The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-25
Humble Fl Service

| 49, 49,
and 4 wo small fishes; but what are they
| among SO many 7"'-John, viz. t55
The multitudes had hocked to Christ q. l'l'
TO hear from, Hin tho words OF life. Thley3
we're In a desert place, for he was under 81
a ban OF ex-conmunicat ton. Thfey5i,h tFa!al
como from far and had listened lo l'''lg
not knowing when they should see ' ana ana
hear Him again. VI;
He pitied their. hunger their he e'lp g
ness. their9weariness i. The disciples sug-2
gested that they should be sent l' ~
with. gllmmer Of faith Andrew 1'lr polhS'tteed
out a lad among the crowd who h i,i I'VE l'
barley loayes and two small fishes. But
ne adds, ALMOST In despair. what are re
they among 80 many 3
very humble, as we'll as fearfully
scarty. was the sole apparent provision ls O.
Ba ryey bread was SO coarse that even ven
ina hardy Roman soldiers were only
required to eat it by way OF punishment,
Fish was tho commonest and cheapest
sort Of food. But SO had Jesus lived, and
III apos 9 les Z, as we'll as those whom lie
taught He was poor among the poorest ol'eSs
u Five barleyaloaves, and these about the
ezo of ones hand, and only two small.
Iinshes! Built was enough for the tn e. Lore
of ali. withsthat scant, poor food, blessed Sc
m, md multiplied, He fed the hungry. re- 'eert
freshed the weary, and spread Q Q t Haft'5
Fin the wild erness 35., 5#
we, too, are IN the wilderness; the day.
ia far spent the night is at hand, and on
every side are,$ the hungry the weary,
and the helpless. we feel ourselves Ut T.
terlv hopeless to aid these helpless ones;
We haYe not t.'the hundred pe en- 'rl1
81 bread" for them, and even II we We did,
Il would not surice.
nut have we tried to use with faith.
the poor and scanty store we have? rave avs
we, like that lad. offered our r'lt' barley barley
loayes for Christ TO bless ? II not, can we
expect that they should be used stu
less, can we hope that they should @ pc
multiplied? 5535j ts 5is So
The immense ma orlty OF the world RI "a are
neither great, NOR rich, nor noble lol put
lust humble, unknown persons Very
few among us have more than little GIFTS .
to ofrer mot with reference to COOS Coo
In1nitude), but little even in comparison
With what many Of our brother-t'eh en- can
Give. Yet In this miracle we are shown
the encouragement. the blessing, inc
naturalization, which He deigns to give
toEthese little things
He. who had all the wealth OF inc Wor'a
at HIS command. Instantly accepted ana
made use OF the poor lad g small \; store re-
Our Lords chosen and helpful symbol
for the Kingdom OF heaven was "a hand
full OF leuven which 8Sa w woman oman to s'
and hid in three meas ures o. meat ', n
and, again. "a grain Of mustard seed
which is the smallest OF AL seeds seeds,
Bo we high or low, rich or poor, clever yer
Or stupid, III is equally possible for the
humblest OF us all to have something
we can offer Him. II may pc true that N
we have but our fvo coarse barley Icy ioaves
and two small fishes. N themselves V''
alone they are useless, But let let US give
them to Christ, He can ana VII uso
them; Ho can and will multiply thfemi
I1e can make OF them more than enough
10 feed Tie hungry thousands stsi
11yon cup Of cold water Is priced
and blessed by the God OF heaven, Who
cun forget tho sup Of well water which
David would not drink. but poured pour upon
tho earth. because his mon had rskeu
their lives to fetch iii? Or that other
historic cup OF water which y SIR i'h'llp
sydney, a-thlrst and dying, gave inc poor
wounded soldier lying on the pat1'che4d
OF Zutphen?
A grain Of mustard seed When Count
Zlnzendorf was hut o lad az scnool ne
founded among his companions = i't.1e
guild, which he called The prder g me
Grain of Mustard Seed, l'hat l'tt1e
soedlIng grew into tho great tree OF the
Moraylan fatherhood- blessing AN Z Wv w
impetus to the whole worl ID II r
Do not imagine that we are TOO 9. poor 90
too stupid, too Ignorant. too obscure = !,
do any real good In this world wiere e,o y
has placed lis, Christ loves the hump 'V1
and accepts while He hlessses. inc s9's.'e'
rho ragged schools Of England moss
pioneerH Of liberal education, were starle 's
nv a moor cobbler--John Pounds, I y '''a
pur!acatlon of all the prisons was aohs
by one man--John Howard. lH mere
grander enterprise than missions = ~
great missions OF England 70 india were
begun by an itinerant Dhoemak or WI y!
| liam cary, Those men wrought TO Shr'sss
thoIr honest and humble effort. and He
blessed them beyond their fondest dreams
we can mover hope. you say 20 seaa y
such vast results, SO they thought phe
results are nothingi the work every
thing, Nothing tho stiff everything th ''
Willing, heart The main thing y the
| sn,thf,ll honest endeayor, Ia .a Fesuf'