Devotional Column

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6628, 15 August 1931, Page 13

Devotional Column

Precept. Be thou strong and very courageous. Joshua 1. 7. Promise. I will uphold thee with the Tight hand of My righteousness. Isa. 41. 10. Prayer. O my Strength, haste Thee to help me. Ps. 22. 19. Let Your Manner of Life be Worthy of tho Gospel. —Phil. 1, 27, E.V.

W’e come to Christ; we rest in Him as the only ground of our eternal salvation, wo are satisfied to know that our sins are forgiven for His name’s sake; but we do not always realise that there are thereby implied lofty duties, and aro conveyed to us rich endowments, lofty duties which are only to be carrie J out as those rich endowments become actually factors of spiritual strength and spiritual constancy. . . I owe a great deal to John Wesley. Ho onco said, “I must have four things in my life: I must have a whole Cross for my salvation, a -whole Bible for my staff, a whole church for my fellowship, and a whole world for my parish.”—Dr Stuart Holden. YOUR NIOHE.

There’s a niche for you in the world, my boy, A corner for you to fill; And it waits to-day Along life’s way, For the boy with frank “I will! ” So lad, be true; The world wants you In the corner that you may fill. There’s a niche for you in the world, my girl, A corner for you to fill; For a girl that is kind, With a pure, sweet mind, A place that is waiting still. So lass, be true; The world wants you In the corner that you may fill. Thre’s a niche for you both in the world, my dears, A corner for you to fill; And a work to do Which no one but you, In God’s great plan, can fill. So dears, be true; The world wants you And your place is waiting still. ‘‘Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He send forth labourers into His harvest.” (Luke 10:12). SERVE WHERE YOU ARE. A policeman in Birmingham, becoming a Christian, was so greatly troubled by the sights and sounds of sin among which ho worked, that for a time he., and his wife prayed: ‘‘Lord, take me out of the police service. Give me some other work.” Still no answer came and no other work was opened to him. At last he said to his wife:

and I begin to tlr.uk that. He has put mo thore to work. Now lam just going to pray that He will help me servo Him where I am.” That war, tho beginning of a life of marvellous usefulness. His influence over the men was so great that he was promoted to the head of detectives. He was instrumental in the salvation of many criminals. The place where God has put you is tho place you can do the best service for Him. THE SAINT. (By Christina Rossetti.) I saw a sa.int. How eans’t thou tell that he Thou saw os t was a saint? I saw one like to Christ, so luminously By patient deeds of love, his mortal taint Seemed to make his groundwork of humility. And when lie marked mo downcast utterly Where foul I sat and faint, The more than ever Christlikc kindled he; And welcomed me as I had been a saint, Tenderly stooping low to comfort me. Christ bade him, “Do thou likewise.” Wherefore ho Waxed zealous to acquaint His soul with sin and sorrow, if so be He might retrieve some latent saint: “Lo, T, with the child God has given me. ’ ’

“I think wo have been making a great mistake. We have been praying that I may be taken out of the force,

“WHAT SHALL IT PROFIT.” Last year a number of Toronto brokers were arrested for fraudulent practices. Most of thorn were sentenced to terms of imprisonment ranging from two to three years. Several appealed their sentences, but their pleas were thrown out by the Appellate Court and all are now serving their time in a penitentiary. This is a melancholy climax to the career of men who a few short months ago were respected and looked up to by their follow men and through whoso hands millions of dollars of other people’s money was passing. We are reminded again in tho fate of these brokers of the ‘words of Scripture that “they that will be rich fall into a temptation and a snare.” The lure of gold has proven tho downfall of multitudes during the year that has passed, as it has done in all ages of history. To lay up for themselves treasures upon earth, men have been willing to sacrifice honour and character and to jeopardise their liberty and life. The temporary success tliat attended tho operations of these brokers and others, has been eclipsed in tho fate that overtook them. They have piorced themselves through with many sorrows and the fruit they thought they had plucked has turned to ashes in the mouth. How different it is with those who have sought first the Kingdom of God, and have laid up treasures in heaven. There are pleasures even here in that service greater than anything else earth can give, and they aro pleasures to which no sorrow is added. “What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” What, indeed?