Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1924-10-23
THE GLORY OF THE SECOND
MILE
BY Rev. Castor R. Coyner)

There are people in the world who
win do what they are compelled to do.
There are others who will not do what
they ought to do because of laziness
or selfishnes or some other evil in
their lives. There are preferred
Christians who seem to grudgingly
attend to religious duties, but do no
more than is necessary to get by,
They may be seen in the church SER
vice on Sunday morning, but when it
comes to Sunday night or prayer
meeting they are a minus quantity.
To work faithfully through revival
winning souls to Christ would be al
together impossible with them. Such
folk may be called church members
good people in a way and decent and
all that, but as far as being great
souls with the fire Of God bhrning in
their hearts because of Holy Ghost
power, and doing such for the adj
vancement of the Kingdom of Heaven
they can not be classified as such.
They merely get along and are able
to pass. Some of them do not have
time for the things of God because
their time and attentin is to great
extent taken up by the frivolous plea
sures of the world such as card par
ties, dances, immoral and question
able theatrical productions and mo-
tion pictures shows and a great many
others things that could be mention
ed. Four, five or six hours spent in
some so-called society social of an
evening are given willingly by those
who think they are above the common
herd; but to give fortyfive minutes
meeting scarcely enters their minds.
1t seems that such folk will never en-
joy Heaven if they get there. If we
don't enjoy talking to God and rear
ing His Word and singing songs of
praise to Him, we'll be out of our
place in Heaven. Heaven would be
he'll to those who are swallowed up
by worldliness and are not interested
in things that are high and holy.
That for which the second mile
stands-To overplus of goodness, UNI
selfishness and SERVICES seem
throughout the whole Gospel. The
law said, Thou shalt not kill but
Christ said "Be not angry The law
forbade adultery Christ prescribed
evil thought. In other words, in His
Interpretation of the old code Christ
taught men to go the second mile. We
are not merely to resist from open
sin but we are to get rid of evil
thoughts in which outward acts of
sin have their origin. God Himself
works on the plan of the second mile.
He not only has pardon, but abundant
pardon Not only will He give us
victory but He promises to make US
more than conquerors.
Readers, if wuld know the glary
of the second mile, you must do
little more than you could get by with
You must not stop at the noon hour
before the whistle is due blowing. You
must not drop the hammer and fail to
finish pounding in the nail merely be-
cause you might if you wish. And
in the Kingdom of Heaven mems soul
will be filled with unspeakable joy if
they will only go the second mile with
Christ Be not content be Chris
tian--be a working Christian. Do
not sit by in the church and say that
so-and-so may do it, merely because
you think you can. Roll up your
sleeves and say, Jesus | am ready
to work for You; what must | do?"
Don't sit at home when it rains or
SHOWS and the weather seems disa-
greeable to you, and say, 'Pll not go
to Sunday School and church to-day
the weather is to bad" Co. wealth
error no. How can people stand in
the Church and sing" Faith of our
fathers living still,' and Glow sweet
hould be their children state If they
like them could die for Thee, when
they won't even go to worship God
through little bad weather? We
are not ready yet to die for God if we
are not ready to walk through a little
mud and water for Him.
We must go the second mile in our
relations to our fellow men. To do
this we have but to follow the exam
pie of our blessed Saviour, who not
only went one mile in helping up the
sick and sorrowing and all who need
ed His aid, but He went the second
mile by dying on the Tree, bearing in
His body all the sins of the world,
that all who will accept may have the
water of eternal life that quenches
the thirst of the soul forever. We