Year: 1869

IVY Work! hdVo speCiai Woih w pei
form here in this great bustling world !?
Has God given me something to do, that no
other being in this broad universe can accom-
plish Cannot my neighbor, or my brother
in the church, do it just as well; and may
not leave it to him? Certainly my minis
ter can do it better than can-or some of
the church officers perhaps. Why may not
the angels perform it2 Are they not all
ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for
them who shall be heirs of salvation :"
Certainly Gabriel can do it, for he is
mighty archangel, and "excels in strength"
Can no one do my work, but myself? Has
God given me position of so much impor
tance, and of such grave responsibility in his
government as this?


These thoughts are perhaps passing
through your mind, dear reader; and being
humble and honest inquirers after truth,
God will as certainly answer them, as He
gives heed to every other cry of the soul for
more of the light of heaven. Let US turn
to his Word and read this little passage,
"And so every one of us must give account
of himself to God" Oh, what power there
is in that little expression, "every one"
1t seems to say to us, "you have your res
possibilities, you have your individual and
special obligations !"


But these carry along with them the idea
of their corresponding duties. That is to
say, if "every one of US must give an &C
count of himself to God," the "account"
will embrace the performance or neglect of
special duties. So you see the Word of
God is very clear in fixing upon you such
obligations as no other being in the universe
can discharge. Nor is this to be wondered
at, when we reflect that you are, and ever
must be, both in time and eternity, an ele-
ment in that great moral and social COM
pound that we call Society" And being
SO, you enter into its very life-springs, and
constitute part, and vital part, of its liv-
ing organism. In other words, you are a
member, whether arm, heart, or brain;
whether ear, eye, hand or foot, of body
that is so '.joined together and compacted by
that which every joint supplieth," that one
member cannot suffer except all the others
suffer with it.


What then is the conclusion Why GER
tainly you have your work. God has given
it to you; and He requires that heart, mind,
and body should be consecrated to its per-
formance.


But you ask, "what is it?" Pray, pray,
and God will point it out to you in the order
of his providence. Let your hungering,
thirsting soul be daily, hourly, aye, every
moment, if other duties permit, going up to
him with the question "Lord, what wilt thou
have me to do?" And you need have no
fears that abundance of opportunity for do
ing good will not be opened before you.
Your talents may be few, your position in
life may be obscure, and all that; but God
calls you there, and places the objects
around you upon which your gifts are to be
exercised. Nor does He forget your own
good in this wise and 'benefcent adjustment
of your circumstances, and in this call to
labor in his service. But He leaves you to
discover the pleasing truth of the existence
of an expansive power in active obedience,
that brings out and SO beauties, and elevates
all the faculties of the soul, as that it may
stand before him in all the dignity, yet in
all the lowly meekness of true Christian
character. PHIL.