The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-11-05

- slazs ideal and no force
of will to reach
it. If our day dreams do not make US
content simply with reverie they may
stir US to heroic action. Castles in the
air may become solid structures.
The words of our test give us pic
ture of the ideal Christian, and bring
out very clearly six features of his
life:
/. Fullness.-He should be filled
with the knowledge of his will in all
wisdom and spiritual understanding.
1t is not the knowledge of astronomy,
botony, philosophy Or geology that de-
yelops Christian character, though
these are important Yet man may
know all science and history and still
be bad man. And if he has simply
an intellectual grasp of Gods will it
may not transform his character, but
ii he is filled with the knowledge of
that will such fullness will make him
wise and spiritual. We learn Gods
will from the Bible, and hence the i'm
portance of persistent Bible study. A
Christian can afford to miss breakfast,
dinner or supper rather than to neg
lect his Bible. Starving the body is
not so fatal as starving the soul.
II. A Worthy Walk.-"Thaty We might
walk worthy of the Lord unto all
pleasing" There is nothing that
pleases Christ more than seeing his
people in their daily life maintaining
a standard worthy of him. This does
not mean that we are to be worthy
Christians only in crises and emer-
gencies. Walking is the daily hum
drum of life. We should run with pa
thence the race that is set before us
and strive to be the first to reach the
goal so as to receive the victor's
crown. We may mount up on wings
as eagles, but such running and fly
ing are not tests of character like
everyday drudgery. "He that is faith
full in little is faithful also in much"
III. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. in every
good work" A life that is full of the
knowledge of God, and has a walk
worthy of Christ, is certain to be
fruitful. Such a life cannot fail to
bear good fruit, and there is nothing
artificial about it. 1t is not fruit hung
upon the life, but growing out of it.
The abundant life produces such fruit.
Fruitful in every good work" means
much fruit rather than great fruit.
Herein is my Father glorified that we
bear much fruit" We may be too am
bilious to bear big fruit. do good
unto all men,
Nv. Growth. - Increase in the
knowledge of God" I'm" should be
rendered with" and then We have
the true meaning, growing by means
of the knowledge of God 1t is the
knowledge of God that makes us grow.
Christians are dwarfs because they
know so little of God. To think Gods
thoughts is to grow intellectually, and
to know and love Gods will is to grow
spiritually. 1t must be enough to make
angels weep to see Christians many
years old who are Infants in size, sim
ply because they have not learned
more Of God.
V.,Power-' Strengthened with all
might according to his glorious pow
err" The power is not inherent. It
comes from God. and the measure of
1t is not our ability, but his ability.
In our weakness we may have the
strength Of his might, and the need of
it is for patience. We are apt to think
that we need power only for work, but
there may be more need of power to
endure.
Barney Barnato committed suicide
by throwing himself into the sea. He
saw that his great fortune was dissi-
pated, but he could not bear the
thought of becoming again a poor
man. The sense of failure broke his
heart. wish / could have stood be-
side him on the deck of the vessel, be-
meath the clear stars, and whispered
to him Of God who in Christ would
give him strength to endure, not with
melancholy and moroseness, but with
joyfulness. Under the heaviest bur-
dens we may sing. In the darkest
night we may shout his praise. When
Susannah Wesley was dying she said
to her weeping children at the bed
side: When am gone sing to God
q hymn of praise" And when her
spirit departed the children. with
trembling voices and weeping eyes,.
sang their song of praise for a mother
now glorifed with Christ. The ideal
Christian is the man who can be .sor-,
rowful and yet rejoice. cast down and
yet lifted up, in darkness while light
is IN him, patient and long-suffering
with Joy.
VI. Gratitude. Giving thanks to
the Father which hath made US meet
to be partakers of the inheritance Of
the saints in light" We thank God
not simply for the inheritance which
Is incorruptible, undefiled and that.
fadeth not away. but for the fitness to
enjoy 1t. Going to heaven unfit for
the place would be q great calamity.
Christ lie preparing place for US,
while the Holy Spirit through Christ
80 preparing US for the place. Thanks
be to God for heaven. Thanks be to-
God still more for the preparation Of
heart which makes heaven every
where.