The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-05-06
This Life OF Trusting,

Men are willing to trust everybody and
everything but God. They will trust the
milkman, and the butcher, and the drug.
gist with his deadly drugs, the doctor and
the plumber; they trust the man who
builds their houses that they will not fall
in high wind, and they trust the man
who puts up the chimney that it viii not
set the house on fire. They trust the banks
though they, often break, and they hoard
their treasures in vaults that art. some.
times broken open. The savings of a life
time are put into property that they have
not seen, whose title they are not sure of
being clear. They trust their little, help
less children in the hands of ignorant and
cruel servants, and they trust their reputa-
/ tions in the hands of unscrupulous. unlov-
ing friends. But God they are afraid to
trust. And yet God made them, put them
on this earth, where was all they needed
to maintain life He had created, and still
gives them all they have.
It is sad that even the near and dear
/! disciples had to be reminded by this lily
paint the ephemeral blossom in colors so
| rare, and array it in texture 80 exquisite,
! should forget to give His own loved ones
the clothing they need! How strange that
they or we should think itl-.And yet it
seems as if we did.
| Take, for instance, the man who is con.
sidering the adoption of the tenth plan of
giving. He says: 'eBut must first support
my. family, that is my first duty. What if
should give tenth of my income to the
Lord and then not be able to pay my bills
. at the close of the year" He leaves alto.
gether out of his calculations the fact that
God promised in many places in the Bible
| that man shall lose nothing by giving, but
op1v ra IL, $ha ynoro Alec ba 1oouoo ouf nf
his calculation the fact that God cares
about what he eats or drinks or wears.
Furthermore, he is putting down his will as
to what style of food and clothing shall be
his, whereas the lily takes what comes,
whether of white petals, or pink. or yellow,
or crimson. as ordered by the Father, and
counts none less worthy to, be worn be-
cause all are designed by Him who knows
what color best fits in the little corner of
the world, where He means His flower to
grow.
1t is time we Christians began to prac.
tice letter what we profess to believe. It
is time we stopped fretting lest we cannot
buy, the new piano that Kitty "really
needs" or lest the summer cutting, which
viii make father so happy and 80 much bet
ter able to 20 through his next years work,
cannot be accomplished. 1t is time we
smoothed the fret-lines from our brows
and gave our lives the light of trust, not
darkening that light by vain fears and fu-
tile. plannings, not trying to serve both
God and gold, not feeling uncomfortable
and refusing to go out because we are not
dressed in the latest STYLE Be sure if we
have the lily nature in our hearts our God
, will see that we are fitly clothed when His
Mime comes to glorify US before others.
And the despised garments we sometimes
have TO wear may be in His eyes as fair of
fashioniSg as the velned petals of His flow.
ers.
! Then, If wa are to be Christians at all,
we should be tNastful Christians, for how
is our lot better than Others if we may not
cast down our care at thS rect OF him VINO
has borne it for Us, and what is our JOY
to Him for everything?
And in this life of trusSinA it ls not
meant that we should neglect ahy OF our
duties, only that we should "frst BE eager
about His kingdom and about what he
thinks is right" and after that we haye q
right to go singing and trusting on &pr
way.-New York Mail and Express. y