The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-03-06


and teaching follow the awakening.
We need the Christ 10 awaken the
sleeper. and then We have so TO edu-
cate him when he is awake that he
will have an ever-inereasing sense Of
duty and more exquisite feeling re-
garding what is right and wrong.
According TO my interpretsti tion Of
the teaching of Jesus Christ, the
progress OF Christian living is always
in the direction OF a keener discern
ment of the trifie. We grow bigger men
in Christ when things that have never
been needed by MS come into view.
When our religion comes down 10 our
trifies, when all the little things are
just like illumined lamps along the
way-when not only the great crises
but the tiny commonplaces are beau
titied-then We become big. IL is
in the direction OF the discernment Of
the simple, the inclusion of the trifle,
/ that Christian growth proceeds. So
when man is awake we have got to
educate his conscience and his moral
and spiritual perceptions until he can
hear the faintest call OF duty even
along a commonplace road.
The third human means whereby
men will be perfected is the ministry
of sacrifiCial toll. "Whereunto |
labor. striving according 10 his work.
ing, which worketh in me nightly" :"
There is no English word which
brings out the meaning of labor" as
used here. In John 4 where Jesus
meets the woman OF SamaTia, He
being wearied with His journey, sat
on the well. This is the word trans
lated here, as IL the apostle said, Il
labor and share the WEAKNESS OF
Jesus. IL is laboring To the point
of fatigue, TO the loss of blood. Men
will be perfected through some labor
ing till they are spent. II is taking
your thought and giving il 10 the
thoughtless, taking your strength and
giving il TO the strengthless 1t is
the morally and spiritually healthy
taking their blood TO the morally and
spiritually anaemic. IL includes the
provision OF decent houses. the ap-
portionment of fair days labor,
the removal OF every fence and bar
rier along legitimate roads, the
smashing OF every paddock which
holds the soul in unholy bondage.
But 10 give man better house
and render him like service In other
things is no more giving him Christ
than a free library is Mr.. Carnegie.
It may be Christian work, but IL is
not Christ. 1t is chivalrous work, but
IL is no substitute for Him. | would
not class such services among things
secular. / would keep them within
the palace, but would not allow them
10 have the throne. When you have
given a man better home and have
placed garden round his house, you
have only prepared the way of the
Lord-the King has yet To come.
You have got 10 preach Jesus to
awake the dead, to educate the man 3
conscience when he is awake, to de-
vote your energies in sacrifcial toll
TO the removal Of all hindrances TO
mans moral and spiritual progress.
Let us not forget TO see 10 our
selves. Even the reformer needs the
Saviour; and the crusader needs the
Christ. Even the best worker in
this mission will falter and fail un-
less he be sustained. BE thou faith
full unto death, and | will give thee
a crown of life. The promise applies
now. 1t is as if the Lord said TO us:
Look after thy fidelity and | will
look after thy vitality" II Is not
when the warfare is over that ! shall
want my crown; the Lord waits TO
crown me now.
Then preach Jesus, educate and re-
fine the conscience, give your blood.
Every man make that
your aim. Confront everybody with
that purpose in your mind, and see
in everybody the possibility OF per-
fection in Christ Live for this; grow
old for this; die for this.
Soldiers of Christ. arise.
And put YOUR armor on:
Strong in the strength which God SUPPLIES
Through His eternal Son.