The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-04-08
DECD 10 To-day.

Heavens ultimatum TO- the Chriatis1.
world! We are accustomed 10 think Of an
such calls Of God 20 belonging distinctively-
70 those who have not accepted Christ.
This chapter. speaks to acknowledged be-
levers in God.
It is the voice of the Holy Ghost. Ths
long parenthesis Of our Scripture lesson
comes TO our hearts, perhaps, as q sur.
prise; that there ID something else for NJ 70
SG.s 'a wonder a:. ss . = ut pr1 s | w W. , ssise
We have heard His voice" what need
have we to bark back to those old sinful
children in the wilderness. and their forty
days Of apathy and childiah ingratitude;
tempting" God though they saw His won
derful works all those years. God was
rieved with them. They have not known
Ny ways" Can it be that We are 0ieving
Him in the same way?
And what il thi. rest" that "they might
bath bes tho Enough sh'H mere N rest 'f from nh labor 3, 70. Wss o = 2
doubtedly the first meaning Of the promise
for q people yet unable TO understand any
higher rest.
DR.. Edwards says:
Every time the promise il renewed II b
presented in Q higher and more spiritual
form. Every rejection inevitably leads to
grcsser viewr and more hopeless unbelief.
30 entirely false il the fable Of the Sibyl.
God does not burn some OF the leaves when
His promises have been rejected, and con1s
back with fewer offers ct Q higher price.
the sane conditions. But u IL the nature
Of unbelief 30 cause the heart 20 wax
gross, to blind the spiritual vision, until
in the end. the rieh, spiritual promises o.
God and the earthly, dark unbelief Of the
sinner stand in extremest contrast.
The promise IL next presented a. the rest
of Canaan. The rest now consists
in the enjoyment Of material prosperity.
.-e But even in this second Garden Of
Worldliness became their sna.c.
The call 10 ut last urgent. To-dsyt' Il II
the last invitation. Il fingers In the ears
In ever fainter voice Of prophet after pro-
phet, until the prophets face turns toward
the east to announce the break OF dawn
and The coming Of the perfect rest in Jesus
And to our astonished hearts Paul adds
his warning for immediate action. Where
fore, take heed, brethren" and we realize
there Is q possibility that ne have been
our only hope of entering into the rest %
Christ's peace IL to hear the caIl to-day.
This rest Of Christ II the q thine We
a. Christian Endeavorers need most II Ne
would be true workers. II We vould urge
. forward movement" during the coming
year, If We would win souls for Christ.
For those who are thoroughly rested do
not need to sit idle forever. but are ready
and glad to 20 TO work again.
But the main thing for Us 10 realize b
that this offer II only opcn for ~ to-day.
Tomorrow, all ENTHUSIASTICALLY, our sinfnl
hearts may have hardened past the yield,
sn0 Doink md - mar ~ xnr LATE fc~owsS
for rs to claim that rest.
An old man dying was urr.dNt 70 turn TO
Christ ss his Saviour. mo" said be de-
cidedly, 1T 10 too late for me. Years aeo
! felt troubled about my sins. ] lay awake
oil one night struggling, irving TO make up
my mind whether ] would give myself 20
God or not. At last I said aloud. No, I
won't! and turned over and went to sleep.
never have been troubled about my soul
from that day to this, and I do not care 70
20 he died without God and without hope"
We need not wonder when we hear Of
such cases. for the Bible says: NY spirit
shan not always strive"
We cannot act in the unborn future,
nor in the dead past-only in the living
present. That Is vhy every day IL
d~oomsday," for to-day holds life and death,
character and destiny. in its hands. 0p-
portunity says with Jesus. me ye have
not always" We cay, II win take my
chances. There 10 plenty Of time" An,
how often do We say, come other time"
to find there 10 no other time! Some
things We can do not always" How shsIl
we find out what things can be done any
time and what things now or never! Only
by. living in the faith that to-day d the
only day we have, and challenging every
opportunity for its meaning. Essu fIled
his life with regret for triHing one day;
Esther's was full Of glory for one days
courage. Peter slept one hour and lost .
matches opportunity. Mary's name II fra.
grant forever for the loving dead Of Q day.
~ TS Seu IT.. pest mh;cS dos. ra .n D. .oa Sso so ~.
ables us to do our work wen, Is the rest Of
the heart-the Sabbath Of the soul-James
Freeman Clarke.