The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-03-24

4 eWtHN away
The third anchor is patience. That
was tedious night OF peril and gloom
which laid upon Paul and his ship
mates, but they held out and waited
for the day. Patience is that staying
power in the will which Paul in his
epistle calls longmindedness. IL is the
power 10 endure q continued strain
without fiinchine; il is the staying
power that wins the prize. Mark how
much OF the Old Testament makes OF
waiting patiently upon God. In the
New Testament the word often is en-
dures, and ! would say 10 all those
dear young friends. who have lately
been united with tbis church. that the
start is not sufficient, he that endur-
eth shall be saved"
This patient waiting is opposed 20
every anxiety and the worry that fritz
ters away strength and produces no
result. / will give you three simple
rules 10 put Into practice. First. take
l'short views, never cross bridge until
! you come 10 il; never fight the battle
until the evening is in sight. Second.
discharge the duty that comes next 10
your hands; take the step that God
points out Immediately before you. IL
in ascending n mountain you look up
you may grow weary. and If you look
down You may grow dizzy. One step
at a time is the secret of the successful
| climb. and there is no one with strength
enough 10 bear to-day's duties with
| the worries and interests OF tomorrow
piled on top Of them Third. never
yield 10 the demon of discoura cement.
You parents have need OF patience with
your children 10 encourage everything
that is good, 10 bear with perverseness
| until you can correct IT, instead of only
| Increasing II 10y irritation. why do
you tell that boy twenty timesY said
the father of John Wesley 10 his broth
! er. Because" replied the wise man,
nineteen times 20 for naught and l
shall not gain my point without the
| twentieth" Wise Susanna Wesley
| trained the founder OF Methodism.
| Gods delays are sometimes 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 / grew so discouraged
| that j was about 10 give up when my
| Master headed me of with one OF the
most powerful revivals have known.
| The darkest hour was Just before the
| dawn. Here in Brooklyn to-day Gods
| voice 10 the churches evidently is 10
| do their utmost work, 10 pour forth
the most feryent prayer, 10 engage in
| the most personal effort and trust 10
| Him for the blessing. The best enter
| prises in this world have had their pc
| riodc OF discouragement, 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
| Burmab mission resulted. The lesson
! to-day, beloved members OF this
church. is: stand by the pastor, assist
| him in every movement, echo his every
exhortatioD and, with united pastor
and people. let us move on 10 spiritual
Larvestings and victory.
The fourth anchor is that beautiful
word hope. That is not the possession
OF good things; il 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 Gcd
that throughout my life He has en-
| abled me 70 be an inveterate hopper.
| The word, however. in the New Testa-
| ment has sometimes a peculiar mean
| ing in describing the Christian. The
| apostle. in speaking of the hope Of sal
| vation. calls it IAN anchor sure and
steadfast holding 10 that within the
| vale" Let me ask each one OF you
| this morning Where is your hopei On
what are you resting for this world and
the next? Is your hope an anchor
| fastened 10 the Lord Jesus, or is IL only
a mere cable attached 10 sandI That
| great Christian. Harmon Page. who
| made IL q rule never 10 be with any
one ten minutes without saying some
| thing good. He went into his Sunday
| school with a note book in hand and
asked each one, Have you a hope OF
| salvationf' Most of them gave him
an affirmative answer. He came 10 one
, man, a stranger, IN the adult Bible
! class. who shook his head and said,
II have none" Sagacious Mr.. Page,
! instead Of rebuking him. in n very pa
/ thetlc tone said. Then | will put you
| 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 ho,d
| 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
| ] have hope now like an anchor" |
! cite the case OF that philanthrOpist
! who came TO New York as a humble
| carpenter, and who wrought such
| 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 20 Jesus all should be well.
! for so il came 10 pass that when the
| daylight broke the tempest-tossed mar
| liners on the shores OF Mellta come
| safe 20 land.
| So IL will be with US. through the
| nights darkness. through perilous voy-
| ages we shall each have our souls fast
| anchored TO the univers8liZing Saviour,
whom alone we can trust for salvation.
My last loving counsel 10 every Cne
| OF you before me- whom | am rejoiced
| 10 address once more from this dear
| old pulpit, Is. make fast your anchors
| 10 the Lord Jesus Christ IL at last you
would 1Id peace in the desired haven.