The Lutheran visitor. (Columbia, S.C.) 1869-1904, August 31, 1870, Image 1
T
fjf
*: I
7
S^S•i“v* ci *f..
g? Si**"*^
!»
!2
”-- Z
I
mperf«*ot in
'I
[inal
r,»
I.
i^lWTO.
A j«b
■V'il
- ■) i
i
it.
ti*
V
Kai^
r .»-,.,
UP
m
**x?
41
i * 1
1
r -‘
r "L* J
»hI
y T «, i -i — .Ml,mijm* 1 ■ ‘ 1 ■■ - » "■■U'i l ,.Tx=rr:rrzrr\
U . . "ONE LORD, OB
■-t ' ' - • ■>" ll IWIT- 1. ■ *■ m' „• ----- —
.«”Vr ratal. ■ ■ =a*r- — .-g.,! ax. ..a, ra: j :
[E FAITH, ONE BAPTI81f'-EPHB8lAN8 IV: 5.
i • .1
.
to
W vy. ;
i SERIES, YOL. 3.-N0. 1. COLTJMBI.
1 ft U s
*
i t S. C„ WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 1870. , OLD SERIES, VOI,
- • r
V.~
■NO. 105.
5 \ >
f -,r:
TIHsifov
• ■■ • J
jS PUBLISI
[WEDKESPAY
■ lirl
&
Lr
-H r
fT
MAS'Vim
at #3.50
their W
are
lvauec.
a <to not
time t;
be cl
f
n is fttruishe<l
r year, if paid
and Stu-
#2.00 per
w within three
lr year begins,
‘ fifty cants
in
to,
>3 go pm
.H J
j
ll
uvgs.
r 3 ^*
of
“•lend
1 n tu
1 a in
*■» iu
p n»
P>
til l Its
Ji.rtl*
many respect*, much mare in
preset ve than that miracle recorded
in Old Testament history—familiar,
no doubt, to many of them—wli#n,
at the won! of the Lord, spoken k>
the Prophet Elijah, the poor widosr's
barrel of meal wasted not, nor her
cruse of oil failed, nntil the day tint
the Lord sent rain upon the earth.
Well might those who witnessed
such displays ns this, look at one
another in reverential awe aud ask,
“Hot* can this, man do nock wort*,
ejcccpt God he Kith him T*
Hut, leaving every other point
suggested by the record of this mka-
de, have we not here forcibly broag ht
to mind the important and ever to
be remembered lesson of trntli, ptot-
wi Mi standing the fact that the day
of mireles is past,) that, however
insignificant, to all human appear
unco, may be the means at our com
maud for the, accomplishment of
. certain ends, those means will yet
become all-anffljcieut when we have
added to their faithful ns** the Mes
sing of Him to whom all power
belongoth f And have we not, in
this holy word of inspiration, every
>uld lie given, that
that blessing shall not be wonting,
when that tin* which it is sought
a thing that' is right in the eyes
of tiod, aud when the blessing is
prayed for .with true sincerity and
union>r so many r-j faith T The question of Andrew—
“tchat are they among to manyf"—
or questions substantially the same,
»ave been and,an* now constantly
de hm| followed Jesus up (asked, in variops ways and by va
ns
or Aovrifrtsixo:
(one inch bf column); .
75
.... *50
.... 5 00
.... 7 00
.... 10 00
squares and
r wnt, of
per cent.,
40 per cent.,
upwards, 50
in the above
tbs
nt* of tl
nt of
d up
column
deducted
hsu more than Avs lines,
rii*. payable
ight wor
in
cents per quarter,
uember all business lst-
dressed tA
Rzv. A. R. RUI>E,
Columbia, &. C.
Sermon.
r ore the JCrangelical
* b<%r«/ Synod in North w
i «< W’inchettJr, Tu., Jnnc [ •
% b.Jter. J). M. Gilbert. 18
fi by fir/wci#.] ; t
gnuat
ual to
urn*
for
■•
■ ’
:JL.. .
