Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-09-07

how much more truly can we state tEat
our church, the beloved church of Jesus
Christ, is dependent also upon the 10y
atty Of IT'S one talented members. When
Christ established his church from
whence did he draw his FIRST recruits1
Did they come from the palaccf Did
they come from the merchnnt princes
inonsion2 DID they come from the
tents OF the Roman generslsf Oh. no.
They came from the fisherman's hut,
from the laborer's fields. from the
homes Of the ope talented folks. The
first Christian church had its congrega-
ton not clothed in silks or satins. but
IN homespun. The aristocraoy despised
Chrtst's disciples on account Of their
humble social positions. 1.-THE common
people heard him gladly" Not the ten
talented men and women were they:
not the geniuses In finance ald state
craft. His people were TIE ordinary.
commonplace, one talented wxshipers.
1t wac the one talented Christians
who composed tho Christian church.
Has II not always been the one talent.
ed folks who have carried II ONT Who
were the Christians who made the ref
| ormation Of Martin Luther possiblei
Who were the Christians who helped
John Knox shake old Scotland and
shake the world2 Who were the Chris-
tans who came over in the Mayfower
end established the Puritan church Of
the Plymouth colony? from whence
did John Wesley and Charles Wesley
and George Whiteficld draw most Of
their followers? Who made Finney
end Moody the mighty religious fac.
tors they were? For the most part.
the great masses OF church members
have been and are today taken from
the ranks Of the common people. 1t Is
the one talented folks who crowd our
pews today When you take the one
talented folks out the church, like
Samson. whose hair was shorn by the
shears Of an evil mistress. will decay
and as q mighty spiritual and temporal
power will lose her entire strength.
Nan-one talented man-you think you
do not amount to much In Gods church!
Woman-one talented woman--you do
not fully reckon your influence In pray
or meeting and IN Sunday school and
In church pew! The church Of Jesus
Christ IL dependent FOR most Of its
leborers and members upon the one
talented people. You may belong TO
That class. Never desert the temple Of
God, which ile calls his divine church.
3ut as am trying to show the I'M
portance Of the one talented people In
the store, the factory. the nome and
the church. l must not end here.
must show you that. though your in
fuence is worldwide, vet there is no
class OF people on earth who are SO
ready to ehirk their tasks 90 the one
talented folks. The Jeeching OF this
parable IS absolutely true. The Eve
talented men went 10 work They are
in the treadmils. They cannot stop
ana get out. They have to 60 ahead
or be ground 70 pieces. !3ut the one
talented men think thQlr work II Of so
little Importance that they can stop
any time and no one cares.
enter q great merchants store.
"Come" say. "let us lie ourselves
or to the woods" ".~ny. nay" says
he. ~ cannot stop. If did not keep
wording and keep my men working
the payroll oS my buseSss -.ould soon
land me In the BANKRUPTCY court"
Come" say to minister q Jo'us
Christ. "come. let us run AVIS frocl
town" Il cannot CO." says he. The
congregation will meet Sunday mora
ing. II I nm not there there Will be %
ono to lead them IN worship" Eut.
though the president feels the inpor-
tance Of his mission In the White House
knd the great merchant Of bis position
IN the store ana the minister Of his
position IN sne pulpit, Bow very few Of
The common people feel Ehe Importance
Of their work and their presence in tile
church OF God FOR the salvation of the
world for Christ?
Oh, ye one talented folks. never let a
day pass without reckoning up the icl-
portnnce OF your prayers, your service
and your conservation t. God for the
contamination Of Cliris"s mission on
earth, May you here aud now, in your
ordinary lives say: 80 Christ, take
me. Take my nome. take my children,
take roy all for Thy s%vvice! Teach
ne to make good use Of the one talent
which Is mine and thine"
Copyright. 1896, by 1outs Kiopsch.l