Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-02-21


lowed it or have failed. If the failure has
been grievous it is not necessary that we
should 90 in mourning all the day long,
for. Just as a mother forgives 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
gressions and to remember them no more
against us forever.
1t is not therefore question as to
whether we can keep from SHINING our
sel"es-we know that we can not. but it is
altogether a question ms to whether Christ
can keep MS If we will but give Him the
right to do so. L hava question hit
that one 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 he overcoming
sin. / am perfectly clear that he could
increase his journey by many miles and
still be more than conqueror. | am abso-
lutelv confident that one could walk the
whole dav with Christ so wildly before
him that it would be peace and JOY. And
what could he ACCOMPLISHED in one day
could be made the rule of a mans entire
life.
After the return of Christ for His church
there is to he a great dav 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, ard yet this needs
word of explanation. We can not give the
exact description of the crowns we shall
wear. nor can we estimate in human lam
puage their value in the oDlnion of r,en.
Rut 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 NAV confidently say: Il know what
=. l.. l. roI ~ Inv
self. II is very true that one may stand
before God and receive from Him only
measure of reward. and it is likewise true
that he might have greater blessing from
the hands of his Master. John snea'ls
about 40 full reward as II there might he
A reward that is not complete. Alas. this
Is only too true, But the opposite is also
true. that one may have at that treat dav
ct the hands of God Himself a full reward
And the purpose of this book is TO induce
ms TO Law hold of the promises of God. so
that our lives NAV he So sha. ed 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 manv
times used in the New Testament. Tt is
sometimes a Grown of life" again
Grown that is incorruptible. Grown Of
rejoicing" "crown of Righteousness"
and "a crown OF glory" But these names
are given not simply for the sake of en-
phasis. as the change of name might he
emphatic. but because each crown means a
certain kind of reward So far as | have
been able to see there are hut FIVE crowns
in the New Testament Scriptures. Every
Christian NAV have one. but oh. the 10Y
of it. every Christian may have five. But
the message is still sweeter. for IL We
should receive from tho hands of our glori.
fed 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 i: l2-"Blessed is the man that
endureth temptation: for when he is tried
he shall receive the crown of life. which
the Lord hath promised TO them that love
Him" This crown is also mentioned in
Revelation ii: l0-"Be thou faithful unto
death, and 1 will give thee a crown of
life"
1t was to be given to the Church OF
Smyrnr that suffered the most. ] used to
read the text-"Be thou faithful until
DEATH" and I supposed it meant simply
that we needed to he 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 martvr-not siEsoly the one who has
died at the stake or tho woman who has
been thrown to the wild beasts tina. thew
might devour her. but the one who has suf-
fered in body and mind unknown to fame,
hut suffered nevertheless, and suffered for
the glory of God.
1t is likewise the crown that is to he
piven to the one who is able to do only
little things for Christ. So many seem to
think that thev can do but little for Christ
and therefore leave that little undone. This
is most serious error. "Inasmuch as We
have done it unto the least of these We
have done it unto Me-" said Christ. A cup
Of cold water piven in His name, word Of
cheer spoken for His glory. warm hand
clasp that He may he exalted in the opin-
ion of men-these little things win the
eternal reward.
So many people are asking: "What can
do to help or the cause OF Christ, to assist
my minister, or to help the church," If I
most helpful it would be the Offering of
unceasing PRAYER for the spread OF Christ's
kingdom. and for the outpouring of the
Holv Ghost upon the man who breaches
Christ at the sacred desk. / remember
very well when | first became pastor of
tine church to which l now minister. AZ
ter l had prea' ned my first sermon and
HSob.C VItScuttu tHSluschtS "
say words of cheer, On Old man came walk
ing down the aisle, leaning upon his staff
because of his age, and he said to me:
II am afraid Won will make il failure
l 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. he
added: eve have always had man os
large experience. and the church is large"
Then he came nearer and said: But
have made up my mind to help vou"
wondered in NV own mind what be could
do. He added: 81 have determined to
pray for You every dav that you are pas
tor OF this church. and have covenanted
with two other men to pray for YOU
At this my heart was filed with iov,
and 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
go to 800 consecrated men bow their
heads in PRAYER with me every Sunday
morning at 9.45. praying Gods blessing
upon me as / preach, and upon the Deople
as they listen. The most wonderful place
in all the world to preach in is 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 dav of
Awards. shall receive the crown of life
They do little things well, to the glory Of
God.
San Francisco is credited with having one
galoon for every TWENTY-FIVE adult male in.