The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-10-07

question whether we are doing our
DUTY. it is not matter OF any i'm
porlance whether our opportunities
are many or lew, whether we nave
great talents or small, whether we
are extraordinarily bright or extra
ordinarily duli, whethe we are as rich
as Croesus or as poor ar povetyi the
question is. whether we are making
dhe most OF the opportunity, The
strength, the ABILITIES we have. !
nave q capacity tor religion. am |
a. deeply religious as | can be-
have a capacity tor loving God do
| love him With all the strength ]
have / may not have any talent for
speaking. but i have the ability T.
smile. lnat is a small thing. but with
1t / MAY scatter much sunshine. Am
/ making the most of my ability To
smile Do | scatter as much sun
shine as / can. or do ! sit down and
fold nay hands because my talent Is so
trifiins, The ord in the parable did
not expect the man to whom he gave
one talent to make tive talents, or
two hut he might have made one. He
was absolutely ineNcnsa bile f9r maxi
Ing no use OF the one, tor at the very
least he might nave deposited II
where it gould have drawn interest.
The teaching is plain there is abso-
luteiy no excuse toi Il man who has n
single talent il ne pegtects to use that
talent. Ii is -Dot necessary that he
should be talented ~ mat he should
have "a talent for doing one thing, II
is only necessary that he should have
something which he can use for good
ar for the glory Of God. Am | max
ing the most OF the small ability /
nave / count up the things God has
put III my hands--the time, the every
If "a
TO low, him, TIE ability to scatter
sunshine strength of haad Ia serve
those around me. swiftuesS OF foot e
carry help ur message Of comfort
TO Some one in the distance--they are
small, the4 are very small, bHt am
l. making the most or these things
Am ! using them So faithfully that 1
viii be able to STAND before the Mas
Ter when he calls Cor rec kontng ard
make ms report without shame
That's tine question and that Is the
only question.
Other Important Truths.
/ The most common exease fer
idieneSs is. II have no talents THIS
excuse grows out of the popular no.
ton that by talents Jesus meant only
extraordinary gl4ts. EUt the talents
IF tke parable include more than
THESE theS ineiifde everything ~e pave
which may be used fer God and fer
goba Ii work was expected only II
talented men there woaid be fe@5 III
coed 10 work. but our Lord expects
work - all whe have any strength
or oppurtunity 10 work, whether they
have any special sifts az not
Oh tt9t.m iOot saenEhrdl
.. BY the punishment al the fool
ish virgins, sayH Afford, aWe are
warned against aetIine ard delay in
the inward spiritual lite: here we are
warned against sluggtshness and sloih
Ia outward activities; there the fool
ish virgins failed from thinking their
failed from thinking his part too
hard
s. nr Bushnell says that the capa~
city for reliEica. The capacity FER
knowing, ioYing anu ciinging 10 God,
tae capacity fer being illuminated and
gaded by God, is the highest taleat
We have,
4 The power of speech. says
Schaufler. IS a talent" The ability
II dc good deeds is "a talent Has4-4r--
feet eyes ears heart, mind, are ali
talents God gaze them to las not
FOR eur own enjoyment only. bat that
sSe might use them Tor the welfare Of
others and his glory. Personal al
irsketiVeneSs is a tal@nt. Money is q
talent for whose right use we are
responsible. In fact ali that We have
may be regarded as talents.
He who lives Ia his Own small
world. says pohertH, regardless Il
others: he who negifcts the church.
whether because he does NOT like tiae
minister, or does not like the people,
or cannot afford to dress as wen as
some others: ne who contents him
self with church attendance. without
taking part in church work. he who
without any excuse refra1ns from
using every talent that God has given
him for the glory OF God and the
good of men. Is a twin brother 10 this
thankless wretch, T.
8, 1T Is q stroke ~ nature In the
para Tile that the untaithfnl servant ae-
enses his lord instead of himself So
men who do wrong are very apt to
east the blame on their Maker
T Thou wicked and shameful ser
Sant'-~-here WAS tho true secret.
wickedness, slothfuness.
m