The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1903-10-23
A SERMON FOR SUNDAY
AN ELOQUENT DISCOURSE ENTITLED
"A SUPREME OPPORTUNITY"

New YoRK CfTY.-Sunday morning the
Rev. Cornelius WoelfllIn, minister az Ne
Greene Avenue Baptist Church, had for liza
subject "A supreme Opportunity" lie
chose as bis text Esther iy; "a. "Who
knowcth whether thou art come 10 the
kingdom for such a time as this" Mr.
NoelikIn said.
The history of Esther is a fascinating
romance. Every changing sosna On tho
panorama Is a graphic illua ,ration of the
providence Of Cod. IL traces the transi.
ton from obscurity 10 prominence; from
weakness 10 power The scene opens
showing Esther an orphan girl belonging
to a captive and despised race Naturally,
every door of influence would be closed TO
her. Alone in the world dependent upon
a cousins bounty, the horizon Of her life
was limited Her chief endowment was
beauty, and that, as the world goes, is
more likely to become a snare OF evil than
a benediCtiOn of good. Yet behind this
humble, modest life there is working the
might, wisdom and love OF God. The
Queens throne is empty The royal crown
IS waiting some one who may please the
mood OF the King. Thousands OF gentle
blood dream OF the Queens place as the
acme of all ambition But the providence
OF Jehovah has reserved the place for
Esther, the orphaned Jewish girl.
This same divine power seeks 20 mold
every life. The circumstances and condi.
tons that environ us may not seem prom
islng But what are these with God? His
strength is made perfect in weakness. The
vast majority of men and women who have
mrdc the molds of history were those
whom Gods providence brought from OBJ.
security and lowly conditions Your way is
not hid from the Almighty. There is a
place held vacant for your filling. Thas
place IS as honored and dignihed as any
royal thr)ne, because it is diyineiy APP
pointed. The steps leading thereto may
seem to be contingencies, accidents, for
tuitous chances, and through the moods Of
other persons. But if there be the spirit
OF faith to trust Him, diligence to discover
his will and readiness to obey, He will
bring us to The place and position most
suited for our eternal profit and glory. No
one else may step into our place, until we,
through unbelief and disobcdience, have
forfeited the privilege of its occupancy.
Every life has its own unique endow-
ment. Success or failure depends upon the
manner in which we hold these posses
sions. ii we hold them selhshly to profit
| ourselves wlthal, they turn into corrup-
ton. But if they be held in trust as a sa-
| cred stewardship, used for the furtherance
OF His purposes and the bringing of His
kingdom, they will turn out eternal treas
ures. Our temptation is to discredit our
possessions and opportunities. But we may
not despse the day of small things.
Esther had only personal beauty to COM
mend her at first This is not a gift de-
spised by Satan in his attempt to ruin a
soul; then why should it be discredited as
q power for good? The lad had only five
loaves and two fishes, but consecrated to
His service, they fed the multitude and
more. 1t all turns upon whether we are
using our endoWments in the interest OF
self and by the energy OF self, or whether
we are living and working in cooperation
with Him and for His glory. The form OF
life will vary. God does not duplicate
and make all lives to conform to a like pat
tern. There was q vast difference between
the captive maid that served in Naaman's
home and the orphan captive who mounted
the Persian throne, but it was the same
God who worked in each.
The orphan girl became the bounteous
queen. She enjoys the honors and emolh-
ments OF royalty. Banquets are held in her
honor and retinue Of servants minister
to her continually. Can she support the
dignity thus thrust upon her? Will adu.
lation, Hattery and vanity encrvate her
souls ability, or will she grow strong and
potent for good amid opportunities? Only
trial can answer such queries, and that
comes soon enough. From the outer world
she hears the lamentation OF her kindred
people, Mordecai. her cousin. is in sack
cloth and mourning and would not be
comforted All the captives are wailing
with fear. What could it mean? If she
| had only been party to the conference be-
tween her royal husband and the prime
minister prince she would have understood.
l. she could see all the clerks writing the
sentences of death which were being hur.
/ rnH tbpOnUbOnf Pho oha mould ho,v
! known. She seems to be exempt. Does
she not dwell in the palace? But the
blackness overshadows her even there.
No circumstance or condition can shut it
out. The court of Persia permitted no one
wearing sack cloth, that symbol of sorrow
and mourning, to enter the royal pre-
cincts. They would not be disturbed by
painful reminders of hfe's sorrows. But
even the royal purple can neither ignore
nor escape them. The tragedies of life are
not shut out by hiding and ignoring them.
We can build no barrier that will prevent
their invasion.
The Redeemer of the world did not ig,
more them. He did not isolate Himself
| from human woe, but through suffering
became a Saviour, forgiving sin, bringing
| glory out of the crucibie Of suffering and
planting the light Of hope amid the
shadows of death. If Esther seeks to save
mel, lie alone she will lose it. But if in
seeking to save others she lose it, she shall
save it. We cannot in time of epidemic
think Of ourselves alone. Individual care
fitness will prove fatal.
There came a moment of despair to
Esther. What can she do more than 9TH
ers. She had not been called into the
Kings presence for a whole month. And
to venture unbidden might mean death.
She had her limitations. Even her position
seemed unequal to the need Her privil-
/ eyes fell short. 1t is always so. A grave
crisis ever brings the shadow Of despair.
There are problems that confront every
/ generation that seem insoluble. We become
bewildered and perp,exed; we feel our in
| adequacy and despair. This perplexty and