The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1916-11-30
THE PEOPLES FORUM.
EarneStneSs.

COHtllulllS WI6E6 leII OlL last W6eh
let me say that earnestness is demand
ed because it succeeds in accomplishing
its object as nothing else does.
1t is one of the favored instruments
in religious work. True the spirit con-
verts by the use of the truth, but this
must be presented to the mind and the
judgment must be convinced before the
spirit works through the instrument Of
the truth.
The attention must be aroused hence
the most useful workers are those who
arrest the attention and in doing this
earnestness is most potent factor.
Rowland Hills earnestness gave him
his great success so with Jones, Howell
Harris and Christmas Evans that noted
trio of Wales. who shook their country
with fiery eloquence. That is one ele-
ment of Billy Sundays powers. Ed
wards never would have succeeded so
well had it not been for the fiery zeal
OF his soul.
Luther the Reformer, Calvin the
Theologian, Zevingle the heroic preach
err, John Knox who feared not the face
Of man, Wesley the fiery ambassador
of the cross are patterns worthy of our
imitation. 1t is true IN every phase of
life. We may not have great learning
but we can lay ourselves out for use
fitness.
Earnestness will arouse luminosity and
excite prejudice but you will attract at
tention and secure the help of others.
Error is always in earnest. Moham-
med was the soul of earnestness in
disseminating his errors, but it was by
the sword. The issues of the day leave
no stone unturned to push their claims
and cast their shadow over Christendom.
Earnestness shows itself in our manner
of speech and work. We admire the
earnestness of the orator and there
have been lot of them going up and
down our land of late. The power of
oratory has its foundation in the prin-
ciples of our nature, and savage
and civilized nations haye &C
knowledged the power of oratory, not
only to convey instruction, but to make
lasting impressions.
1t is said that truth ought to make
its own way independent of good elo-
cution. So it should, but in many cases
these thinge are necessary to gain the
attention and secure the consideration
without which it cannot make I'M
preston. Hum the fastidious skeptic
once said of Whitfield that it was worth
going 20 miles to hear him. What has
been and is true of great preachers to-
day, is true of every vocation in life.
How shall we get this essential com
modify? The constraining power of
love for ones success. 1t accomplishes
results. Show me great man or wo-
man in any field, be it literature. phil
osophy, Philanthropy or religion and |
will show you one who in every fiber of
his being is intensely in earnest. Indi-
cate any great movement whatever
which has swept this earth and | will
guarantee that it originated in mind.
and was excited by the will of our ire
mendously in earnest. So earnest was
our Divine Master, that cold blooded
critics said, HE hath a dev il and is
mad"
They could not appreciate the con-
Stunning fire that was burning in the life
currents of his nature. But he was the
grandest success of the world.
Such was the temper and spirit of the
founders of the church. They believed
with al! their hearts, and worked with
their might. Paul, of proud heroic
race, born amid the classic glories of
Athens, when all that was great in art,
learning, literature, poetry and song
found it's highest expression, when con-
verted to the faithhe had so relentliessly
prosecuted, was ever after controlled
by the overmastering ambition to serve
Him who had called him and made him
an apostle. Hear him in his intense
zeal, crying out as he referred to the
various trials and perils through which
he passed, "but none of these .rhings
moved me-" Nothing could dim the
ardor of his soul.
If such glowing earnestness:had con-
tinued from the beginning who can
doubt but that the barrier of our holy
faith would ere this have waved oyer
the nations of the earth and the king
doms of this world having become the
kingdom of our Lord. They surely will