The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1916-07-27
THE PE0FLe'S Run.
A Few Words More On Half Heart
edneSS.


Back of all this, which shows ITSELF
in lack of zeal, obedience. patience and
perseverance. and as the prime cau>e
of it is lack of Fairh. The kings
want Of faith in the virtue Of the sym-
bolism, which with the arrogance of
proud and worldly minded man he may
have regarded as childish. But none
of the Lords ways with his creatures
are childish, though he may have to
simplify them 20 that they can be COM
pretended by children.
We are only grown up children,
though we usually forget the faith of
childhood.
Lack of faith is the great hindrance
in all Christian work. We censure
Joash. Yet Christians show the want
of true fate, though they have the I'M
breakable promises of God. We have
the encouragement which Elisha gave
so freely of the Lords deliverance. The
power which delivered Israel out of the
hand of Pharaoh, which turned back
the waves of the sea; which filled the
dry valley with water and thus gave
victory to His people: which smote the
Syrians with blindness and delivered
his own out of the hand of their. enc
mics. That power Is pledged to deliver
US. What determination, what resolute
energetic purpose this should awaken
in our minds! The Lord is on the side
of His people, therefore victory Is sure
With this assurance we may redouble
our efforts against the enemies of the
Lord. But alas. like Joash, when we
have an opportunity of showing our
faith by our efforts, we show how little
faith we have in the promises of God.
If we believe Gods word is true, that
His promises are final, it is only reason
able that we should act on them To
every unsaved SOUL the Lord says, be-
lieve on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou
shalt be saved He promises salvation,
but it's ours to accept it whole hearted
ly. There is condition coupled with
this promise. 1t is faith on our part.
Just taking Christ as our Saviour and
serving Him as out king.
Joash like, we would like to get to
heaven without treading the narrow
path. The broad road Is easier, there
are more in it, but it doesn't lead to
heaven. We would like to have sal
walton but we do not want it in God s
way. But it's that way or nothing.
Arise, smite your unbelief, smite your
temper to the earth. Subdue your pas
sions. Strive to enter in at the narrow
door, then the warning voice you heard,
the good impression you perceived will
be to you the arrow of the Lords de-
liverance. Would you have the bless
ing, fulfill the condition. Many who
call themselves servants expect the re-
ward of the faithful. Yet they are do
ing nothing for the Master. They are
not working in his vineyard yet they
want the wages Of the best workman.
Our Master has taken his journey
To country that's far away
And has left US the care of his vineyard
To work for Him day by day.
He says | am with you, but the pro-
mise depends on the work, and the
work depends on the promise.
We can't expect the divine blessing if
we are not doing His work if we do not
mediate on His words.
We would naturally expect faith on
the part of Gods people, in view of the
proofs of Divine power In the life of
Elisha, Joash had abundant proofs of
that power, yet he evidenced lack of
faith. In the history of the church we
have proofs of that power, yet where
is the faith at all proportioned to the
strength of the evidence on which it
rests.
No better testimony to the power of
the gospel exists, than the history of
Modern Missions. The Christian re-
ligion is recognized by Madagascar as
the religion of state. Idols have been
burned. 1t has lightened up the Dark
Continent.
The beautiful results of want of faith
are seen in life, patience and Christian
work. Many who went part of the
way with the Master turned back and