Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1912-04-17
CHRISTIAN EnDEAVOR.
Prayer Meeting Topic For Week Be-
oinnina ApriI Il, 1912.

ginning April II, 1912.
Topic-The Christian virtues.-Tv. Per-
severance--GaI vi, l-9. Edited by Sher-
man II. Doyle. d. D.
Our great need is undoubtedly stay
ing power. We begin well, but we
lack the grace of continuance. One of
The bad signs of our times is the null
titude of the things we begin which
are never carried to successful cor
clusion. Lincoln said of Grant, When
once he gets his teeth In nothing can
shake him off" That is what is need
ed in the Christian soldier-putting in
the teeth of an invincible purpose and
refusing to let so until the task IS
done and the conquest is complete In
every sphere it is the condition of any
worthy attainment. 1t is lesson after
lesson for the student, scale after scale
for the musician, picture after picture
for the artist, mile after mile for the
traveller, and there is no less call for
perseverance in the sphere of religion.
The angel will go if You aequiesce. 1t
was because Jacob said. Il will not let
thee 20 unless thou bless me- that he
compelled the blessing. Look at what
dulls the edge perseverance. We grow
weary. We believe in Bible study,
but we grow weary of it. We resolve
that we viii read the Bible through,
that we will study the topics and the
suggested readings week by week. We
begin, but gradually the reading lags
and becomes irksome. We have grown
weary. We believe In prayers, and we
seek to form habits of place, of time
and of petitions in prayer. We begin.
but soon the pressure of other things
intrudes and we miss times and places
and cut down our petitions. We have
grown weary. We believe in service,
In doing definite things for God and
man. We seek out opportunities. We
accept tasks in the church. in the So
ciety. but by and by our interest lags,
Our attendance Becomes less frequent,
and at last we give it all up, and this
not because we do not believe in the
worth of these or in the ultimate vic
tory and reward of the worker, but it
simply means that we have grown
weary. The work was difficult and
unfruitful. Those for whom we la
bored were unappreciative and un-
thankful. The task was greater than
our competency and, like Moses, we
say, "Send another" Let Aaron be
thy mouthpiece.
There never was time when wearf
ness was so besetting, because there
never was time when work In the
kingdom was so difficult and worldly
interests so pressing and inviting. This
is peculiarly time which calls for per-
severance, for glrding the loins and set
ting ones purpose perfectly on spiritual
ends. Consider the incentives to per
severance. First, our work is needed.
Our labor is not in vain in the Lord.
We have a mission to fulfill which Is
peculiarly our own and which is also
an essential part of Gods great cam
paign of grace. Our failures cause ir-
reparable loss elsewhere. Second, our
time Is short. Opportunities are few
and fieeting Like sailors, we must
take advantage of wind and tide Like
merchants, we must buy up the oppor-
tunities to finish the work given us to
do. Third, the certainty of reward
We shall reap IL we faint not. Our
labor will not be fruitless. We may
not see the harvest. We may be oil
those who go forth weeping, bearing
precious seed, but there win be har
vest. We shall come again rejoicing
bringing our sheaves with US. 1t is as
sured that all who have a part In the
sowing and the tillage viii have share
in the joy of the harvest home. We
shall reap also present blessing in the
consciousness of duty done and in 6
mind and heart enriched by what Il
gives away. God loves a cheerful Civ
er, and the smile of his approval rests
on those who give as freely as they
have raaaiyed