Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1904-07-21

"As many as are led by the spirit of God,
they are the 0 n of God" It is for these
that creation waits, and without them the
universal process halts. This world began
with the fiat of God, and the mechanical
forces with which the stars were flung in
their orbits. But in the process Of TINE
God said, Let us make man. and it was at
that point the purposes OF the universe
became personal and human and spiritual.
And now, Oh, matchless wonder! the next
step cannot be taken without the help of
man. eve are laborers together with
Him.. Not even God Himself can de-
velop the possibilities He has bound up in
us unless we give Him leave. His final end
is reached not by law, but by. His sons.
How, then, are we to swing things on
from this first to this last? From creation
to the coming, and then again onward to
the glory that shall yet be revealed? Only
by finding the way of God, and being
caught up in the mighty sweep of His W
purposes. Here is a vessel longing for her
port, and the wind is blowing favorably
above. But she does not move, she cannot
move till men shall run up the sails and
they shall catch the wind. And then the
ship that has lain like a lifeless thing be-
comes a thing of life and hurries. on her
way. And so it seems that the time is
come when the crises of history are hinged
upon the work of man. The gospel, for
instance, has been committed to the hands
of men. And, as I understand it, the Sec
ond text cannot be fulfilled till this gospel
of the kingdom is preached in all the earth.
I dwell upon the subject of unfinished
things, because it gives to us an interpre-
tation that enhances the value of life. One
thinks Of his own life in comparison with
the circling orbs. and says it is an unim-
portant thing. It is not useful. it infu-
ences no one. Why keep. up this awful
struggle with heat and cold. and pain and
privation? Why strive to do better? Why
not 60 with the tide that sweeps away to
the dark? The real danger is not that we
shall think too much of ourselves, but that
we shall count our lives as worthless
things. We cannot afford to lose sight OF
the place we hold.in the purposes of God.
A mans life taken by itself is an insigni6-
can't thing. But when we think of it as a
part of a great whole it becomes Of infinite
value. It is as vast as all the schemes OF
which it is the part. This is an instance
where the part is as large as the whole.
In his college sermons DR.. Peabody uses
a beautiful illustration Of this very
thought. He refers to the two hundred
and fftieth anniversary of the founding Of
Harvard College. The students marched
in torchlight professions with Transparent
cies and banners. TIL freshman class
then only one month old, had this for theil
ulOCtO. luC university Ids WdlCcu AO\
years for u.s." And that he says was
profound truth. All the institutional lf'
had been slowly evolving for these light
hearted boys, and on their conduct nov
rested the destiny of the future. I wonder
if it is possible that this very world ha
been waiting for us. And if there ar
some things yet %unfulfled that are wait
ing for the way we use these days. If s.
that makes life vastly insignificant. 0
course. It does not mean that we shall b
notable, or great, or prominent. Not tina
other generations shall know our names
But that our little lives are of eterna
meaning.
Mr.. F. B. Meyer has said some beautiful
things. I remember hearing him say on
time that we are Gods "poeh" God
Workmanship. And you know that
poem is something very different from a
prose. 1t contains a thought that coul
to dull its beauty. It flashes the idea onl
in that form, just as a diamond gives tina
CLEAN only from that side. SO we ar
Gods poem! And a poem contains
thought. And to express that though
has meant to the writer a great effor
And every syllable is of value And S
with Gods poem. He is working upon u
that in the ages to come He might sho'
forth the exceeding riches of His grace
Can any life be Insignificant?
Give no place, then, to impotence. Go
made this world in the beginning, and t
this present He has sustained it by a wei
formed plan. The present finds us her,
What place shall we take in this world
unfinished things? For myself I take
place of joy, and effort, and hope. / reac
out lame hands of faith for the way
prayer and half a shout, Gwen SO, com
lord .Tac,1c1