The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-01-29

In Romans, the twelfth chapter and
the first verse: Il beseech ye, there
fore, brethren, by the mercies OF God,
that we present your bodies living
sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God
We have here a call for volunteers
and not an order for draft The
army OF God is never made up OF
drafted men and women. God has
never owned a slave. All the service
that weighs an ounce in the sight OF
God is that which is prompted by
love. 1t isn't a call 10 hard duty,
but to glorious privilege. 1t Is not
something you must do, but something
that you may do. 1t Is not a com
mand or a bid to a laborer 10 take a
hoe and spade and go out an the
field and dig. but loving invitation
TO a son to do the thing that can ex-
press your gratitude.
See the motive that prompts our
action: Il heseech you by the mercy
OF God'--not the judgments of God.
not the seventies of God. not the an
ger OF God. 1t Is Calvary to which
the text points, and not Sinai. 1t is
the gospel and not the law through
which God makes the appeal. and the
compelling force is gratitude, not fear
No child will ever do its best II 1t
is kept half scared to death for fear
1t will be licked II it doesn't, and IL
it Is doing it's best, and you appreci-
ate that, it will encourage 1t to do
better.
We are not commanded to do it.
but we are entreated. and that's the
amazing thing. God has the right
and the power to make you or me do
anything He wants done, but He isn't
dealing with you In that way-not at
all. He is giving you chance to
show Him that you love Him.
by the mereies OF God" What do
they mean to us? Has God been good
to us. and If so, how good has He
been and how much? Have we any
thing to be grateful for. and if so.
what?
The man who loves his wife, he
will take time. no matter how many
business cares and duties crowd in
upon him, to sit down and think back
and recall how good she has been. the
sacrifices she has made, and IL he
does that his heart will never grow
cold and you will never find him
whining around the courthouse for
divorce. r.
And the protested child Of God
that doesn't do similar thing for
the Lord. he isn't worth a nickel-a-
wants to keep our hearts warm by
having US frequently consider what
God has done for us and is doing, and
the only thing that can inspire graft
tude is His goodness.
Let's 60 back and see X we have
anything to be thankful for, IL God
has done anything for you worth con.
sdering. / don't care; you can sit
there, vile sinner. and yet God AL
mighty has done something for you
that is worth considering, although
you have never taken His name on
your lips except In blasphemy and
derision.
Do Some Counting.
All, by the mercies OF Godw Let's
do little counting. Mark Guy Pierce
was out one evening with his little
girl. 1t was beautiful night, with
out cloud In the sky. and the stars
were twinkling. and she threw her
head back and said. "Oh, Papa, look
at the stars! Ny. aren't there q lot
OF them. !, 2, 3, 4. s, 6, IA, Is, l25,
1885," she said. I'm tired. I didn't
know there were so many"
They have counted $4,000 and
started yet. The mercies of
God--you might as we'll try to count
the drops of water In the ocean. You
might as well attempt to count the
grains OF sand by the seashore. You
might as well try to count Office seek
ers after a presidential election.
But it won't hurt you 70 try, and
think II win help ycu Z little BIT. The |
man who has q little God % the one |
VINO never takes 3t0o 70 oonGe4er