Arizona republican., 1911-05-08
WEARIhENS IN SERVICE
Continued from Page 1.)

As one has said. they were cultivating d patch of ground that Wal surely tough and rough and most unpromis ing. They had become discouraged. l They were saving, What iS the use2' They were about ready to let go and to give up. when the epistle from Paul reached them He knew their diff culties and he writes to them to con tinue faithful Let us not he weary | in well doing for in due season we | shall reap il We faint not
 Now. dear friends We have select ! ed these words as those around which | We shall center our thoughts this !, morning, not because we feel that We are particularly inactive in the work | of God; but rather because we feel | and know that words like these contain | wholesome truth for the children of God under every circumstance in Christian life.
 Let us take as our theme from the text this morning, Inactivity in the Service of Christ
 And in connection with .t let us earnestly and carefully endeavor to discuss. these two propositions as set forth in these words of the text: CD Causes for Weariness or inactivity in the service of God; )2) cures for in activity in the service of God.
 l. First. then, the causes. What are they2 Why are the children of God in any degree inactive? Why ever inact- i've? Why do we find ourselves making ten times so little effort looking toward the coming Of the kingdom? oh, there be d score of answers. Here is one: IL is the very one that we should be com pelled to give if We put the question to ourselves why were the Christian peO- pie in the province of Galatia inactive It is this: Too much thought of un- favorable conditions. That was the difficulty; So many who were once faithful gone back; so many simply neutral; so many scOffers. so many antagonistc. SD many who were re- joicing at the seeming failure of the
 religion of the Christ. An. and that is
 one of the most potent reasons for in- activity among the followers Of God to- day We look too much at the outward appearance; too much on conditions;
 too much on the failures and the dis ' arrangements.
 Now let me say very briefly three
 things regarding this tendency.
 This, first: If you look for such conditions you will find them and they will discourage you Brethren, it is in | the Christian life as in other eXperi- l ences. we see what we look for. A gov ernment official a number If years since went to India When he returned he was asked how the missionary
 cause was progressing. He said. Why, 1 it is not progressing at all. l did not see missionary or a Christian all the l time l was in India. Well. what did you see?' I saw plenty Of lions and tigers. but not a Christian He was ] looking for lions and tigers. \ devoted | servant Of Christ hearing of his re- mark. published this answer to his statement which of course in the minds of some was almost certain proof of failure of missions in India. The mis- Sionary said. I have been in India for half score of years. l have seen hundreds and thousands Of intelligent followers of Christ: but never a single
 lion or tiger one was looking for lions and tigers. and he saw them; and the other was seeking for unsayed men
 to save and he found them. If you
 
 Christian life you will find them in great abundance. Brother. do not be-
 lieve in shutting our eyes to the facts. think we should know them. But
 listen Tn the light of the truth of God.
 there is only one wise use to which discouraging conditions can be put by the true child of God, and that is to make them stimulate us to more cOur- ageous and dilligent service. Success has come in a hundred instances to the little army which went against an enemy of ten times it's size, because the very Knowledge of the strength of the opposition put new courage and de termination into the brave hearts of the feeble few Let it be so with the soldiers of Christ
 Another thing l wan to say tO any who may be inactive in any degree to- day because of overestimating the un- favorable conditions: Do not forget that God sees what we can not see.
 You remember the couplet-
 Right forever on the scaffold, Wrong forever on the throne.
 But the scaffold swayS the future, And behind the dim unknown.
 Standeth God within the shadow,
 keeping watch above His own
 We think too much of the fact that tight is being crucified and we forget that God stands behind the shadow. That He sees what We cannot see.
 Another instance-the vision of the servant of Elisha. He says as he- faces the enemy. alone with his Mas .er. What shall We do? Then Elisha prayed oh God open his eyes. God lid it. Then his poor vision was lost in Gods vision and what did he see? Horses and chariOts of fire round about Elisha Brother, let us get Gods vision. Let us see His wisdom; Ills power: His concern for lost souls; His mighty doing in the days past; His promises: His plan: if we do we will see nothing but light in the darkness; and our inactivity because of our dis arrangements at what We see, will give way to the glorious effort that comes with a true faith and firm hope and | sure confidence of victory.
 Be not weary in well doing. because you do not see the results. but remem- per that God fixes the time when the seed shall germinate and begin to grow He does it in nature. As -arrner | have known instances in