The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-07-19


for In due season shall! reap II We faint
not"-Gals tians VI. ?.
The Callahan Christians needed to be
encouraged in face of the manifold
difficulties which confronted them. The
apostle speaks thus TO them: You
are troubled in view OF the prosperity
of the wicked and the Affections of the
righteous You have been almost
tempted TO doubt whether there be
God or not, VINO ruleth over all But
] have assured YOU that God is not
Knocked Men may think that He has
forgotten TO reward the good and pun
ish the wicked. But the time of retri-
button is not yet. This is the seed
time and men are sowing their good
and OWL grain AS they SOW they shall
in well-doins. do not lose heart
though God seems to be unmindful and
appearances are against you; for in
due season ~ shall reap if ye faint
not.
II would seem that the very con-
seriousness of doing that which is right
ought To make weariness and faint
heartedness Impossible. 1t would If we
were either physically or spiritually
perfect. But we are not. We are
frail and mutable beings Our powers
OF endurance and endeavor are lin
tied. WEAKNESS is an attribute of our
bodies and minds. Even in the most
congenial pursuits. under the most
propitious circumstances. when all
things conspire to encourage and sim
ulate the penalty or frailty must be
borne i'll the form of a WEAKNESS which
clogs our energy and impedes our
progress.
MOTIVE POWER
MUST BE CONSTANT
We make a start in well-doing. We
feel the power OF the world to come
But no impulse at the beginning. how
ever strong, can last a great while.
Motive power must be constant If mo-
ton is to be constant. All things tend
TO state Of rest Nature, animate and
inanimate, often abhorS labor more
than vacuum. The first impulse un-
der which we acted becomes more and
more feeble our zeal flags We lose
heart and grow weary in we'll doing
This is the experience even under the
most favorable conditions But WELL
doing has TO he carried on in face
of manifold discouragements. In a gem
eral way these may be classed as
| three: first, those which arise from
the opposition of our own hearts. In
the most advanced period of our Chris
tian experience our hearts contain
enough Selfshncss and pride to make
il most uncomfortable for us. to say
the least. This foe within commands
the avenues which lead to the will, and
memory and imagination are called
!tllO MS service. Inc result Is tnHt We
| complain and fret and whine. Second,
those which arise from our associa-
lions and associates, The disparaging
word. the careless look, and the un-
sympathetic bearing easily extinguish
zeal.
observation-disclosures or
NEGATIVE OBSTRUCTION
negative obstruction is often more
effective than the most intense perse-
oh, q
These meaning and heartlcss smiles!
These little side remarks OF criticism
ami detraction, we are the worms that
destroy the vines" They are the cank
ers that eat up the spiritual life. they
arc the crevices that let in the frost
to Kill the buds OF promise and OF hope.
These difficulties come not only from
the enemies of the truth and of right
eousness. but sometimes from the
avowed advocates of the right. We
can brave the former, but the action
of the latter results in the crushing
ground unmarked BY all but Him
| whose eye saw the wish to serve.
whose heart valued the love that it
betrayed. and whose tenderness SYM
pathized when man was cold and hard.
Third, those which seem to be Gre
| aztec BY God Himself. That may seen,
strange statement. but il is true.
In the exercise Of His fatheriy discre-
ton. He often hedges in His chill
dren and builds mountains in their
pathway: of course, for their good Our
desire to serve Him. so far from gain
inS us immunity from suffering and
trial, seems but TO multiply them. II
seems SO. Very frequently our hearts
pervert our view. But sometimes IL
is true that God heaps these obstacles
| before us with the hands of His own
Providence. And why? To test us to
Z .t,...,
develop the strength of our purposes
by exercise. to discover whether these
attempts to serve Him are the express
| sion Of impulse, transient and shallow.
or OF deep convictions strong prnci-
pies. and powerful motives.
"lF; SHALL. REACH,
IL YE FAINT NOT"
The one especial way which The
apostle seems To have had in mind
is by withholding the results that
should crown our labors. To use his
figure. We SOW, we water. We pray.
we work, we look for tho fruit But
no results are disclosed The seed
/ seems not to be in the earth. Parents
pray for their children. Sunday school
! workers labor for the pupils under
! their care Pastors work for those
! committed TO their charge. They
seem 10 labor in vain. The shadow
| OF a great despair comes over them
J at l3lIcS. 1 llueE All lIlt OtilDlNeu IN =
! fuences, often is the lament of David
| taken up-"Oh. that had wings like
II dove FOR then would I fly away
| and be at rest"
But here is the promise OF God: Ye
| shall reap, faint not be not weary.
| There are some peculiar hardships and
! discourag ements in the service OF Coo
which arise from the causes that have
been mentioned as we'll as from others
| But there is at least ono peculiar con-
ISOLATION and incentive--no service for
| Him Is unrequited. In the cemeteries
| OF our land We are impressed with the
| great number OF the unrecorded dead
| who fell IN the Service of their land.
I There are no unrecorded heroes in the
Masters cause. Earthly objects OF de-
votion may disappoint us Friends
may turn from us in the day OF ad
versity. The child upon whom we
have lavished the wealth OF affection
| may grow up TO bring shame TO our
hearts and home. The riches that we