AWry pert|e nt question sum*in oil
this d the text A great multitude
into • ntounfafi by tlic shore of the Irious people, in their attempts to
sea of < <iilil(M*.|They liad crowded fbring discredit upon the instrumen
around him a)id thronged after him, Italitics ap|M)inteil for the u[>btiilding
beciuse they hs| seen the miracles *of onr Redeemer's Kingdom upon
which he had (fine; and prompted, the earth;*but he who cherishes a
some by one i*|tive and some by genuine, abiding confidence in Clod
a not bet, were tnxions to witness ; and his word of truth, so far from
bis flower. In lieing troubled by them, ean hope-
their cigerness |o bear, the words, fully answer, knowing the eertmuty
and e^M-itdly f*8eo tin* works, of of the thing whereof lie speaks,
this^mfeMvondcfcl^* sill 'teachers, “even us the five loaves and two | bears back to the ramp
whom mlmy lull concluded mnst,! fishes for tlic feeding of the five j the* head of this much lea:
t, thet' had been tiKidsand, they are of tliemarlvcs severed from Ids body by
a certain mcas- j nothing, but with tlic blessing of' sword,
ness. 1So absorb- {god njion them and the power of; Now, was there not in tty*e two
the payings and God working In them aud through j coses, as meu connnonly
that the number of till* ajrmy should
be diminished. It is
reduced to ton thousand
the Lord, again, saying, M
are too mouy^Airthei ted
made, until but three hit
are left. With tleae Gideon
forth ngaiust the enemiea of 1
Not against equal uumbera of them,
but agaiust the whole, countless
host And what was the result t
>Vliy, at the very first blast of
Gideon’s trumpets, and the first
utterance of his battle cry,, that vast
multitude of stalwart warriprs, whose
power had known no check,umler all
the ofipoaing force the tribes of
Israel could set in the
driven before this little
hopeless con (Vision, ami in foe fright
ftil panic which ensued l km-sun* their
own destroyers. The might of
Midian was brokpn awl the people
of Israel were saved.
Again, the armies of Israel, umler
Saul, their king, are marshalled iu
hostile array against the
awl there is great dismay , and eon
fhsiiHi iu the camps of the Israelites.
A mighty giant, Goliath of Gath,
had come forth from the finuies of
the Philistines ami defied the armies
of Israel, demanding a man of the
followers of Sun! to fight wjfh hjm—
projmsing that foe ftite of jbcir re-
spective armies should rest apon the
issue of this single eomUnt. Hut
mm eould be fouikl Cf,tlr Israel
ites to accept the challcng* of this
haughty foe. Again and again, iu
honstfol, insnlting tone is tl
let offered; yet none feel
cofie with the giant «l»am
nally, a slender, smooth
herd-bov, zealous for the <*au*<* of
liia country ami his God,'gia's forth
to the M*enilHgIy unequal strife, ami
with s smooth |ieblde from the bfook
ami his shepherd** sling,
braggart giant has time to
blow, fell* him to the earth, amt
Israel
what matteredto him that his
adversary was in height aix cubits
aud a span, or that tbs staff of his
spear was like a weaver’s beam f
He knew that infinitely greater waa
He who was for 1dm, than the great
est who coo Id come against him ;
and feeble youth, in comparison with
the giant, though ha was, be went
forth with all confidence to victory.
Whatever others might thick, he
well kuaw—and the event proved
it—that He whom he served could
give such precision to his aim, aad
force to hil blow, an to bring this
hoaatfol defier of the at tales of the
living God lifeless and harmless to
the dost, and oace more save His
people.
And again, not la enlarge too
much here, I hasten to remark,
that this teaching suggestcd by* the
text might be abamlantly illustra
ted from the history of the estab
lishment aud perpetuation of Oirist’*
church upon' the earth. When a
few humble fishermen went oat from
their homes preochiug a kingdom,
not of this world, of which Jesus
of Nazareth was the Christ aud
King, were they not regarded by
mill tit mica as only so many harm
less fatuities f Were there not those
who felt, that ns for as the atoom
into, or hypocrites, and how few
exhibit la earnest, faithful lives the
spirit of- Christ, it Seems natural,
and is natural, for men of the world
*UH to aak— u Wkui are (tog among
no mumg T They are few and'iosuffi
cient, of a truth, when we vegan!
