The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-11-06

1 pit@e' muse VINO wished to eltet
games were forssfnany months Sub
! 1ected to severe training. During this
period they had to bring Their bodies
i INTO subsection by the most rigid ODE
dience to their trainers orders. And
what was the prize when won? Thou
sands OF dollars7 No, indeed, far from
it! only wreath of leaves, which
might be withered before tAa day was
over 10 win honor was enough for
Greek. To win money ID all that
i most of our modern so-calIcd snorts.
men care for.
I. ~. paul, at one time spent two full
seArs az oorinth, and he may have
seen these very Corinthjan games, SO
GEAR 70 the hearts OF every man of
Sorintn. He may have gone into the
very thick OF the crowd, and preached
I Christ no man forbidding him. What
scnancc would he have had to do this
at one Of our modern sporting events?
In that wise, kindly spirit, in which
ne made himself all things to all
men, adapting himself, SO far as he
could, to their feelings and ways Of
tehousht for the purpose of winning
their confidence and attracting them
10 Hsten to him. when he writes to
these men OF Corinth he enforces what
ne mas TO say to them on the subject
OF winning their way to heaven by
an Illustration which was sure to in
eerest theni--namely, the foot race at
their own Isthmian games. The life
of Christian. he tells them. must be
IKE tho struggle they see going on
tnere. and also like the preparation
Tor 1t. This struggls demands the
whole heart and the whole strength
or every runner; the full power of
Wind and limb. The body must be
kept IN condition for exercise by tenn
perance, soberness and chastI. reso-
luton and self-control must be en-
ployed to give vigor IL success is to
De insured. The moro careful, the
more sparing OF anything like self
indulgence during the period of train
Ing the more sure the success. All
christians, not one only. but all, may
be like the one winner on the Isthmus
of Corinth. AS surely as he who won
the prize there got lit, so by the mercy
OF God in Christ Jesus shall every one
of us win the prize in the Christian
race who runs mot as uncertainty"
who fights under Christ's banner, mot
as one who beateth the air., but makes
every blow tell on his enemy Every
such runner. every such combatant,
shall receive the prize, prize not
such as at the Isthmian games-a
whitening garland-but crown of
glory which will keep it's bloom for
ever in heaven. This crown Is within
reach of every one who is admit d
into the fellowship OF Christ's religion,
and runs the race that is set before
him with faithful diligence.
$50 run. therefore, concludes ST.
Paul, that ye may obtain" Thus
simply and most clearly we are taught
that the whole secret of success is
earnestness; but II success in matters
of this lifei is almost invariably the re-
ward of eager painstaking, how much
more certain is 1t where the Lord, who
died for US. is the dispenser of the
reward. To gain worldly prosperity
cheerfully endure; yet, at most, 1t can
only be kept for a few years. Many
score of successful men, winners of
the worlds great prizes. have. when
they come to die. expressed a feeling
which. with the substitution OF one
word, may be quoted as describing
their true condition: Had I but served
my God with half the zeal that have
served the world, He would not in
mine age have left me naked to mine
enemies"
Worldly success has no depth #
root. Not SO in things pertaining unto
Cod
There can be no success without
earnestness, It seems strange race
in which the very feeblest OF all
decrepit men, sick women, little chill
dren, outstrip those who are in their
full vigor; in which the halt, the lame,
the bedridden, the palsied Outlines
win the race. leaving far behind those
who seemed to have so much in their
favor. but who, because of over
confidence in self, failed signally.
1t is not all running that win-not
irresolute runners. not careless run
ners: not runners who think they have
time before them and 81 not start
yet; not runners who run a little way,
but then sit down to rest: not those
who are respondent and feel sure of
defeat and surely not those who be-
lieve that there will be prizes for them,
but for none besides. Not for these,
but to the Saviour's merits and inter-
cessIon. and through His blessing upon
their poor, Imperfect yet hearty ef-
forts. The. prize having been won
though. must be carefully guarded. |
Therefore His word to every one of US: