Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-01-06
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvOR.
Dfaysr Meeting Topic For the Week
Beginning len. 10, 1903.
BY REV. s. H. DOYLE.

BY REV. 5. II. DO1LE.
Tspic.-Livins for the day or eternity
0zsb. vii, Is. 16: Matt. xvi 24-A.
God has given us choice between
two worlds-the present and the fu-
fnre. To give each the supreme place
= our hearts and lives is impossible
We may have whichever we desire.
but no man can have both. We can
not live supremely for both the pres
mt and eternity. The question, there
fore, as to which one we shall live for
Recomes most serious one. Shall we
Z i've for today or for eternity! Each
: one must answer that question for
[ himself There is no escape from 1t.
r We cannot dodge the issue. We can
= not ignore it or neglect it.
1t would seem that as between two
y such issues there would be no doubt
: q to our choice. When we compare
!. time with eternity we would suppose
that all would naturally say. I'VE win
i've for eternity" But the fact Is
that the natural tendency Of mankind
= to live for today, for the present.
The present Is seen. It is SO real to US,
and eternity seems SO far away. Many
therefore conclude that the present is
/. sure and they will live for 1t and run
the risk of there being an endless life
beyond the grave. Yet what an awful
nistake! The invisible is not unreal.
Indeed, the unseen things even in this
ME are often the most real and most
powerful What power on earth is
greater than gravitation? 1t holds the
nniverse together. Yet it is invisible,
unseen. What is more real and more
Inspiring than mothers love? Yet
who ever saw a mothers love? Ii we
can believe in the reality of the un-
seen in this life. much more should we
believe in the reality Of the future
HE, though unseen, upon the testi-
nony of Gods word and upon the
cravings Of our own hearts for i'm
mortality and since the Immortality
4of the soul demands an eternity.
The temporarily Of this life should
inspire us to live for eternity. THE
things which are seen are temporal"
All things that we see have been made
Once they did not exist, and hence
they will at some time cease to exist
Therefore we should "look not at the
things which are seen, but at the
things which are not seen, for the
things which are seen are temporal,
but the things which are not seen
are eternal" How temporal worldly
things! Wealth. pleasure, fame, pow
Or, position, all may fade away in
day, and If they do not leave us we
shall soon leave them and may be
called to do SO at any moment. What
folly, then, to bound our lives by the
cradle and the grave when their
boundaries may be eternal. If we
could gain all this present life it would
not pay us if the price we paid were
the eternal loss of our lives. Through
Jesus Christ alone we may obtain
eternal life. Let us accept it in Him
and through Him give eternity the
supreme place In cur lives.
> Eternity! Eternity!
How long art thou eternity?
AS long as God is God, so long
Endure the pains of hell and wrong,
So long the Joys of heaven remain.
Oh, lasting joy! Oh, lasting pain!
Ponder, o man, eternity.
BIBLE READINGS.
Deut. xiii, %, %; Ps. &c, /, 2:
Matt, xix, 1922; XIV, 3146; Mark K,
1880; John ~, 1920; ii Cor. iv, 7-1S;
!. Tim. vi, 6-12; Rev. ii. 10.