The Penn's Grove record., 1903-02-20

us, and then to square our lives according
to this plan, to see wherein we have fol-
lowed it or have failed. If the failure has
been g~rievous it is not necessary that we
sho1ld 90 in mourning all the day long,
for, just as a mother f~orgives the weakness
OF her child and forgets the many short
comings, so God has promised again and
again in His Word to blot out all our trans
gre5sions and to remember them no more
against US forever.
1t is not therefore a question as to
whether we can keep from SHINING our
sel"es-we know that we can not, but it is
altogether a question as to whether Christ
can keep us II we will but give Him the
right to do so. L have no question but
that Que could walk from one corner of the
street to the other with Christ SO con-
stantly before him that, in his own judg-
ment at least, he would be overcoming
sIn- 1 am perfectly clear that he could
increase his journey by many miles and
still be more than conqueror. I am abso-
lutely confident that one could walk the
whole day with Christ so vividly before
him that it would be peace and joy. And
what could be accomplished in one day
could be made the rule of a mans entire
life.
The faithful student of the Word of God
will find it clearly proven that one may be-
saved and yet miss in this life very much
OF that peace and joy of God, and after
living such a life he may be ushered into
eternity just barely saved-as Paul puts it.:
80 as by fire." or as Job describes it:
Escaped by the skin Of the teeth" This
certainly can not be a very happy prospect,
and God throws out danger signals all
along the way, that we may turn aside
from such unholy living and be kept back
from such an lnglorious entrance into
heaven.
The anne student of the Bible viii learn
that it IS possible to enter into His pres
ence with fulness of joy, to be welcomed
with the shouts of angels, to be saluted by
the well done, good and faithful servant
OF the Master Himself. Such an entrance
into glory is certainly to be desired, and
such a blissful experience may be given to
every consistent follower of Christ.
Alter the return of Christ for His church
there Is to be a great day of awards, when
those who have been faithful shall receive
recognition at the hands Of the Lord Him
self, In the presence of the assembled
hosts in the skies. We can tell just what
this reward is to be, and yet this needs a
word of explanation. We can not give the
exact description of the crow we shall
wear, nor can we estimate in human Ian
guage their value in the opinion of men.
But we know, after studying the New
Testament, that it is to be according to
our faith and in proportion to our faithful
ness. 1t is in this way that every child
of God may confidently say: Il know what
my award is to be-" He measured it him
self. 1t is very true that one may stand
before God and receive from Him only a
measure OF reward, and it Is likewise true
that he might have a greater blessing from
the hands of his Master. John speaks
about "a full reward" as if there might be
a reward that is not complete. Alas, this
is only too truel But the opposite is also
true, that one may have at that great day
at the hands of God Himself a full reward.
And the purpose of this book is to induce
us to lay hold of the promises of God, so
that our lives may be so shaped according
to His will that when that day comes we
shall stand before Him with rejoicing and
not with sorrow.
A crown is always a symbol of reward.
Expressions containing the word are many
times used in the New Testament. 1t is
sometimes a crown of life" again a
"crown that is incorruptible," a Grown of
rejoicing" a crown of righteousness"
and "a crown of glory" But these names
are given not simply for the sake of en-
phasls, as the change of a name might be
emphatic, but because each crown means a
certain kind of reward. So far as / nave
been able to see there are but five crowns
in the New Testament Scriptures. Every
Christian may have one, but oh, the JOY
of it! every Christian may have five. But
the message is still sweeter, for If we
should receive from the hands of our glori-
he'd Lord the crowns there would still be
something in reserve.
Naturally the crown that should come
first in order would be the one mentioned
in James j: 12-"Blessed is the man that
endureth temptation: for when he is tried
be shall receive the crown of life, which
the Lord hath promised to them that love
Him." This crown is also mentioned in
Revelation ii: l0E"Be thou faithful unto
death, and / viii give thee a crown of
life"
1t was to be given to the Church of
Smyrna that suffered the most. I used to
DEATH" and / supposed it meant simply
that we needed to be faithful during life
and that when death came our RESPONSE
bility was at an end, but the word is
unto" and means not simply that one
should be faithful and willing to suffer for
the Master, but to suffer and to die.
This leads me to say that the crown of
life is undoubtedly the one to be given to
the martyr-not simply the one who has
died at the stake, or the woman who has
been thrown to the wild beasts that they
might devour her, but the one who has suf-
fered in body and mind unknown to fame,
but suffered nevertheless, and suffered for
| the glory of God.
1t is likewise the crown that is to be
given to the one who is able to do only
little things for Christ. So many seem to
think that they can do but little for Christ
and therefore leave that little undone. This
is a most serious error. 'Inasmuch as ye
have done it unto the least of these We
| nave done it unto Me" said Christ. A cup
| of cold water given in His name, a word Of
| cheer spoken for His glory, a warm hand
clasp that He may be exalted in the opin-
| ion of men-these little things WIN the
| eternal reward.
So many people are asking: "What can I
| do to help on the cause of Christ, to assist
my minister, or to help the church, L
were to suggest one thing that would be
most helpful it would be the offering of
unceasing prayer for the spread of Christs
kingdom, and for the outpouring of the
Holy Ghost upon the man who breaches
Christ at the sacred desk. / remember
very well when | first became pastor of
the church to which / now minister. At
ter l had preached my first sermon and
the people had presented themselves to
say words of cheer, an old man came walk
ing down the aisle, leaning upon his staff
because of his age, and he said to me:
II am afraid you will make it a failure"
/ did not consider that much of a word
of cheer, and heartily wished he could
have given it to me at another time.
Then, looking about the church, be
added: eve have always had a man of
idISS experience, anu lHt CuuISH Is ldiSc--
Then he came nearer and said: But /
have made up my mind to help you"
wondered in my own mind what he could
do. He added: 81 have determined to
pray for you every day that you are pas
tor of this church, and l have covenanted
with two other men to pray for you."
At this my heart was filed with joy,
and l thanked God and took courage, feel
ing confident from the beginning that He
had given me the victory. The three men
soon grew to ten, and the ten to fifty, and
the fifty to 200, until in these days from
$50 to 500 consecrated men DOW their
heads in prayer with me every Sunday
morning at 9.45, praying Gods blessing
upon me as ! preach, and upon the people
as they listen. The most wonderful place
in all the world to preach in is a church
where the atmosphere is permeated with
the petitions of faithful Christians for
Gods blessing upon His ministers. And
these are they who, upon the great day of
awards, shall receive the crown of life.
They do little things well, to the glory of
God.
The Charity Most Needed.