The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1913-04-18
The Privilege Of Service.


lie who truly serves is not a mental,
is not a bondsman for his service
alone makes him free and makes him
noble and even exalts him to
the rank of royalty. Free service is
prompted by an unselflsh heart and
has love for its motive power. He
who serves otherwise is ignoble and
base. No greater gift is given to man.
Man, the privilege of truly serving
and administering to others, II Is
the only way in which humanity's
greatest debts are paid, for money
does not pass current in the real
world of service. And there is a
has found his only hope of happiness
comes from this source. The SUI
premest pay one can have when he
sees the needs, the distress and suf-
fering OF his fellow man, is in know
| ing he can be of service. Knowing
that he can bind a broken heart,
lessen the burden of the weary one,
and make brighter and easier the
way of the tired and weary pilgram
and that with ready hand and open
heart, he can nobly and wisely serve
his loved ones, his friends, and his
neighbors from the least unto the
greatest.
So If one finds pleasure i'm doing
small act for a fellow being, then
infinitely greater must be the joy
in doing service for our Lord and
king. In the dark days of the revo-
luton Washington with his soldiers
paid the price in winters untold
suffering and harships. The gallant
heroes in the strife of the sixtys paid
1t with life, with wrecked homes
and fortunes. Yet true and constant
service may mean a continued service
but II has its rewards. Martyrs, Sol
diers, Statesmen and all who serve
well have their reward in the price
and happiness that are sure to fol-
low. Such service then we count
glorious privilege to render. A uni
versal privilege, for indeed none is
excluded from showing 1t, except he
who excludes himself.
To all things, even the plants
from the tiniest flowers that. bloom
unseen, to the greatest oak Of the
forest. To all creatures from the
worm that grovels In the dust to
ilim that was made in the image Of
the maker It IL given to serve each
other and to serve the Creator, but
to mere man alone 1t is given to
serve with reason and purpose.
1t has been said that We become a
part of all we meet. Then II In no
other way we can serve our friends
and companions by living lives OF
love, purity and Goodness; lives of
nobleness, lives with high aims and
ambitions, keeping before US the
highest standard and fashioning our
conduct after the one perfect pattern.
One does not need to possess silver
or gold. one does not need social
rank in life, that he may thus serve.
We might enumerate the various
ways of serving, service in the
home, to the community, to the coun-
try and to God. Yet kindness here.
a service there. A deed of love today,
word of patience tomorrow, all like
the rivulet and streams, that go to
make the almighty river, flowing on
to the boundless ocean. All join to
make one noble and harmonious life
of praise, and service to him who
made and loveth all things both
great and small, and If we have serv-
ed well in the little way, as oppor-
tunity was given us, so have we serv-
ed we'll our God.
How often we abuse the privilege
of service by not doing our best, or
by not giving the full measure of our
capacity, for doing unto others a half
way service is worse than no service
at all. God demands the best we have,
he demands the whole sole, whole
hearted and constant service. His
tory records the names of those who
closed their day in remorse for hav-
ing lost their privilege. Threw 1t
away or sold it for low price. For
small sum of gold. The bumper
sold out to the enemy, thus proving
traitor to the cause they represent
ed. They not only lost the privilege
of serving their country but died in
shame and disgrace ont of the local,
unhonored and unloved. Then let us
remember that what ever has been
given us. whether it be physical
strength or mental ability. whether
it be power of hand head or heart,
whether We possess of this world 3
pOOdu in every sense IL Ia q call for