The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-08-27


his finger lpon the weak spots of two
brothers lives and said: "lIeFe. you
must change. Here. you must be puri-
fed. Here, you must be true to your
nobler and better selves. Cannot we
do thus toward those who come in con
tact with US In life? Shall we not
cease to make it our first concern to
please our friends aud try rather to
benefit them? Shall we not be true to
those who are about us by warning
them of the mistakes Of their past
lives as Paul did with the sailors of
the Alexandrian corn ship when he
said, "Sirs, We should have hearke1ed
unto me and not have loosed from
Crete and to have gained this harm
and loss"
A Gospel to Live BY.
But there was still another reason
why Paul captured the minds and the
hearts Of the sailors of this Alexan-
drian corn ship. Paul was u man of
gospel visions, but he was more than
that. He was IA man Of fine Christian
ligion which was not fitted for prac
teal. everyday. commonplace life was
no religion at all. He believed In II
gospel to die by, but he also believed
in Il gospel to live by. He believed in
that practical gospel SO firmly that he
tried to get the men to care for their
physical bodies and to look after their
physical strength.
Here, for instance. Is Il mother. She
has four Of five children. Scarlet fc
yer. one of the most dreaded of all
nursery diseases. enters her home. First
one child comes down, then another
and another and another. This mother
is not strong at her best, but she is ="
devoted to those children that she nev-
err sleeps outside of the sickroom. She
never undresscs except to take her
bath For weeks or even mouths she
Is up night and day. Her hand must
give the medicine. Her hand must
cover up the invalids. The doctors and
the friends see her breaking down.
They say: Mother. you must stop.
| You must take your rest. Other nurses
can sit up during the night. You will
break down" mo. no. she answers.
mo one must nurse my children but
myself" After awhile she pulls her
last baby through. Then she falls in
dead faint They undress her aud
put her to bed but 1t Is too late. The
poor weak pulse tiutters and stops.
The mother is dead 'She is Il martyr
to her children the neighhors say. Is
she martyr? No, emphatcally no
She died because she did not have any
common sense. Other nurses could
| have taken her place while she rested
Other nurses could have taken hci
place while she ate. Now that she is
dead no one else can take that moth
er's place. Women beware. Paul is
bidding you look after your health
Better ioin Paul for little while IN
the cabin of that Alexandrian corn shil
and eat your bread and look after your
physical strength. Your children need
| YOU in the years to come even more
than they need you now.
Here is n young minister just callet
to a great church. He Is very con
scientious man and believes that ht
must do all the work that comes tt
his hand. He calls upon the rich ant
the poor alike. He works far int
the night over his sermons. He goes
to this meeting and to that aud t.
this funeral and that funeral. He il
like horse running at a mad rate
until his TANKS are bathed with foam
After awhile he drops in his tracks
"Poor fellow" people say. He dice
martyr to his work Oh, no. no
that. God did not call that youn.
minister to break himself down. Gos
does not expect any one man to do thu
work OF ten men. Better hold up
Christian worker. Better dine Wit
Paul In the Alexandrian corn ship
God wants you to care for your phys
zeal strength in order to be able Il
do his work well. If Paul could af
ford to care for his body, you can af
ford to care for yours.
He Told the Truth.
But there was another reason VIII,
Paul gripped the sailors of the Alexan
drian corn ship. He did not decciv
those sailors in reference to their res
cue. He did not say: Now, men
Just follow me. and trust in me. an
all will go well. will give yo
plenty to eat and smooth sea and
quiet voyage" Nay. That was no
Paul's way He said, Men. put you
trust in Christ. You are to have
hard battle ahead. You think tn
seas are rough now, but they are goin
to be far rougher. They are going I
batter us about until we become
helpless dereIict. Then they will fin
us upon the rocks and this great sh
is to be knocked into kindling WOO"
But out Of the struggle and the storl
God Is going to bring us all safely I
land. Now, men, II you trust Go
you must be prepared to meet TIL
struggle" Thus Paul spoke. An
thus all gospel evangelists shout
speak when they are pleading wit
men and women to accept Jesu
Christ.
You cannot make good Christia
unless you are willing to battle wit
storm for Christ and struggle agains
| ArI.1 tnSs