The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-21

what He did then He Is always doing.
So when we want to know how Christ
worked then and would have ua work
now, we have tho Gospel for O. per-
petual guide.
He walks unseon In tho world, as
ohco lilo walked unseen in Jerusalem,
ana Ho speaks to mems attentive souls
as once He spoke to their listening
| cars. Our text illustrates this. Whom
Jesus came into the world to cstab-
llsh tho perfect religion. He found an
imperfect faith. IIo brought higher
ana OWNER presence. Iio came with q
complete salvation. There were two
ways Tor Him to treat this imperfect
iaith which was already here. He
might either have swept It away and
begun entirely anew, or lie might
nave taken it, Imperfect though 1t
was and filled 1t out 20 completeness
he could destroy or He could fulfil.
his choice comes to lis in his own
words: Il am not come 10 destroy. but
to fulfil" And herein lies the FUN
damental method OF the Masters min
istry. There Is vast difference be-
tween fulfiner ana a destroyer. To!
illustrate the difference let US look at
1t In nature. The most majestic power
OF the earth Is not destructlon. butt
the forces of fufilmcit-those that
crowd and encoVaEc every process
struction and growth. Nature takes
hold OF every capacity of living. no
matter where it Is found. and turns it
into life. Her rain ana dew and sun
shine feel the least spark of vitality.
Then let us go further and consider
what man does TO his follow man. In
huences come from man to man as the
dew and sunshine. There are always
lives dependent upon others--lives
about each OF us awaiting our ministry
and the question comes, which treat
ment OF the two Will we give. Curl
child. our friend. our scholar. our SER
vant-will wo fulnI him or Will we
stroy him Ii wo dwell on every fault
he may have and give him only rebuk o
or contempt and mako him feol him
self weak and drive him to despair.
On the other hand. we can nll his life
TO the fun by judicicus encourages
ment and praise. IL we only continue
to recognize every fceblcst effort to do
right, We may inspire aim with hope,
and make him seem 10 himself worth
cultirating and developing. There are
some men who call OH: the best In
their brethren everywhere. There arc
men in history whose whole life was or
this sort. They made The better part
of human life seem possible Their
lives radiated brightness and sweet
ness and wherever they came or went,
they left the world more vital for their
influence.
There are other men whose mission
In life is TO destroy. by dish'enrtcning
and dIscouraGing. Let us rejoice that
behind all our fellow men is God There
is One Soul so sensitive to good that
no moor strusgler in any corner of tho
universe Is too obscure to bic recoys
nized by Him and to remain fixed in |
His sympathetic recognition Destruc- |
tion calls for nothing but hatred and !
vigor, f'ulfilment calls for pathy, |
patience, Intelligence and hope The
latter must be the nobler work because
II demands the noblcr powers. There
FORE. with all the strength God has
given us let us be fulnllcrs Let us try
to make the life OF the world more
complete. If we can grow vigorously
brave and pure and true cowardice
and fnlschood must perish in us. Let
MS flll ourselves with Christ's concep-
ion OF Himself. and how fun of rich |
ness and peace life becomes. Christ lis
always fulfilling US. while We wake !
and while we sleep, in work and rest. |
in Joy and sorrow. lie is always lead
Ing us forth into higher life and truth.
Perfect readiness to be led Is all We |
need to have. God grant He may give
us that and then fulfil us with Him j
self more and more. until we come
10 HIS everlasting Kingdom.
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