them as mere mat; but wbeu we
think of them at. the children of
God and co-workers with God -
whoa we thiuk of them as the heirs
of the promises, sad recall the di
vine pledge, u Lof I am with you
alwngy, even unto the and of the
world,” and refieet how the Almighty,
in the work of the world’s evaa-
gelisatfou, can and data one the
foahah things of this world to eon.
found the thiaga that are wise,
aad the weak things of the world
to confound the things that are
mighty—that it io not by the might
or power of man, bat by the Lord**
spirit that prophecy* is to be accom
plished and the promises fulfilled—
then can we see how the kingdom
Of Christ is like the leave** hhl in
three measures of meal, which must
work aud work until the whole lamp
is leavened(ton can ws understand
how the predicted time may come,
when u a nation shall be bora iu a
day,” aud when, at last, “tbs moon
phi pf the Lord's
plUliiiH’iit of the work /or which • estatdished in the top of the moon
they pretended to be comniissiotied
was concerned, they were too frw,
too unlearned, too nninflnetotial to
socreed f Here again, the question
was often ami variously answered,
all the changes rang bjiou it, iu
every tone from indifference to.
contempt— u What are tkrf
tains, and be exulted abo\*e the
hiljs; and all nstious shall flow
unto it.” The power of man may be
little,, but the power of God ran
more than mdke up the dofioieocy.
IL And now, are not the practical
ones which may ha made of this
familiar, general principle of Urn
toy r But boa not the ques- IKvioa government—such uses or
thm Urii gloriously answered f A1 * application* as are suitable to an
briber tbi
j trike a
though in themselves they were no
thing, and knew themselves to he
mdhing—without wealth, without
social position, without power or
intiiience among men—yet umler the
Nfieeial direction and blessing of God
these men carrie*! ft*r and whir the
oecnaiou like this—very plain f
There is, surely, s -world of yra-
r*ont encouragement here to the faith
fid children of God. Let a gainsaying
work! set itself in opposition to tie
Divine will, and most as it ms
please nt the instrumentalities which
irer
<
indeed, be the Ci
led, evidently, i
ure of sclf-forget
cil had they been
doings of Jesu
until the shades
gathering auidj
them, that they
a consciousness
* t - * r
they were lur
and that manjy
elapsed since the
fash Iu this
« j
of (he disciples
him, saying, 44 T’hi
and the time is
the mnltrtmb*
go into tl»e Vi
selves bread.”
them, tliey need t
them to eat.” A
ltim”—say8 St. J
looked upon the
one of his diacipl
self what he wo
sliall we buy bre;
ent F u Phillip ati
hundred penny wort
sufficient that ev
■a little. n Then An
<1 fits,
OW1I
tmnner of tlicir Lord and King, j heaven has appointed for the ac
hy their simple preaching of the j eomplishmeot of its revealed pur-
croon act in tnotion such n {tower .**« poses! There may, indeed, often
earth's might hut rulers could not!! seem to ths eye of seems ah amazing
aw
to
that * was not
he evening were
pelting, around
ere aroused to
the fiict that
their homes,
rs had now
broken their
certain
came to
a desert place,
passe*l; send
that they may
and buy them
Jesus said to
depart, give ye
n, “to prove
as lie
, asked
knowing hitu-
Uo, “Whence
at these may
d him, two
bread is not
ioue may* take
w, Simon Pe-
liiiti, “There
th five bar-
all fishes;”
an though
only rid-
so
was
tliem, these ordinances, or iternona, amaxiitgdisparity between tn# tm*nns
or agencies, whatever they may be, employed ami the results attained t
which are regarded as so iiuhgttifl- In Gideon's day there were, ih) doubt,
cant, may and do become amply j those to be found who regsmled hia
sufficient for foe accomplishment of; inteialed movement against Midmn.
