The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-11

root and wonder cliffs will some day be covered with a mass of green foliage This Is just what the Scottish painter did. Many of those seeds were lost, but some took root, and they sprouted, and now those crags near old Blair castle are the most beautiful of all the surrounding hlll- sides Thus is 1t with the consecratc ted gospel life when the true Chrf>tian is filled with the Christ love. When the face of Jesus becomes to him a living, loving, inspiring and all absorbing reality, then that Christian says: T must bring this Christ love into other lives, l must have Christ do for others what he has done for me-" Then the true Christian, as soon as he has developed into the higher spir- itual life, fills his hands with the gospel seed He goes forth into the waste places of the earth. He scatters those seeds up in the, mountains and down in the val leys; he scatters them in the homes of the rich and in the novels of the poor; ne scatters them everywhere. And one or the chief reasons why I know some of you have never been truly filled with the Christ love is because you do not ind any Joy in bringing this Christ to your fellowmen. Next to seeing Chrlst's face ourselves our chief joy should be found
 in bringing that divine love into the hearts of sinful world
 The Greatest Joy.
 But, lastly, I remark that one or the greatest joys of the Christian is the comfort we have in dedicating our dear children and our loved ones to his serV- ice. Everey true parent knows that when he attempts to raise family there comes a time when he realizes he must have supernatural aid. We feel our children gradually and yet surely slipping out of our hands. They are going forth into the great wide world with all it's mani- fold temptations. We lift up our hands at times in agony and cry, 70 God, 1T we could only keep them by our sides' But we cannot. It Is an overwhelming thought but surely and swiftly the cht- dren are moving away from our side. Now comes the question; How can 1 keep my children in the path of virtue and of truth? The Bible tells me My God is a covenant keeping God. My God says, "I will save thee, and through thee will save thy children" He speaks to me exactly as he spake to Abral am of old. He promises that if we will teach our children about him, If we set them a good example and commit them in prayer to his keeping, he will take care of them and make them his chill dren.
 The chief trouble with our spiritual experience Is that we do not come near enough to Jesus Christ. We do not give ourselves up in our entirety to his serv- ice. The reason that we find the spiritual life burden, irritant and troublous duty Is because we are not developed high enough in the gospel graces. My brother, the great trouble with your reli- glous life Is that you are like a timid bather on the beach-afraid to make one big plunge and go chin deep and heart deep and brain deep into the depths Of God g mercy. You want to love him by inches and not with your entire being. You are like the rich young ruler-you are not willing to give all for your Mas ter. Friend, if you would rejoice in the Lord alway, come closer to the mercy seat. Friend, if you would have the Pauline rapture, then leave your sinful self at Damascus and start for your