neering arrogance and selfish greed of the taskmaster or employer, but ''ye masters do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing also that your Master also is persons with Him."
 A street car conductor who had to work seven days in the week and four- teen hours day told me once that street-car man never could go to Heaven. "He didn't have time to get ready" he said: Poor fellow! how I tried to lead him to see that Jesus i wanted to help him. Wanted to be with him every moment of the day, and help him gather his fares, and ring his bell, and turn his trolley, and do all the dreary drudgery. I tried to help l him see that the secret of success was not in having a seat in the stock exchange, or presiding over a bank or managing a business, unless God put him there, but the secret of success was found in seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things which he was longing for would be added to him, if God, as the wise, loving, Heavenly Father, saw he needed them and they were best for him.
 A few days after this experience, on one Lords day, while on my way to little mission church, Bible in hand, the cheery-faced conductor greeted me with smile as he took my fare His glance was upon the Word of God I held in my hand, and I knew the com of fc sweet incense, in his soul as he quoted various helpful passages which were dear to him. "You do think street car man can go to Heaven ?"I said. "Go to Heaven," he exclaimed, "why, I am sure of that, and what is more I have got little Heaven right here below, for Jesus is with me-" That man, through the busy toll of the day, through the long hours of service, found the opportunity to win true suc- cess, the secret of which he had learned from Christ. The channel of his seek ing after the righteousness of God was found on his swaying, rushing car and he was trusting God for the SUD- plying of ''all these things" day by day. And he was getting them, too, for he told me so. Because God didn't give him riches or honor or great learning he did not declare Gods promise had not been fulfilled, 'For," said he, Eff God wants me on street car, here is where I want to be, and I wouldn't change places with Rockefeller, or Pierpont Morgan, or the president of the United States" The secret of suc- cess is found while seeking first the