The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1909-03-12
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.oSeS SSSS1-.s>CV\
A SERMON AT&. c.
pY THE REV &XSeR
TAMHENDtHScNWsT'
Subject: The Elements of Success.


course; | have kept the faith"
Paul draws us a picture here OF
man who has been fighting with the
cestus and who, full of honors and
glory, with the laurels of victory on
his brow, lays down his instruments
of hostility. He pictures a runner
who has gone the course, who has
run the race and has won, and who
has received the palm of victory. He
depicts a man who in the affairs of
the spiritual life has been true 10
his Maker and his God and is upon
the threshold of entering into the vic
tory of the life eternal.
This assertion of Paul that he has
fought a good fight, has finished the
course, has kept the faith, is the as
surance Of a man who was successful
in all that to which he laid his hands.
Paul was man who had attained.
who had reached his reward, who had
gained success. He had put into
effect certain plans that he had for
the ordering of his own life and the
betterment of the men and women
with whom he had come in contact.
He had executed arrangements for
the preaching of the blessed news of
Jesus Christ, and he had his eyes
fixed not so much on what he had
accomplished as upon the victory
which he had achieved, upon the
crown which was awaiting him when
he should go into the presence of the
Lord his God.
ST Paul was a man who accom-
plished. He not only put tasks In
motion; he fulfilled them. He was
man who achieved much. In a
world where so many of us do things
in small way, he did things might
lily and inspiringly. He was a man
whose achievements were like unto
the mighty victories won by Christ.
This success of Paul is the ideal OF
every man and every woman. This
victory and success which crowned
| his efforts is the desire of every hu-
man heart that is normal There is
not one of us but has dreamed of
mighty things, but has longed for
| ability and power to accomplish great
| things for God and man; none OF us
! but who. in our youth, and perhaps
| in later days, has reached unto great
er things than any we have yet ac-
complished. for this power of Paul
| to execute and effect.
This ability 10 affect the whole
! history of the lives of the men with
whom he comes in contact is the de-
! sire and the ideal of every human
soul. But our great question is, how
Shall We achieve? how shall we ac-
complish that to which we lay our
| hands? how shall we execute the task
which under God is given us to do?
! How shall we attain, how shall we
&C lieve, each in our peculiar sphere,
according to our peculiar ability, that
we may do something either small or
g eat for the veal of men and for
t. glorious peopling Of the kingdom
! of Jesus Christ?
It seems to me that there are four
| clements that enter into success, four
! things that are necessary that we
srall be able to do a work for God
! that shall count, a work that shall
! a mount to something for the veal Of
n en-, for the betterment Of lives
! aDout us, for the satisfaction of our
own ideals.
A man cannot do very much unless
! first of all he has some self-apprecia-
! ton. That is not to say he should
ave egotism; that is not TO say that
! disdains others, not that he
! yeighs himself in the scales TO the
isDaragement of other men; but IL
TO say that he has placed himself
effectively over against his own per-
sonality and has sized himself IN SO
hat he has a frst-class and first
land idea of his own ability. It is
1 good thing TO have an appreciation
II our own abilities, better to have
I comprehension OF our own limita-
ions; but, while it is a good thing TO
know our own limitations, | am a
| profound believer that we know too
| many times the extent of our limita-
| ions and not OF our abilities. We
seem to think that what other men
have done we cannot do; that what
! men Of equal brains and ability have
| done we cannot do; we are afraid
! % lay our hands TO the work Of God
because we fear perchance we cannot
| 10 that 10 which we have laid our
| land. To many a man the appr2cia.
Ion of his own divine power is in
ne terms of limitation rather than
IN the terms of real ability. How
| many men we meet will tell us what
/ hey cannot do, who would do thus
OF so If they were able; VINO are 50
aiken up with the consideration oil
lose things which God hath not
| IVen them the ability 10 do that they
orget the potentialities divine md
.ernal which God hath placed within
neir own grasps and personalities
g.. Paul was a man who had meas
red his abilities and knew what hc
)uld do, who had no mean apDrecia.
ion Of what he could do When be
net Jesus face TO face there was 10
asitation as TO whether he was
1an who was divinely called, as e
neither he was the man VINO was
-alled TO DO the work. The knowl.
dge that God had called him was
efficient knowledge that he had the
bility. that he was o. some worth
0r the bringing OF the good news oi
ne Gospel 20 those who we're in s'n
Daul was a man who had some aD'
recitation OF himself. he knew what
g should do and the way be should
| 10 It.
We do not have direction. W