The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1904-10-22

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4 1k9SIY disciples, directing
y 49, va their energies,
HN eI helping them bear
@S the burdens, and
~ encouraging them
YIN - in the places OF
darkness and Encouragement. Not
working alone, but the Lord WORKING
with them I remember as boy thae
the heaviest task seemed easy and de-
lightgul when father turned IN and
tlelped, The moment he began work
ing with me that moment / knew the
task was going to be accomplished. ahd
ENCOURAGEMENT and WEAKNESS van
isbed. One instance in particular comes
to INV mind Alton Of coal had been Sc
livered to our next-door neighoor anu
dumped in front of the house. There
was no one tO carry it into the wood
shed. and MY brother and were ambi-
ttous to undertake the task and earn
bit Of spending money. With the vision
before our eyes of the good things we
we're going ID buy with that money, the
pile of coal did not look very big, and
we went bravely at it. But 1t was
pretty big task for two such little chaps
as we were. for brother was not vet ten
and / was two years his junior, and SO
after the first few scuttlefuls had been
carried i'll the coal pile locked bigger
than ever Every time we same back
with the empty bucket it seemed as
though the pile had mysteriousty grown
in our absence. The more we carried in
the more it seemed that we woH.a never
be able to finish the task. The after
noon dragged itself out and oua TIPS
from the coal pile to the Woodshe4 De-
came less and less frequent, unit AS
Wilieht began to fall we were reads TO
give slp our task. Father came hcyIre
Just ait this time and, quickly graspithg
the situation, encouraged MS to keep on,
saying he would come and help us. That
promise put new life into our tired lit
tie bodies. and by the time he came out
we were hard at it again And With
father working with us, how much
smaller that pile of coal looked. There
was no more doubt that the task would
be completed and there was new IN
tefest In the work, for father was there
to encourage and help. Father work
ing with us made all the difference be-
tween discourag eEaent and failure and
encourag cement and success. And this
illustrates in part at least what it means
when Scripture declares that the dis
ciples went everywhere preaching. the
Lord working with them
II ND Where this was true in the case
n of the early disciples. it is also true
to-day. and has been so all through
the centuries which have interviewed.
Scripture presents some striking con-
trasts. but there is none more striking
and remarkable than that which we
fud in the account OF the disciples inn
mediately following Jesus crucifxion
and up to the day Of Pentecost. and
that following that day when they were
eRdued with power by the descent of
the Holy Spirit. Before that day what
do we seeo The few doubling, trem-
bling disciples gathered in the upper
room behind locked doors or else eau
tiously and with great fear moving
IA
cape notice and trying to hide their
identity. But after the day Of Pente-
cost, how striking is the contrast! No
longer hiding in the upper room, no
longer fearing the Jewish rulers. no
longer seeking to avoid The multitudes
I'm the streets, they come forth and
boldly preach their message.
no YOU not recall the words OF
II Jesus wherein He told His dis
eiples and wherein He tells you and me
that Without Me We can do nothing. y
And the very last promise which Heleft
with His disciples was 80, / am with
you always. even unto the end of the
age" re it is true that without Jesus
we can do nothing" in His service that
counts for anything in His estimation:
Il 1t is true that Jesus is with His dis
aiples always, then it must follow that
Jesus lis really and truly present with
His disciples and is working with
them This is the declaration of oar
text, and it explains the fearlessness
af the disciples, their faithfuIness. their
Hutiring zeal, their wonderful success
Nnthing is more destructive of efficient
aud persistent effort than the thought
that one is utterly alone in a great I'M
dertaking. The army, leaderless and
with Its brave general dead upon the
fed of battle. is disheartened and dis
couraged and at the mercy OF the ON.
rushing enemy And the Christian
without the realization of the presence
of the Great Captain, the Conuuerine
King, is hopeIessIy weak and ineffect.
uaI as a soldier OF the cross OF Jesus
Christ But If he feels and knows thai
His Lord is at his side ready to strike
when he strikes, ready to press for
ward when he presses forward, ready
IN encourage when he falters, ready K
lift up when he falls, ready to suceol
and heal when the poison darts of tn,
euemy infiet their cruel wounds-wheI
TIE disciple realizes all this then he il
atte Id fight the good fight of faith
tasn he is able to run the race success
tally.
SURELY. It was not the will or pilr-
pose of Jesus Christ that such
SHOULD be the case. The tremendou
energies, the wonderful success OF th,
early disciples as they went everywhert
preaching il the evidence indispuIabI,
that the Lord was working with them
Tile fact that nightly grew the Wore
and prevailed" emphasizes the peffec
u1sion which prevailed between the hu,