Year: 1870

Spurgeon, in recent sermon, says:


"There are men in this world who never
do anything with energy, who never, under
any circumstances, throw force into any
thing they have to do. They walk over the
sands of life with light foot, and make no
impression while others, as they tread the
pathway which God has allotted for them,
take care to bring down their feet with such
frmness of purpose and fxedne8s of resolve,
that they leave behind them footprints on
the sands of time which shall be seen by
others after many days. The puff. ball is the
emblem of many forceless life. See yon-
der man with hammer in his hand. He
touches the heads of the nails right daintily,
as if he were afraid to hurt them. See
another. How heartily he drives them in,
and gives them yet another blow to clench
them and make all sure Too many play
at work; but the earnest man means work
when be is working, and throws his heart
into it. 1t is dreadful to see some men at
their ordinary occupation. cannot call it
labor; one drop of their perspiraton must
be very costly thing, as rare as pearl Of
the FIRST water But others throw their soul
into whatsoever they have to do, and nos on
| ly strike whlIe tne iron Is hot, but make the
iron hot by striking. They do not wait for
opportunities, but accept the present event
as an opportunity. They work with both
hands, and make the anvil ring again with
the music of their hearty blows.


Now, in the service Of God we are bound
to fulfil our work with the utmost degree of
vigor. If the Lords work is worth doing,
it is worth doing well; and, as the service
of Christ is the highest in which any man
can be engaged, the Master ought to be
served with body, soul, and spirit All that
is within US should bless his holy name
We should keep our spiritual faculties
strained up to the highest possible tension,
that all the strength we haye may be fully
given to him. Let us serve Christ with all
the ability we have. How little it is, com
pared with his desevings Shall he be put
off with our dregs and our dreamings? If
we were to live always at the topmost bent
of zeal; if we should put on high pressure,
and should work for Christ to the highest
point of spiritual energy yet exhibited by
mortal man; yet should We give but faint
return for that agony and bloody sweat, that
cross and passion, which have opened the
kingdom of heaven for us. BY running,
then, I understand an energetic spiritual
life, life on fire; and 1 pray that many of
us may have grace in this sense to run the
race which is set before US. The ideal l
would form Of a Christian man raised up to
do his Master good service, is that of Elijah
when he girded up his loins and ran before
the chariot of Ahab. Hale old man See
how nimbly he flies along that dusty road !
With what ardent enthusiasm he dashes for
ward to reach the shelter SO soon to be need
ed for his faith expects that speedily the
heavens, which have gathered blacknesS, will
pour'down the needed rain. BE it yours and
mine to outstrip the energy of this world,
and SO to run in our Masters ways as to
prove that the servants of Christ can render
him more loyal and devoted service than
princes win from their fayorites and hatter-
ers. Like Gabriel, may we be made to fly
swiftly; like all the angels of God, may we
be made as flames of fire"