The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-09-22
Undeveloped Forces in the Average
Christian.

Undeveloped Forces in the Average
Christian.
Speak unto the children of Israel,
that they 60 forward.-Exodus 14:15.
When the command of this text
was spoken by Moses to the Israelites
they were shut in completely. High
mountains on either side, before them
the great deep sea, behind them an
embittered, cruel, determined fSe.
Calmly Moses is hidden by God to
! speak unto the children of Israel that
they go forward.
You remember how that. sea be-
came a safe pathway to freedom and
a fuller knowledge of a divine provi-
dence and grace. So Gods forward
call to-day to the undeveloped forces
within US, If obeyed in as firm a faith,
will be crowned with as marvellous
results.
In putting into service these unde-
veloped forces of Christian manhood
and womanhood remember that the
years of preparation or of slow pro-
gress in attaining our ideals or of ap-
parent bitter defeat. and failure are
not lost to us. Much is accomplished
in these struggles Of the soul, which
none but God and the individual
really ever know. We may judge
ourselves as only doing the little
things, the hidden things, yet. If
these be well done, like towers of
strength we will rise and be enabled
to do greater things afterward for
God.
Remember, too, that Gods call for
the undeveloped forces of Christian
manhood and womanhood bespeaks
the exalted purpose Of real life, viz,
to remove distractions. The ignor-
ant and the indolent may hinder by
standing in the way Of Gods plans
and purposes for the betterment of
humanity, but the Office of a true man
is to use all his accumulated knowl-
edge in making the pathway Of life
pleasant, peaceful and prosperous,
ever as Jesus Himself sought to make
1t for every man.
We may use our knowledge upon
the u~ndeveloped forces Of nature and
find profit therefrom, but when we
have used our requirements in bene-
fitting the bodies and souls of our fell
low beings, SO that afterWard they
rise up and declare that we helped
them, we have achieved the most ex-
allied Of all services.
Three things will aid in going for
Stronger faith in the word of our
Master To live well is no easy task,
but to attempt to live without the
sincerest faith in the living Christ,
within us and above US, is to curtail
life of it's powers and to draw the
curtain Of destiny. Another ~inspira-
ton Is more earnest conviction of per-
sonal duty. Christ speaks to us and
asks for our service in behalf of a
world. Love for Christ and for hui
mainly Is another inspiration.
The poor, the neglected, the sore
in heart, the helpless ought to find in
us their truest friend, as we seek for
opportunity to overcome In the diff
cult places of lie. Such strong men
and women God is continually calling
into His service and blessing their
obedience. Such, too, the world ap-
preciates and honors. The greatest
one who ever trod this earth declared
of Himself, II am among you as
that serveth;" II do always those
things which please Him" When
you and I have pleased God with our
lives when we have done what He
would have us do, we have empha-
sized the fact that the Christian life
is only worth the living when it is
lived well.-Rev. Andrew Hageman,
Collegiate Church of st. Nicholas, in
the New York Herald.