The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1902-08-08

luR OuI lOn Us OOO y w w III lCC4 VI &C
ing into the soul peace and rest which
the world knows not of. A confidence
in God such as you have never known
before will take root in your soul, and
you will go back to the school room.
the workshop, the desk, the home, bet
ter equipped than ever to perform the
task which God has given you to do.
A Practical Message.-For when JA-
sus tells you to seek first the King
dom of God and His righteousness" He
does not mean apart from the practical
and necessary duties of everyday life,
but He does mean that, having CEN
tered the heart and affections upon
God, for you to then work out His
Kingdom and His righteousness
through the task which lies just at
hand, whether it is carrying up scut-
tie of coal in the home, or busting the
desk of the employer in the Office, or
speaking CHEEKY word to a downcast
brother you chance to meet in the
street. There is a lot Of nonsense
preached and talked nowadays about
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 wherein 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
epistle to the Ephesians, gives some
practical directions as to how this Sc
cret of success can be applied in a prac-
teal way to the human life and expert
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 I'VE
fathers, provoke not your children to
wrath, but bring them up in the nur-
ture and admonition 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, a 5 to the
Lord and not to men," it is not the
domineering 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
in Heaven; neither is there respect of
persons with Him.
A street car conductor who had to
work seven days in the week and four
teen hours a 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 L
tried to lead him to see that Jesus
wanted to help him. Wanted to be
with him every moment of he'day, and
help him gather his fares, and ring his
bell, and turn his trolley, and do all
the dreary drudgery. l tried to help
him see that the secret of success
was not in having a seat in the stock
exchange, or presiding over 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 a
little mission church, Bible in hand,
the cheery-faced Aonductor greeted
me with a smile as he took my fare
His glance was upon the Word of God
| held in my hand, and l knew the COM
fort of its message was abiding, like
sweet incense, in his soul as he quoted
various helpful passages which were
dear to him. you do think a street.
car man can go to Heaven ?'' said. $50
TO Heaven" he exclaimed, "why,
am sure of that, and what is more I
have got a 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 sue
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 sup
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. ''if
God wants me on a street car, here is
where l want to be, and l wouldn't
change places with Rockefeller, or
Pierpont Morgan, or the president of
the United States" The secret of sue
cess is found while seeking first the
Kingdom of God and His righteous
ness. We stand with the patriarchs
when we stand there. We are found at
the side of Christ and are among His
faithful disciples. You may be I'M
known and unsung here in this world,