The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-10-02

III Is better to be one OF GOd'S Secrel
ones, one Of His heroes, unnoticed by
any eye than Ills, than to march IN
the ranks offa conquering army which
the crowd welcomes to-day and forgets
tomorrow.
1t requires sometimes a better man
to be, q hero in small matters than In
great. There have been Worldwide
conquerors who were defeated by a
wine-cup or led captive by a woman.
Do not imagine that you cannot be
Gods heroes In everyday life Day
by day God calls on you for some self
sacrifice, as He called on Abraham OF
old. Day by day God calls you into
tho holy mount of Ills church and
says, Hear my law, o my people
Day by day you have giant to fight
with. stronger, greater, fiercer than
Goliath; day by day{you can preach
sermon by the example of your faith.
your patience. your truth. which may
be as powerful forsgood as the preach
ing oftSt. Paul on the Hill Of Mars.
You think of the great preachers Of
the Gospel like Augustine, or Loyola,
or Harrington, or Patterson. as he
roes OF God; so also are those who
live the life of the Gospel at home, who
show the virtues of self-denial OF
patience, Of meekness, Of long-suffer-
ing, within the walls of their own
house. Many. man and woman find
a Gethsemane of prayerful struggle,
Calvary OF lifelong crucifxion,
within the narrow compass of his
own flreside.
Now. let us look at the story Of
Abraham as an example OF faith which
makes us ready to renounce self, and
self pleasing. to Gods will. First,
God called on Abraham. to leave his
homo and his friends Few trials in
this life are greater than the break
ing-up Of beloved and happy home.
The love OF homo eats into our.very
nature. as the ivy plant does into the
hardest tree.
We learn from this one reason why
this life is so full of change and re-
moval. Z God tries our faith as He tried
that of Abraham; He says to US now
and again, Depart, for this is not your
rest"
God sends US these changes that
we may learn that this is not our
true home, and that we must seek a
better country, that is a heavenly. BY
every, shift in our fortunes. by every
change of residence or condition, God
is. leading us to fix our thoughts on
our home eternal in the heavens. the
house not made with hands.
Abraham trusted God fully, and went
forth, mot knowing whittier he went"
He believed Gods word and looked
forward undoubting to the Promised
Land and the city which hath foun-
dations. Let US strive to initiate the
example Of Abraham and go on our
Journey by faith It is the only Sc
cret of happy, useful, a holy life.
we must tryffto surrender ourselves.
our wishes. our plans to God. letting
no home tie, no bond Of affection, no
touch Of self-will. come betweenhus
and our obedience. This self-surren-
der must beacomplete.
Next we learn from the story Of
Abraham that Gods people are often
called upon to sacrifice what they hold
most dear. To give up home and
country was much, but to offer up his
only son, the child of promise. through
whom in the future all the families
Of the earth We're to be blessed, must
have seemed to Abraham something
greater than he could bear. Yet he
did not hesitate. though the sight of
the wood for the sacrifice. and the
raised knife, must have made sword
pierce through his own soul also.
Abraham Judged Him faithful who had
promised, and SO he was ready to obey.
though it seemed that he was giving
up what was dearer than life.
we wonder sometimes In our isno'
rance why God takes from US what
We have learned to love, rightly or
wrongly, very, very dearly. God Is
dealing with us as with Abraham. He
is trying us as silver is tried; He Is
taking us through the fire OF affliction.
Some room in our house becomes as
a Mount Morlah. where a sacrifice is
to be offered.
And why is all this? God is trying
US; Fle is saying to US, Take now thy
son, thy only son-take what thou
lowest best, and sacrifice it to Me-"
and God is leading us to learn how to
answer, Though He slay me. yet will
i trust Him"
, s,i :.