Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-06-14
CHRISTIAN eADEAvOR
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
BEGINNING June 10. 1911.

Beginning June 10. 1911.
ropic.-Grace for common duties.-Eph-
N. Is. as:y IL Edited by Rev. Sherman
II. Doyle. D. d
Christianity emphasizes the impor-
lance Of the performance Of what we
may call the common duties OF life.
The great doctrines are set forth. and
b connection with them the daily du-
des that devolve upon man. both in his
relation to God and to bis fellow man.
In no other writings In the New Tesla
ment are these feats more abundantly
shown than In those Of the Apostle
Paul Paul ever emphasized the doc
trines Of his religion. and yet no one
more frequently or more forcibiy ap-
Piled these same doctrines to the prac-
deal duties Of life. In his ministry he
dealt with those who had been raised
In ignorance and in darkness and
whose lives had long been associated
with individual and social vices. and
he not only faithfully performed his
duty in setting forth ''the truth as It
is in Jesus" but he was also faithful
the old man, which is corrupt accord
ing to the deceitful lusts." and ito put
on the new man. which after God is
created In righteousness and holiness"
The common duties Of life are not
to be ignored. As Christians we are
not only to believe. but also to do. Our
faith must be proved by our works. for
faith without works is dead" Nor is
II enough that we should be willing
to make great sacrifices In the name of
our religion and to faithfully perform
the duties Of worship that derolye
upon us, but we must also practice the
Christian virtues and shun the vices
that so naturally cling to us even after
we have been regenerated by the spirit
Of God. Pure and indebted religion
does not end with the visiting Of the
fatherless and widows in their Attic
ton. but It includes the keeping OF our
selves unspotted from the world The
former may be the easier, but the lat
ter is not to be ignored for that reason.
It may be easier and more natural
to lie and to deceive than to put
away lying and to speak every man
truth with his neighbor" or to be an
CRY and sin than to ''be angry and SIN
not" and yet the virtues OF truth and
peace are not to be despised for that
reason and the vices of falsehood and
kinful wrath exalted II Of those who
had been raised in heather lands God
demanded virtue rather than vice.
much more does He expect us to prac-
tice Christian virtues and to eschew
all that Is evil We are also to walk
In love-" to let our ordinary. everyday
he be spent in an atmosphere CT love.
taking Christ as our example.
Grace Is needed for the common du-
ties Of life. Without divine grace we
can do nothing. All our attachments
will be in proportion to the amount Of
brace that we receive. These facts
need especially to be emphasized In
relation to the daily duties of life.
When some great hardship is to be
faced or some particularly strong
temptation presents itself TO us we
quickly go to God for help. but In the
daily routine of life we are less apt to
depend upon God. and therein lies our
danger. But let us ever remember
that we are always In need of divine
help and strength. Christ teaches us
to pray, Give us this day our daily
bread" and II we are to pray daily
for the daily supply of our temporal
wants much more are we to do so for
our spiritual needs. Every day. every
hour, we need divine grace that we
may "cease to do evil and learn to do
well" Let US. moreover. be encour-
aged by the fact that daily grace for
daily needs is assured to u.s. As thy
days thy strength shall be" is the
promise Of God Let us therefore
come boldly unto the throne Of grace
that we may obtain mercy and find
grace to help US in time Of need"