Trench and camp. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, 1918-05-01
(By Clark Main, Sergt. Headquarters
CompanV OrdnanceA

(By Clark Main, sergt Headquarters
Company, Ordnance)
n every walk Of life, it is the man
with q purpose who attains the. greatest
success. Wealth power and distinction
come to the comparatively few who are
able to keep constantly before their eyes
the detectives they seek looking neither
to right nor left but pressing steadily
forward toward the desired goals. The
young college man who varies the grind
Of his professional studies with reckless
dissipation. in later years notes with
envy the heights Of success attained by
his DOMINATE in school, who chose the
soft glow of the study lamp in prefer
euce to the calcium glare of the White
Way. The girl to whom God has in
trusted beautiful voice desires to train
1t to make the most Of it--but seeks re-
taxation from her arduous work by in
duglng III pastinleS that destroy all the
beauty and music in her SOUL and then
wonders why the mechanical perfection
of her voice fails to move her audiences.
She does not desire success with that
unswerving determination and indifference
to sacrifice that alone can merit it. The
ultimate contamination OF desire awaits
at the end of o mario, stony trail. from
each side Of which lead wide. inviting
highways, seductive with beautiful vstas,
pleasant windings, and carpeted with vel!
vety grass. but as the pilgrim travels
them, their brilliant Beauty paleS in the
fading light, and journeys end finds
him bitterly disappointed. Success, then,
awaits the man whose purpose Is strong,
whose heart is fixed.
The true Christians interest is com
prehensive, including God. his brother
man. and himself. So the purpose Of
true Christian must be three-foId-to
serve God. to love his fellow man, and for
himself to seek the joys OF. intimate re-
lationship with God; and on tho accom-
plishment Of this purpose, his heart Is
fixed
So closely related are the elements of
this threshold purpose that any effort
made to accomplish one of the desired
ends invariably leads closer to the other
two. Service to God finds it's happiest
expression in labors of love for Gods
children. and the natural result Of that
work is closer relationship between God
and him who thus serves.
The Christian who cries, 30. God. my
heart is fixed on this purpose" is not
turned aside by the 'glittering lure Of
wealth or the appeal of temporal power;
enhancing, rosy hued yistas' fragrant
with promise Of rich enjoyment in the
qualification of the desires of the flesh
invite him in vain. His forward prog
reaS is steady and sure. NO weak hold
has he on the things Of God, but q grip
Of steel. His course is unaltered alike
by the petty ripplies of a sun-lit calm, or
The mighty smashing waves of troubles
storm--ht heart is fixed.
Are we as Christians going to dedicate
our lives to the fulfilment of this pur-
aose? After the dedication must come
he finding of our work. Let US not
choose our own field of endeavor let
great win OF God and be satisfied with
he work assigned us by his guiding
spirit Let that task be performed not
rs an rksome duty, but as work of love
FOR our fellow men whom we are SerV
ng We shall be astonished by the re-
sultant increase in the intimacy existing
Aetween ourselves and God
The fact that the three elements of
this purpose are inseparable makes it
tpossihle to bring all of them to our
thought by discussing just one. the first
service to God Serving God means work
ing for him. God expects very def
mite work from his Church, although i'll
the highly organized machinery of the
modern church that definite object is
too often abscured. The true church of
Christ Is not Just mfssionry society,
nor Il social service unit, nor an organiza-
ton for the promotion among it's mem
bers of recreation and culture Tho pri-
mary object of the true church is to win
and to keep won-the souls of men for
the KINGDOM of God The varied activi-
ties of the organized church are but the
means by which is accomplished this
great end
God expects the same service from the
individual Christian. The most import
ant thing in our lives is not gaining an
education, earning livelihood, or win
ming a commission in the army-the most
important thing in our lives is that we
should serve the Lord by winning for
him the souls of men. God expects from
you and from me the definite service of
constraineth us-we can not disappoint
Him.
The field is white TO the harvest. In
our barracks, in cur tents, we live side
by side with men who have not in their
hearts the joy of fellowship with Christ
How can we selfishly keep from telling
them of the happiness that is ours. and
that may be theirs for the taking.
You say the work is hard. Is any
thing worth while easy to do! We are
men and would resent being given work
that could be done by child. We
should be glad TO do this personal work
for God. grateful to him for the chal-
lenge OF the difficult task that brings out
the best there is in us. Let us be mind
full of the ufaiing source of our strength
the God who assigns us the difficult
task is the same God who says that his
grace is sufficient for us.
II will serve the Lord with giadness.
because that is the effective way to
serve Him. A physician who could not
cure himself of the simplest ailments,
would not be troubled with large prac-