The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-11-26

A merchant was about to go into far country. He gave to two frieHds couple of sacks of wheat apiece. H< said '"Take care of these for me until return" Years passed and the merchant returned. He said to his friends. Where Is my wheat?" The first returned to him his two bags of wheat, which he had kept for the merchant in & storehouse. The grain was mildewed and useless. The second friend took the merchant out upon the hillside anu showed him his fields below in the valley waving with golden headed wheat ready for the sickle. There Is your wheat. I have grown it all for you. It is all yours" Then said the master: Give me my two sacks of grain back and the rest shall be yours" So 1t is in the mis- sionary work of the church. When our church leaders help us to scatter the gospel seed upon the other side of the sea they have faith that God will give us tenfold, a hundredfold blessing. It is not when church lives for itself that it prospers, but when 1t lives for others. Scatter your missionary seed. and the abundant spiritual harvest shall be yours
 But. lastly, I remark that the min ister's best friends are to be found among those who are ready and willing to work
 
 are not the men who want to push their way into the highest places of the syna- gogue. They are the men and the wom- en who are ready to take the humble places, the insignificant places, the places which, as a rule, but few people want to fill. and because these men and wom- en are willing to take humble positions, how great temptation 1t is for the min ister to give the highest positions to those who will not work in the church unless they get these high positions. I have never found true, loyal friend to minister unless that friend was as will ing to work in an inconspicuous as in a conspicuous place.
 This nation can well rest her safety upon the loyalty of her people. Men of all classes, If necessary are willing to die for her in the ranks as common sol- diers and sailors. Commander Bronson late of the Yankee, one of our naval gun boats tells this most interesting exper- fence of his: The warship was rounding a cape and encountcring heavy sea. One of his sailors was at the wheel The commander watched the man for little while then he said You steer very well my man." The common sailor saluted and answered. T thank you, sir" Have you been practieing much since joining the ship?' No" Well, then. where did you learn to steer so well?' With that the common sailor replied: All along the At lantic coast, sir. For years l have been accustomed to steer my own steam yacht" There was one of the scions of wealthy New York family working as a common sailor. Aye, that country Is safe whose wealthy men are ready to sacri- fee for it like that. And that church Is safe which Is filed with members who arc ready to work in the nconspicuous places as well as in the conspicuous. And, my friends a minister 1 again want .to add my testimony in reference to this line of thought. I have never found church layman who was not willing to work in an inconspicuous place in the church. who was ever true, loyal friend to the minister, if he was placed in conspicuous one And, further more, have never found man willing to work for Christ in an inconspicuous place who, If Christ called him to a higher position in the church. was not just as true and faithful in the higher position as in the lower
 have preached this sermon for two easons I want you to know the noble men and the noble women who, like those mentioned by Paul, have labored with so many ministers in the gospel As Paul writes in the words of my text: Salute Urbane. our helper in Christ. and stachys. my beloved. Salute Appeles in Christ. Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which labored much in the Lord. I want you to salute some of the noble men and women who have done so much to upbuild the pulpt's work. Salute these older men and women of our church. How faithful they have been! Then salute these praying men and women. How could we have got along without them? Salute these friends who have always been so true to the pastors that are gone. Then salute those who have been working for our for eign and home missionary causes. Salute them all for Christ's sake.
 Then I had another hope in preaching this sermon It was that if in the past any of us have fallen below the ideal have sketched, if the pastor has in any respect failed in his duty. if there is any one who has failed to live near to Christ and so has not been among the minister's best friends, there may be repentance and new consecration. As for me, l promise here and now to surrender myself to His will. Are you ready to make the same avowale salute thee, urbane.
 Hoods Sarsaparilla ensures good diges- ton and strength to the vital organs. h.