Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1905-01-23

Let me illustrate my thought in n
simple way: When you were a little
child the first intellectual passion your
narents recognized in you was vour
love for music. If some one sat down
to play at the piano and you were cry
ing YOU Immediately ceased to cry. As
soon as you were able you climbed up-
on the music stool and began to pick
out the different notes with your club
nv fingers. For hours and hours Won
ran sit and listen to music. People saw
Won are born musician. If | were Won
I would develop that talent for Christ.
I would go and sing and play in every
sickroom / could enter. | would 90 to
hospital and mission hall and church
choir loft. To sing and to play is for
YOU to WELD a Davids sling. Develop
that talent, brother. Develop it for
Christ.
What is your talent for Christ? Well.
| think in your case it is a power over
little children. When you tell them
stories they will listen. You weave
the same strong spell about them that
Eugene Field wove. If l were you
would not spend most of my time
learning how to sew. When you pick
I'D needle all your fingers are thumbs.
Develop your God given power to bring
children to Christ. That, o man, o
woman, is your God given sling.
Develop Your Talent.
What is your talent for Christ? You
think you have not any? You say: 81
cannot write or sing or play or preach
or make money. l am useless. have
not even one talent, let alone ten"
Oh, yes, you have; you have a very
great talent But you can develop that
talent even more than you can imagine.
Your talent, as far as [ can make out,
is to live in the background Of life and
encourage other people to do their
work. 1t is very easy for you to say
pleasant things. Keep on saying them.
Keep on your inspiring mission. Let
the elder in the prayer meeting know
how much his prayer has comforted
YOU. Let your minister know how
much his sermons help you. The tired
mother wants you to tell her how fine
ly her boys and girls are doing. The
clerks want you to encourage them in
their work God knows how much
YOU are needed everywhere, just to
keep Oh speaking words of good cheer.
l would encourage every man, wom-
an and child to develop for Christ the
one especial God given talent which
has been bestowed on each one of us
to work in Gods service If it is to
preach, then let US preach. If it is
to teach, then let us teach. If it is to
pray, then let us pray by the sick beds.
If it is to give money in his name, then
let us give Of our wealth. The great
trouble with this world is that most of
us are afraid to do our best in the time
God has given us to do our work. We
are afraid to use our sings lest David's
brothers might laugh at us and ridi-
cule us. Be yourself, o man. Be
your plain, natural self. Be it in the
pulpit, on the street, in the church
| pew. Be it everywhere and God will
bless your work for Christ. Be your
self, o woman. Be your own sweet
self Be it in the kitchen, in the par
lor. Be it with your Sunday school
class Be it. everywhere. God will
bless you when you use your sling of
one talent But remember that before
man as well as before God you will be
useless if you, like David, are trying to
fight the great battle of life in Saurs
armor.
Copyright, 1905, by Louis Klopsch.1