the Divine will amongst men.” though he had the wonl of tlic Lord
In dwelling briefly upon this one 1 on liis side, aa the rush ness and
general truth snggt sted here, I pur recklessness of a mndtuan. As they
{tose, simply— looked out upon foe iutinsterahh*
I. To present a few familiar Hlus- ! hosts of the Midianite* and their
trationsofit—out of the abundance allies, encamped n)*on the
ly aps, UR l HO*
he isprited only i
;ing pent ion of
ly w|n there >
• wot
! Here
of about
dds women
iuuf|i’ed ]»en-
truly beeu
been enough
\<v -
■u
ter’s brother, said
is a lad here whi
ley loaves aud tw
but immediately;,
conscious that
icnle for making
slight u supply
so great a demand/*-#*^ * rht,t * re
they among »g many
What werSf they,
was a hungry mnl
five thousand meu,
children l Tw
^ it
Would J
that each might take a littl*. What
tben could be done to satisfy them,
>wheu so far from having that supply,
Ikey had but five small loaves and
two small fishes t Yet Wist said,
“Bring them liitber to i|p.” He
Jenete what he would do! Ho
About to perform, in the presence
of this maltitude, one of the most
astounding miracles they had ye#
seen. Commanding them to sit down
U|>on the grass, he took tip loaves
aud fishes, and fooWug «P ^ heaven,
he bussed and brake, ihd gave foe
I Ifiavds-'to! his disctple% w»d the dis*
FT wiptos teitbe aiultitnde. And the
f, peopfo took of them, ** every one
| a tittle, bat every one jprt “ ai mueh
at he wmOd* the saertd narrative
tells os. *Tkef did pit #t were
fitted: and they took up of the frag
ments that remained twtlve baskets
r
Hero was in\ truth m
exhibition of supernatural power,
■i
In . these
few moments
saw accomplished
its vast
h their
which may be found in the word
of God and iu the history of the
church—in order that it may be
brought more fully and ri early
before our minds as an established
principle of God's administration in
the affairs of men and
II. To make such practical uses or
applications of the principle as, in
view of the occasion npou which we
are assembled, n»ay seem suitable.
1. Many illustrations, of the sort
indicated, might be found in the
inspired accounts of God's dealings
with his own peculiar {teople, but 1
stop to point out only two.
You remember that period iu foe
history of foe children of Israel when
for seven weary years they had been
oppressed with the greatest severity,
nttder the hand of Midiau, because
of tlicir sips against foe Lord. They
were coinjiclled to hide themselves
iu the dens and caves of the moun
tains, in order to escape foe destruc
tive ami bloody incursions of their
enemies, while these ravaged their
fields ami carried off all their wealth.
Humbled by these heavy and long
continued judgments, they bethink
themselves once more of the God
of their fathers who had delivered
them from so many evils in the past,
and they tnrn to him anew is peni
tence for all their siuftdneu and
folly, and earnestly cry to him, foot
He would once again be merciful
and stretcb forth bis hand for their
salvation. The Lord, ever kind and
forgiving towards those who come
to him iu penitence and faith, heard
the cry of his children, and raised up
for them a new savkkir and leader
in foe person of Gideon, whom he
calls from hi*father's threshing floor
and sends forth u|*m his errand
with foe promise, “ttorely I will be
with thee.* Gideon, trusting in the
pledge, collects an army thirty-
two thousand men, and prepares
himself for the great work set before
him. But the Almighty, knowing
the proueaess of his rebelHous chil
dren sinfully to exalt their Own
greatness, and not desiring to leave
them the slightest ground upon
which to make the boast that their
ami then ujkhi Gideon's little ham?
ful of three hundred, they, no doubt,
asked in indignation, or in a sneer
ing, taunting tone, “what is to be
^iccoiapliidtcd against the great anny
of onr enemies by such a pitiful
force as this f Whai are they among
to manyf* And yet, how signally
did the Lord show, iu the triumph
of Gifieou, that haring hit favor
aud blessing—that when yielding
to his guidance—relying upon his
promises—obedient to foe wonl of
his commandment—Israel could be
saved by a few, just as well as by
many: that the Lord having beard
their prayer and decreed their de
liverauee, any' instrumentality he
saw fit to use, no matter how in
adequate it might seem to men,
woukl suffice.
