The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-01-08
EPwoRTH LEAGUE.
fan. IOs 'ssOme Tests of Repentanoe.N
Luke iii, STA, Ps. II, 1-1g.


by their fruits We shall know
them"
There is much of truth in the home
" old saying, 'The proof of the pud-
ding Is in the eating" In many forms
the same truth has been taught. 1t APP
plies to character and folks as truly as
to things. What we are is shown in
failibly In what we do. A person may
act part some Of the time, but not all
the time. Some time the truth will
appear. The sham may initiate the
real 80 that no one suspects the fraud
for a great while, but the fruitage
must reveal the true nature. Men may
scoff at, betray, smlte and cruelty, but
the third day will show whether one
be not the Lord Of Life by the resur-
rection from the dead. even though the
other two be thieves
So in the lives of men, the test of
the power Of Christ Is in what trans
formations He works in them and their
doings.
The proof Of the power OF God In us
is not wholly In the inner feeling. but
Is also in outer action.
The test by speech Is not so much
what one says to his neighbors In pray
er meeting, not even what he says in
private to them about religion, as what
he says about his neighbors to others
The coat test of repentance is an old
one. 1t is as good today as in the time
of John Baptist. The people asked
him. what must we doT He said,
He that has two coats, let him give
one to him who has none" Watch the
working of that test. See the hunting
of the closets and attics and wardrohes
for old clothes. How we pack barrels
and boxes with castoff garments we
can no longer use and no one would
buy, send them to the needy and then
report it in the religious news and in
the benevolent column of the confer
ence statistics! HE that hath two, let
him give one" What does it mean?
Have you ever taken that rule and
measured yourself and your goods and
givings by it? Have you done it care
fully, honestly?
One from two leaves one. One from
twelve leaves eleven. Which example
did you do? You gave one. Was it
from two or from dozen you took it?
Think it over. 1t scares many to think
of giving one-tenth of their income TO
God. How much more does it scare
one to think of dividing evenly with
our fellow man. Is 1t fair to always
give him the old coat? Are old clothes
and "cold pieces" given to tramps and
missionaries. the best fruits you can
produce from your Christian life?
"He that hath food, let him do like
WISE" Have you foodi What food?
Is 1t good? What have you of worth
that you have enjoyed7 Have you
shared it with others or have you kept
it to yourself? The little fellow on the
street, ragged, dirty Of face and hands.
who shares his apple with another,
saying. Take big bite, Jenny" has
solved this riddle OF life. The man
who is successful In business and
shares his business and its profits with
his employees because he takes an in
terest In them and enjoys seeing them
get on in the world. he Is bearing the
right kind of fruit. Whoever in his
heart wants to share with others and
in his life does give as freely as he
gets of everything good cheer, kind
words, smiles, dollars and helpful deeds
that one shows the true nature. The
tree may be rough of bark, III shaped
in limb and scant of foliage, but 1t
grows good fruit and is in no danger
of being sent to the wood pile yet
God wants such, and the world needs
such for fruit bearing.