Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1905-03-30

Goa S delays are sometimes q test OF
faith. Look at that Syrophoenician
woman plucking the garment Of Christ.
She persists, and clings to Him, until
He says: "Oh, woman! great is thy
faith," etc. During the first charge of
my ministry l grew so discouraged
that I was about to give up when my
Master headed me off with one of the
most powerful revivals I have known.
The darkest hour was just before the
dawn. Here in Brooklyn to-day Gods
voice to the churches evidently is to
do their utmost work, to pour forth
the most fervent prayer. to engage in
the most personal effort and trust to
Him for the blessing. The best enter
prises in this world have had their Pc
riod- of encouragement when pa
tience was the vital grace that won the
day. That glorious old missionary,
Judson, worked for five years in Bur-
NAH without a convert. Then the cloud
burst and the great and permanent
Burmah mission resulted. The lesson
to-day, beloved members of this
church, is: stand by the pastor, assist
him in every movement, echo his every
eXhortation and, with united pastor
and people, let us move on to spiritual
harvestings and victory
The fourth anchor is that beautiful!
word. hope. That is not the possession
of good things; it is rather the conf
dent expectation of good things that
are assuredly in store for us. I'VE are
saved by hope" In our spiritual life
hope is vitality important. thank God
that throughout my life He has en-
abled me to be an inveterate hopper.
The word however, in the New Testa-
ment has sometimes peculiar mean
ing in describing the Christian. The
apostle, in speaking of the hope Of sal
yation, calls it IAN anchor sure and
steadfast holding to that within the
vale" Let me ask each one of you
this morning, Where is your hope? On
what are you resting for this world and
the next? Is. your hope an anchor
fastened to the Lord Jesus, or is. it only
mere cable attached to sand? That
great Christian, Harmon Page. who
made it a rule never to be with any
one ten minutes without saying some
thing good. He went into his Sunday
school with note book in hand and
asked each one, .'Have you a hope Of
salvationy' Most of them gave him
an affirmative answer. He came to one
man. a stranger, in the adult Bible
{ class, who shook his head and said,
Il have none." Sagacious Mr.. Page,
| instead Of rebuking him. in very pa
thetic tone said, ''Then I will put you
i down as having no hope" The gen
tleman could not sleep that night. He
said, Page has me down in his book
as a hopeless man." and he laid hold
of Christ and made his decision for the
Master, and the next time he met the
superintendent he said. ''Thank God
for your plain, loving talk with me, for
I have a hope now like an anchor
cite the case of that philantliropist
who came to New York as humble
carpenter, and who wrought such a
work that over 100 souls were con-
verted under him. Brother believers,
let the storms of earth howl as loudly
as they will, if we have committed
everything to Jesus all should be well.
for so it came to pass that when the
daylight broke the tempest-tossed mar
liners on the shores of Melita come
safe to land.
So it will be with us, through the
| nights darkness, through perilous voy-
ages we shall each have our souls fast
anchored to the universalizing Saviour
whom alone we can trust for salvation
| NV last, loving counsel to every one
! of you before me, whom | am rejoiced
| to address once more from this dear
old pulpit, is make fast your anchors
to the Lord Jesus Christ if at last you
would find peace in the desired haven.
| The Reason.
| Christ came into the world, not tc
| tell us what is right, but to give to
our right doing the right favor.-Rey
| Frank Crane.