And so also was it in the second
case. When Davkl announced bis
desire and intention to go forth to
do battle against the enemy of his
{teople and his God, there were,
doubtless, not a few who were dis
posed contemptuously to ask, “Who
is this beardless yonth, that he shall
presume to think that he can stand
for a moment before him, st the very
thunder of whose voice the mightiest
warriors of alt the tribes have trem
bled V* Ilis eldest brother, growing
angry at what he. Considered the
rashness and folly of a thoughtless
boy, sought to mortify hint, and
recall him, if possible, to a realisa
tion of his yonth and of his general
unfitness for the conflict, by the
question, “Why earnest thorn down
hither f and with whom hast thou
left those few sheep in the. wilder
ness f* Saul, when he heard of
David's willingness to go Mf|
M foe champion of fsMMHji 1 said,
“Thou art not able to go against
this Philistiue to igbt with him,
for thou art hut a youth, and he
a man of war from Ids youth.”
But, notwithstanding all that could
be said in discouragement of his
enterprise, Davhl was Arm. His
trust was not so much io foe arm
of flesh, but in foe bring God, in
whose name and service ha pro^
posed to act Knowing ^hat the
control, and themselves became tin*
founds (km stones of a spiritual tent
{de, which has been going upward
and still upward from that day until
this, and against which the gates of
hell itself shall never prevail.
Aud in that later period of tlic
church's history, when the {Hire doc
trines of the Wonl had become cor
niptod and d*muted—when darkness
covered the earth and gross dark
ness the {leofth*—wheu selfish ec
clesiastic* kink'd it over Christ's
heritage ns masters, and were not
guides, but stumbling blocks to
the people— were t lie re not timer
raised tip, in the providence of
God, *.to do God's work, concern
ing whom the question of the text
was started anew t When the he
roic mouk of Kriurth^ first alone,
and then with a few followers, stood
forth as the cluoupious of the truth
of God, pure and uumingied with
the inventions and traditions of men,
there were multitude* who asked, as
they saw these few nameless ones
opposing themselves to popes, car
dinals, bishops and kings—** What
re they nmtng to many f* “What
can fhete accomplish, either for good
or evil, sgainst such number* and
power as they find resisting them F
Very little, indeed, It might have
been, had they been worldly men
seeking to bring about a revolution
in a worldly way, merely for their
own aggrandizement; or very little
it might have been, and would have
been too, had they been seeking
even a right object in their own
strength; but when laboring not
only for the cause of God and
truth, but at foe same time hum
bly and constantly looking to him
for bis guidance nod blessing in
their every' effort, they had a pow
er given them of God, in the wield-
ing of which they shook foe throne
of foe papacy to its very founda
tions, unshackled foe Word of God
aud made it possible for K to have
free course and be glorified amongst
men, and gave to the church of
the Redeemer “beauty for ashes, ths
oil of joy foe mourning, and the
garment of praise for the spirit
of heaviness.” From these days of
the Reformation foe true church of
Christ has been making rapid strides
in her onward march of biassed and
bloodless conquest Yet oven now,
when we loos npou the great dis
parity of numbers between those
who are the professed follower* of
Christ and thooe who openly doclaro,
«We will not have this
reign ever ua,” aad whan wo reflect
how many of the nomiual children
disparity between menus to be used
and results to be attained; but the
child of God may rest, a* ou a (bun
dutiou of living rock, upon the teach
ing. that “a Iktle embosomed in tbe
lienedictioi* of Christ” can aeeom
(dish Mvrii—-that the fork which
is only of man will come to naught,
but that that which is of God can
^ \y '' ' A
never be overthrown, no matter bow
feeble may be the agencies by which
Ite may see fit to maintaiu aud
{icqietnate it There is an encour
agement here to every* individual
Christian, and especially to the min-
istoritig servant of Christ. “Let no
man despise thee!” Think humbly,
indeed, but by. no means lightly of
yourself, rnderralnc not your tal
ent, your influence, your means of
«!oitig good, however insignificant
they may seem. Consecrate them
unreservedly to your Lord—look
steadfastly to hint lor kis blessing
upon their use, and he once accept
ing your self c—wtina and honor
ing your faith, you may rest assured
that you will make yourself felt and
known for good amongst mm, and
stand revealed, if not here and now,
at the last, great day, as one who,
foaufh it may lone been in a lowly
sphere, bore no arena part in the
upbuilding of the Redeemer’s King
dom upon foe earth. There is en
couragement here, not only to the
individual Christian, but to every
•unrest Christian congregation, and,
of course, to every communion or
denomination of the true church of
our Lord wherever it may be found.
