The Penn's Grove record., 1907-09-06

worth having IS the opportunity
coupled with the capacity to do a
thing worthily and we'll, the doing
OF which in it's vital Importance
touches the welfare of all human
kind"
Opportunity and ability-that is
to say, the chance and the capacity
to do. All true success is a combina-
ton OF these two elements in human
life. Failure is a lack of either or of
both. Without opportunity the man
OF capacity, of ability, of real worth
Is handicapped in the race of life.
TO be without the chance to do is to
be doomed to failure, whatever may
be u capacities or abilities for ac-
complishment. Contrariwise lack of
ability shears opportunity of value.
The mute, inglorious Milton of whom
the bard SO sweetly sang, was, and
is to-day a man of power, of ca
paclty, OF ability, lacking in oppor-
tunfty. Not otherwise many a man
mas a opportunity standing at the
door of his life reckoning to success
who has shorn that opportunity of
its value because he has had no abil-
ity, because he has been unable to
accept the chance that was presented
" LAG FASH IL lLClS ID d SduuGI
thing than a man of genius lacking
in opportunity, it is chance awaiting
the acceptance of incompetency.
Ability needs opportunity in order to
the exercise and the presentation of
the powers of the human soul. Like
wise opportunity is ~yalueless with
out corresponding and sufficient ab1l-
ity.
AS with the world so with the
church of the living God. The church
has ability beyond any force that
works for righteousness and for God
in the world to-day. But if the
church has no opportunity for the
exercise of her d~ivinely granted ca
pabilities for the uplift and the re-
generation of the world her capacities
are v~alueless. On the other hand,
whatever the opportunities of the
church may be, save as she has the
ability to do the work that God has
given her to accomplish her oppor-
tunities are voided.
The opportunities and abilities of
the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let us look for a moment at her op-
p%ortunities. There are to be found
to-day conditions that are at the first
glance Numerically opposed that af-
ford IN opportunity for the church
Of the living God. The opportunity
Of the church is to be found in the
lack of principle so largely presented
In the lives of the leaders in our
social life, as has been revealed in
the recent and horrifying disclosures
in our political and financial and in
1ustrial affairs. Another opportunity
of the church is to be found in the
imperfect acknowledgment upon the
part of men in all walks of life of
their accountability to God and to the
divine control. A further opportunity
Of the church is to be realized in the
present distrust in the ~finality of ma
terialism as a method of life and pro-
gress which is increasingly common
in all grades of society and among all
classes and conditions of men. We
are growing to know that money in
Itself Is of little value. We are ma
turing into a comprehension of the
truth that wealth without character
Is a condemnation of its possessor.
We are learning to grasp the fact
that the things that are temporary
are really transient; that the spirit
1al realm in the universe of God af-
fords the greatest satisfaction to the
soul, is most of account, lays hold
npon eternity. Opportunity for the
Christian church is to be found in
that comprehension of the value of
the eternities that is becoming in
creasingly the vogue. Men, multitudes
Of men, find that the life that dis
counts the relations Of the human
soul to its divine Creator is dissat-
isfying. They are critical of their
own spiritual fitness, and of the
church's. They are questioning the
credibility and reliability of the
church's spiritual concepts and dec
l%arations. The church has a glorious
opportunity in the return toward God
that is characteristic of the lives OF
a host of Gods children throughout
this land. From sea to sea, from
ld&es to southern CULTS, materialism
is palling on thoughtful wanderers
from God, the truth is appealing and
with such force as seldom in the
history of the world it has ap.
pealed. To be sure this appeal is
along new lines. 1t is suited to the
needs and the demands of this day
and of this generation. 1t is moi
yesterdays appeal, it is to-day's. But
it is real. 1t is vital. 1t is COMPEL
ing. 1t is heard. 1t will bear fruit
1t will be the leaven in the mea
that will perfect society and make II
palatable to thoughtful men. 1t /!
the truth of God. 1t is Gods voice
IN the language of the land and o.
the day. 1t is the message of The
Almighty to the people. 1t canno
be denied. 1t will not be denied
There is a moving in the tree tops
The footballs of Jehovah are to b.
heard on earth. The signs of tn,
times, he who runs may read. An,
man with an open a and open ey,
and an open mind may hear, and see
and satisfy his soul in the contempla
ton of such revelations as are a
transcendent as they are immediate
Having considered in some fash
ion the opportunities of the church
let us consider now some of the abil
tiles of that organization, institute,
of God among men, into whose hand
has been given the tremendous, di
vine task to transform individua
lives and to transmute sinful, erin
human society into the image of tn
heavenly democracy of God.
The abilities of the church ar
commensurate with her opportun-
ties. Emmanuel is with her, a
truly as He was with Israel. God
il her midst. His presence inspire
her. His glory illumines her. Go
is with her. He constitutes that eN
crlasting majority against which 81
cannot prevail.
The abilities of the church r t
be found also in her means, in be
men and in her message.
The ability of the church is to b
fol in her means. The churc
more means than ever before
8her %wondrous history. She is tn
richest institution in the world. Tt
, organization OF the church is tn
mindoas. We are almost over-o
led. The church has an Unfit
that is as far-reaching as hs
ual dominion and as e1ectiv
xapplied, a. 1t is ~widespreaI