The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-09-06
"The wateher.s

Inere standetn one among us Wn0Hi ye know not."--St. John 1. 2s.
 Some of you know who He Is. Some of you. perhaps, do not If you know Him. you will be glad to be reminded of Him today If you do not know Him, will tell you who He is.
 But remember this: Whether you know Him or not. He is standing Amongst us now--today. We have Him away. Our not seeing Him will not prevent His seeing us. He Is al- ways here, waiting to cheer and bless.
 We have all a race to run. We have all a journey to make through life. God has given to each of us our powers and character, marked out for us our path in life. and left us each our duty to do.
 How shall we. then, make the best use of our powers7 How shall we keep to our path in life? How shall we do our duty faithfully. How shall we run our race so as to win it? What can hinder us in this race if we know Gods will? Only our own sins and wickedness. All which comes from all which comes from abusing it's strength is wickedness; all that drags a man down and makes him more like brute beast is sin; all which puffs him up and makes him more like a devil Is wickedness.
 Keep clear of sin, but ohl keep clear of wickedness also.
 If man be laden with sins stupid. lazy. careless, greedy of pleasure Cor worse. If he be given up to evil works and ways). then he is like man who starts to run a race weak or crippled what will become of that man, If a man thinks of nothing but amusing himself. he is like q horse who stands ssL stiIl in the middle of a Journey and work first and feed afterwards. that morrow. But if he will stand still and feed, if he will, forget. nor care must punish him to make him go on.
 And so will God do with us. The more God has given that man the sharper. will be Gods stroke if he de- serves 1t.
 And why?
 Ask yourselves, Suppose your horse had plunged into a deep ditch. and was lying there in mlre and thorns. would to make him put forth his whole strength to rise. and by one great struggle clear himself1
 Of course you would! The more the sharper the stroke because the more sure you would lhe that he could answer your call if he chose.
 Even so does God with us. If He sees us forgetting utterly that we have any work or duty to dp. wallowing in the mire Of fleshly lusts and thorns of worldly cares, then He will strike, that He may rouse us and force us to exert ourselves to break from the sin which besets us and holds us down.
 And much more if there be not merely sin in us. but the wickedness of seif-will, self-conceit and rebellion. For see, my friends, if We were train treat it? If 1t were merely weak. we should strengthen and exercise 1t. If 1t weres merely ignorant. we should teach it; If I 1t were, were lazy: we snGgLd n,ISb1 still have confidence. in us and find pleasure and reward in its work.
 But if we found wickedhess in 1t; If it became restive. rebellious and self willed. then we should punish 1t in deed. seldom perhaps. but very sharp ly that it might see clearly that we were the stronger. and that rebellion
 And is not a man better than a horse? If we will not go Gods way verity. Very seldom He strikes (for He Is pitiful), but in love for the mans own good. that He may help and de- liver US all the more speedily.
 For Gods sake. for ChHst's sake. Tor our own sake, keep Tn Fnlno that Gods will Is to help and deliver us that He stands by us and comes among us for that very purpose.
 He stands here today looking on not to torment but to help He loves us better than we love ourselves. He Is watching us with an eagetness we cannot appreciate; with a love that knows no weariness I pray you re- member God IS not against You but for you, in all the struggles of life He wants you to get through life wants you to succeed; wants you to win. So you may be sure He will hear your cry and help you. And more, He will rejoice at your final victoty.