Encouragement! Yes, and fall as
mash of Kwrwtsf, let it be remem
bered, as of encouragement. We
have a rule here which works both
ways. W« may* reverse tbe order
of our thoughts upon this object
aud find them true. Whilst God
can, aud often does, unafbe weakest
and seemingly tbe most inadequate
instrumentalities for the accomplish
ment of great ends, the greatest
power, wealth and Influence are yet
utterly impotent for the attainment
of such ends without God's blessing.
Though a Paul may plant and aa
Apollo* water, there eau be no real
increase unless God gives it. Whilst
as foe children of God, then, we ass
expected to use ah the means at our
disposal in doing the Work of foe
Lord, foe first great questiou for
foe individual servant of God, tbe
first great question for foe congre
gation and the Chuiqk at large, is,
not so much, have we large means,
and power, and *
hi mm
wire man glory in his wisdom, neith
er let foe mighty man glory in Ms
might; let not the rich man glory
in bis riches, bfit let him that glo-
rietli glory In this, that he
standefo and knoweth me, foot 7
am the load which exercisefo loving-
kindness, judgment and righteous
ness in the earth ; for in these things
do I delight, sal th foe Lord.” Let ns
prayerftilly heed tbe wamhqp-let us
foankfttlly take the encouragement
f-Xktr thoughts, my brethren, natur
ally turn, on an occasion like this, to
oar Own particular portion of the
CMMhi church. And if with re
gard to eur beloved Zion the question
should be asked, no matter in what
spirit, nor with what intent—“what
iyF wemigh
certainly, if disponed to improve foe
opportunity to vaunt ourselves a
little, respond to foe demand by
rehearsing a record of which no
Lutheran need ever be ashamed.
We might dtr the history of strag
gles aad triumph* which art of sar-
poasiag interest and vnlne, not only
to iu, but to all who profess to hold
foe truth as K is in Jeans in foe love
of it. We might paint to font time-
honored Coofenioii, upon foe lead
ing truths of which, as upon a tried
stone, s broad and strong founda
tion, not only we, but thousands
apon thousands of ehristisu men who
would give but slight recognition to
the Lutheran mime, are budding
tlwir dearest hope*. Wc might caU
■p our great cloud of witnesses for
(tod’s truth—witnesses who lived and
died in its defense, and ‘Who yet
speak from their graves with voices
whose clariou notes shall re-echo
round foe earth until the trump of
God itself shall sound—noble wit-
imwk and coafeasors, wbojL filled
with the spirit of tbe Mister, by
ths tight of foeir example aud tlic
holy power of their woida, are gui
ding, comforting and strengthening,
in the way of all troth, millions of
Christian souls today, and whose
recorded and imperishable testimo
ny is forever endialmed hi foe very
heart of Christendom. But. > it is
not that tine of discourse I ban* pro
poocd for myself to-night. However
tempting the opjwrtunity, in view of
the inspiring history of our beloved
Zioa, I would yet refrain from that
which to many might savor of mere
denominational boasting, and only
make this pasting allusion to her
greatness and glory, to what she is
and has accomplished, to say for
oursrlvm and for our church st
large, “the Lord has done great
thing* for ns, whereof we are glad
and “not unto us, not unto us, but
unto thy great name, O, Lord, be all
the glory.”
Oar thoughts tarn naturally, ou
oooasious like these, not only to
our own particular Zion, but cape
dally to that part of it w ith which
we are more immediately connected,
and for the welfare of which we
particularly uuxioas and
anxious
responsible. And here if foe ques
tion of the text be asked of
if thu inquiry be
are they among so many F “What
tear with
the giant 1 What though there seem
ingly exists as great a dispropor
tion between the results to be at
tained aud foe resources, or means,
at our command, us existed between
the hungry mnitittule of five thous
and to be fad, find the five loaves
ft two fishes which Were only
mentioned to be soecriugly declared
utterly insufficient ! If we are but
obedient to foe command of Him
who says, “Ilring them hither to ms,”
sod so consecrate ourselves and our
resources to tire Most High as to
tenure upon as aud upon them the
divine bleating, fora, however oppo
tits the eoudatiou* to which foe
calculations of mere reason might
fond, foe child of firith may feel
and know that, there is ns real oe-
■ M
t
nt down,
can never be
for him
seeing that bis
la vain in foe Lord.
