Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-09-30


trinslc worth and 10 the brilllancy Of
the sermon as TO the spiritual prepare
tions we make ut home for the recep-
ton Of the Bread OF Life. This Sab
bath day. In Christian home. you
awoke In spiritual atmosphere. You
did not see any fishing poles. You did
not see the carriages being driven up
for the long mountain rides. You did
not see the pleasure parties starting out
for yachting trip. You arose In the
spirit Of prayer. After breakfast you
gathered the children about the family
altar Then before you started for
Sunday school you all knelt. Then
you uttered u prayer like this: 20
God. like Enoch. may we walk with
thee this day. BE with our Sunday
school. Give the teachers power to
expound thy word. Give the scholars
receptive hearts TO listen TO thy lessons.
And. O Father thou great and omnip'
otent King. he with our pastor. lie Is
one OF us. May we lift up his arms.
May he today be man with mighty
power for God. May just the right
shower OF blessings TO our hearts"
Are not those prayers having any re-
suits? Why. friends. as | speak this
morning feel II strange influence lift
ing me up. That influence. oh. my
people. comes from the prayers OF the
family affairs OF my church. That
power comes from the prayers OF my
panni. lnra In tI,fo nhurch bnma trav.
ing for me. That power comes from
the fact that when you started for
church you and your households were
In "A praying atmosphere. II Is hard.
awfully hard. to make the necessary
spiritual preparations for Sunday
service when we are out In the country
In worldly summer hotel. | con-
graduate you that you have been able
to start this holy Sabbath In the right
way upon your knees before your fam
lily affairs.
A Vacation From Church.
Then I also congratulate the home
corners because you have come back
TO your opportunities Of religious work
~ well as to your temporal work and
to your church worship. A vacation
from the store invariably means a va
cation from church labors and church
work. Thomas Guthrie. the great
Scotch preacher. once wrote book
entitled out OF Harness" In II he de-
scribed himself as away from his pull
pit amid the Alpine hills seeking health
and relaxation from toll. In one chap
ter he described himself worshlping
with a couple Of prominent English di-
vines In u little Swiss village church.
As the service went on. led by the VII
lage pastor he looked across the aisle
at the noble brow OF great London
preacher sitting there Then he com
pared this silent preacher to mighty
engine with its fires drawn. The
screws, the boiler, the mighty driving
wheel, the smokestack were all there.
But there was no water In the boiler
and no coal In the furnace and no
steam was being generated. The great
throbbing life OF the engine was still.
ed. So with you during your past va
cation. You may have attended the
church services. but you went TO
church simply as worshipers and not
as workers. And. my friends. true
Christianity Is not developed simply
by bending the knee In prayer. but in
laboring In Gods vineyard
The vineyards Of Christ's great city
are now ripe for the plucking. Your
Sunday school class is ready TO wei
come you back. The boys and the girls
ought all TO lie brought into the Chris
tian life this winter The missionary
society needs building up as never be-
fore. You must 90 10 work there this
winter. You only gave half hearted
service last year. You must do better
this year. The young peoples meetings
need reinforcement as never before.
All these opportunities OF gospel work
are opening to you. oh, welcome you
back not simply 10 worship. but TO
consecrated labor In Gods vineyards
and In Gods great harvest fields.
Thus. wherever look, find the re-
suits OF our vacations are blessed.
Home. store. church. all surround us
with their mercies. Now. my friends.
with these mighty opportunities Of
Christian usefulness and Christian
growth surrounding us. we are stand
ing upon the threshold Of new church
year. What are we going 10 do with
It? Shall the church year OF 1905 and
1906 he mighty year for spiritual re-
suits In our lives? The year Is now
here; the year will soon be gone. Let
us consecrate ourselves and our church
and our Sunday schools and our prayer
meetings and our missionary societies
to his dear service as never before.
Let us bow our heads as we say:
Lord. take this pulpit and take these
pews and take us all into thy keeping.
and for the work OF thy grace may
this church year he the best year OF
our lives. When the vacations Of next
year come around. may we go forth
into the mountains or down by the
seashore. feeling that we have not
worked in vain. And II during the
year some OF us will leave. not for the
vacations OF earth. but for the triumphs
OF heaven. may those OF us who go
carry the news heavenward that the
n III - l.. Il.