Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1907-02-13
CHRISTIAN FxDEAvOR.
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
BegiHning. Feb II.

BegiHning. Feb II.
BY REV. s H. DOYLE.
Fupic.-An easy life versus hard one.
IN Tim II. lila
No human life is wholly one of ease.
ncc is there one perhaps that is entire
n characterized by hardness. In the
easiest life there are some hardships,
and in the hardest one there is some
silver lining to the cloud. But in some
lives ease predominates, and in others
Aardness has the supreme place. These
principles also apply to the Christian
Me, Of which the apostle writes to
Timothy. To some Christians life Is
easy, or, at least. they take it easy.
Their only anxiety seems to be to get
into heaven, and they shun as far as
possible the difficult places in the
Christians pathway. Their supreme
aim is to be-
Carried to the skies
On f1owery beds of ease,
While others fight to win the prize
And sail through bloody seas.
But while to many the easy life may
seem the more desirable, yet it is real
h not so. Ease is not conducive to
strength or even to happiness. The
men of the world who have made the
greatest success of life have usually
been those to whom life has been a
struggle. battle. and in their tolls
and conflicts they have not only won
success, but have experienced the
greatest joy and happiness. The joys
of ease are not to be compared to the
10Y of victory in battle, success against
odds and notable achievement even in
the face of adversely. Ease weakens.
hardness strengthens; ease is unpTo-
ductive, hardness produces the best re-
suits; ease is selfish, hardness is self
denying, and the Christian, above all
others. should possess the qualities of
hardness rather than those of ease.
To live a consistent. conscientious
Christian life is not easy. 1t is easy to
become a Christian, but most difficult
to live Christian life. No one should
make the mistake of thinking that
life in Christ and for Christ will be an
easy life. The temptations of life are
- be met and overcome. The enemies
and foes of Christianity are to be with
stood. The Christian life Is indeed q
warfare, and not even warfare
against flesh and blood, but against evil
spiritual agencies-Satan and his ennis
saries. But it is such life that devel-
ops true Christian character and that
best exemplifies the life of our Lord
and Master Jesus Christ. He knew nc
ease in His life. He was "a man OF
sorrows and acquainted with grief
Constant conflict was his lot. Satan
used all his power to overcome Him
Nan opposed Him even to the end OF
accomplishing His death. Sacrifice
self denial, enduring hardness and bit
terest soul agonies were His portion Oh
earth. The servant cannot expect to be
better than his Lord nor the disciple
than his Master.
Let US not, therefore, sigh for a lif,
~ ease, but JOY in the fact that w
also must endure hardness as goo,
soldiers of Jesus Christi And in on
struggles and conflicts let us be strong
not in our own strength, but "be stron:
IN the grace that is In Christ Jesus.
And when the way seems very hard lie
~ be encouraged by remembering that
having suffered with Christ, we shall
also reign with Him.
BIBLE READINGS.
Josh. ], II; Matt. <, 3S-42; Mark viii
8A-38; Luke tx, %: Rom. vii, 1925
Acts XIV, %. 26; ii Cor. XII, 2433; Eph
VI, 101S; Phil. iii, ia; John v, is.