And whilst, iu view of foe teach
ing which has bent suggested, there
caston far despondency upon
our part, as tire children of God
seeking foe glory of kis name and
the salvation of souls, neither is /
there, let it be remembered, any
room here left us for presumption.
We are not to presume upon God's
power aad willingness to help those
who seek tusaijl, nor give place fur a
moment to the thought, that because
he can make small means effective I
for foe securing of great results,
it is therefore unnecessary, seeing
that foe power is all of him, to\
exert ourselves in foe use of those
We hare here no encour
agement to hUeness, but a power- j i
ful incentive to unflagging industry. ^
We may learn here, in the memora
ble answer given Iu the miracle to
the question of the text—that “to
use what we have is foe way to
get more.” To be faithful stewards v ~"’
of foe manifold grace of Gad, we
must herd the eomiuatul (whether
we have much or little) which routes
to us in response to the doubting
question, “what are they among so
many V—“Givk yk tukm to aat.”
We must keefi within ns on ever
living and consarmaing conviction
that wc must pari—work how—
work mhrayt—work earnestly—work
prayerfully—work! with true faith m
the promian of God—ami then, with
God's Ideating u{k>ii ’ our labor,
whether we be of those whom the
world calls strong or weak, wbefo- .
er our numbers, our resources, our
worldly position anil influence be
large or not, we will be of those
whom the Lord assures^us he de-
lighteth to honor, and our faith, our
lore, our obedience, our devotion,
will assuredly be vindicated by re-. .
suits.
H
LX
4*3
11
d
•- . v* .
We should
either In our
not, my
individual
brethren,
efr our
ourselves
th* one,
T or,
jeelF
who are laboring for the
of the one general ob-
or, “what among and in
opposition to so many, the great
multitudes, who are against God
and hit truth T—tre would freely
and frankly make answer, that we
are, of ourselves, comparatively few
aud weak."' HoWFrer unpalatable
it may be, that Is a truth which
must be recognised and looked at
-A truth which lias doubtless forced
itself npou ths mind of every one
of ua again and again, producing
more or less of discouragement, but
which It would be well for ns, per
baps, to recognize sod look at, here
and now, in foe light of foe teaching
of Divine truth, that all those feel
ing* of discouragement may be dis
pelled. Though our condition and
prospects, ns a church, in this South
era land may not, in many wapteta,
be what we would findre ; tliough
oar numbers aad resources, situated
as we are with regard to the work
that is to be done,’ seem altogether
inadequate, if foe prindple which
has l*eea suggested is indeed k teach
ing of God, there is, nevertheless,
ns occasion for our hearts to de
spond nor for our hands grow
weary. What though we may be
but as foe halttfeJff
wm
;»saoeiated capacity, sul
to be unduly sltakeu by coutidsra-
tioas of a mere temporal expediency,
which are sometimes urged uiflHl us,j
sad yielded to, tiv the ltiudertfar -of
our progress in our high
“Depend upon it,” a certoii
well said, ‘^that expediency;,
principle, uot pripcipic a |
expediency f and the highest expe
diency in the universe for each aad
all of us is to be found, with
all that we hav# and are, con
secrated to oar God, “steadfast and
immovable, always, abounding in foe
work of the Lord.” Let hs not he
of those who would wait uutil every
thing supposed to be accessary is
a# command before they are willing,
or think it possible, to move toward,
tbe accomplishment of any impurtaut
work for the church aud for God.
Let us not be of those who say, “if
we only had more loeuas T—“if we
only had greater numbers F—if our
circumstances were only different iu
this respect or iu that!”—aud in tbe
meautime do nothing. Remember
that tbe loaves and flakes were not
multiplied five hundred or a thou
sand fold, by one word of power,
before any attempt w«* made to feed
tbe hungry inultitqde. It was «»
the diotribution that they increased
and became sufficient for what-was
desired.
V
bility of foe present—faithful to the
church, onr loving mother, and faith
frfl to our God—let ns go forth to
our Lord's waiting work in foe world,
in “the strength of foe Lord and in
the power of his aright,” uever onoe
doubting Him who
said, “I will