The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-07-25

faith and works IS daily receiving more
attention Far be it from ME to lightly
criticise our Puritan forbears, Still as
we read about these heroic men or
whom the world was not worthy. does
il not sometimes seem rs if the neces-
sity of faith was emphasized Mt the
expense Of the necessity Of works to
correspond? The two have been joined
together; their union constitutes the
perfect religious life, and what GOD
hath joined together let not man put
asuSder. What I am trying to say has
been summed up in a sentence by the
late F. W. Robertson, sentence Whlcn
the church should never let die. and
that sentence is, Faith alone saves,
but not the faith that is alone"
You remember Christ's words. DO
men gather grapes of thorns, or figs OF
thistles" The man who rises from his
knees with the glow OF the divine COM
munion upon his face. the man whose
faith hath made him partaker OF the
power of God. and who then goes forth
to live the life which his faith hath
revealed to him. is the man Of whom
Christ alone will not be ashamed when
He eometh in the glory Of His Father
and of the holy angels to judge the
world.
1t is noteworthy. too, think. that the
virtue in which Boaz and Ruth eX-.
celled was the plain. everyday virtue
Of kindness. The greatest material
blessings are the most. common; air,
| light, water, these are within the reach
of all So also the greatest virtues
are within the power Of all to possess.
Paul SAYS. "Now abideth faith, hope.
charity, these three. but the greatest OF
these is charity" 1t is possible for us
to attain to the possession Of that grace
the greatest of all. We all have di-
verse gifts and powers, differing one
from another, so that some mount
higher than others, but there is none
of us, no matter what our limitations
may be. who cannot speak the kind
word, do the kind deed and pass the
| kindly judgment. and that is charity,
the greatest of the virtues. What
change would take place in this old
and weary world if only our deeds cor
responded with our faith and we full
filled the royal law according to the
Scriptures: Thou shalt love thy
neighbor ms thyself."
But, again. the book of Ruth teaches
us the necessity Of decision. We read
that Ruth and Orpah came to the part
| ing of the ways. that one turned back
to Moab and her people, and that the
other took her way to the land Of
| Israel. Is not that q true simile OF
| life? Sooner or later each one of us
comes to the parting Of the ways. and
we make the decision whose results are
endless. "The kingdom Of Heaven"
saith our Lord. "suffereth. violence, and
the violent take it by force" That
means that one cannot drift into it.
! 1t needs n strong exertion Of the will,
a decision that abides. Memorable
| forever is Ruth's decision. When she
SAYS to Naomi. "Entreat me not to
leave thee, or to return from following
| after thee, for whittier thou goest l
will 60. and where thou lodgest I will
| lodge. thy people shall be my people,
| and thy God my Cod" she takes her
| place among the first ranks Of those
to whom the high and gracious hearts
Of all ages pay reverence. Friends, it
| is n great thing, it is a needful thing in
life to be capable Of clear resolve.
| The man is to be envied who can part
between this and that Of opposing
| claims and considerations. and is able
to say. Here see my path: along this
and no other will CO." Indeed this
ability to make decision is the founda-
ton of all true and successful life. In
religion there is no escape from it..
You cannot drift into q state of saliva
ton in a crowd. "Once to every man
and nation comes the moment to de-
eide in the strife 'twixt truth and false
hood, for the good or evil side" To
each of us individually comes the
choice what to do. Many one. I
think. is Kept from the freedom and
| JOY OF Christianity not because these
| things are undesired, not because the
call Of Christ Is unheeded, or His
claims unacknowledged. but simply
for the want of the power Of decision,
of strength to so forward upon q per-
senal quest.
Young friends, to you especially this
lesson comes. You have still with you
the power of choice. and to you from
out eternity comes the cry. Choose ye,
choose ye. this day whom ye will
serve" Pray God that you make the
good choice. and receive His grace to
abide therein.
Act in the Living Present.