Are we to fritter away our
a Young Men's Christian Association)"For when David had served GOD'S purpose
in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was
buried with his fathers and his body decayed."
Acts 13:36
In deducing from these words moral
and spiritual lessons, I would observe
generally, that each individual in this life
has some great purpose to fulfill.
"David served GOD'S purpose in
his own generation."
He has left his indelible footprints
on the sands of time!
Everything in the wide universe
Everything in the wide universe
has its special mission.
The flower fulfills its design by
The flower fulfills its design by
unfolding its colors or scattering
its sweet fragrances wherever
it blooms. As we see it dropping
its decayed and withered leaves
one by one, we feel its little destiny
in its own little world has been attained.
The lark as it mounts in the air,
and chants its carol
("singing up to Heaven's gate")
fulfills its mission by these
tuneful melodies.
If we take a loftier survey, and ascend
If we take a loftier survey, and ascend
amid the glories of the firmament, we see
the sun fulfilling his great appointment
to give light to the system: coming forth
"like a bridegroom from his chamber,
and rejoicing as a strong man to
run his race." (Psalm 19:5)
Or the moon, that faithful sentinel,
lavishing her nightly care on the earth--
a majestic beacon-light to land and ocean.
Turn to whatever page we may
Turn to whatever page we may
in the vast volume of creation,
we shall find in each, the record
of some peculiar office and vocation.
Mountains and seas, fire and hail,
snow and vapor, stormy wind--
all fulfill the word and decree
and design of GOD.
And is it different with man?
Has he alone no momentous work
And is it different with man?
Has he alone no momentous work
to perform in the economy in which
he is placed?
Is our whole earthly destiny to eat
Is our whole earthly destiny to eat
and drink, and sleep and die?
Are we to fritter away our brief
Are we to fritter away our brief
hour on life's stage; to be ushered
in with a few rejoicings at our birth,
followed by a few tears at our
departure? And when our sun
has gone down, when the grass
of the grave covers our resting places--
shall we be as if we never were?
How many there are who, to all
appearance, think so!
They have never yet awakened to a
sense of their high destiny, as having
a part to play, and a sphere to occupy.
Their inward feeling seems to be that
in this great world, with its teeming
millions, that . . .
it signifies nothing how they live;
they soon shall be as though they never
they soon shall be as though they never
existed; when they sink into the tomb--
it will be like the vessel going down
in mid-ocean.
There will be a few plungings and heavings
as it momentarily wrestles with the storm;
but the tempest sweeps, the sea opens its
yawning mouth, the waves close over it--
and then resume their usual play!
Not a trace or vestige remains;
the place that once knew it,
knows it no more!
My brethren, that solemn, that momentous
My brethren, that solemn, that momentous
reality they call life, is no plaything!
It was given as the mightiest of possessions,
and loaded with immeasurable responsibilities.
The weighty saying, which many a tongue
was taught earliest to lisp was this,
"Man's chief end is to glorify GOD!"
Oh, truly it is a solemn thought that each
Oh, truly it is a solemn thought that each
one of you is exercising some influence--
either for good or for evil. If you are not
serving your day and generation for the better--
then you must be serving it for the worse.
There can be no such thing as mere neutral
influence. You must either, like the aromatic
plant, be diffusing a grateful fragrance--
or, like the fabled lethal Upas tree,
be casting a deadly shadow all around.
And if so, it well befits us individually
to address to ourselves the personal question:
"Am I fulfilling the great end
and design of my being?"
Yonder fig-tree on the way to Bethany
Yonder fig-tree on the way to Bethany
is a parable designed to warn
and instruct in every age. See it--
stinted, shriveled, withered.
It had borne no fruit.
It had not fulfilled the design
of its creation; and a tender,
gracious SAVIOR pronounces upon
it the cumberer's sentence and
the cumberer's awful doom!
Happy are those who have been led
Happy are those who have been led
to regard life as a golden talent--
who have realized its momentous
requirements and stern responsibilities!
Even the lowliest and humblest, can
Even the lowliest and humblest, can
help directly or indirectly to untie
the bandages from a sin-stricken,
woe-worn world, and send it forth
from its fevered couch, walking and
leaping, and praising GOD.
If from peculiarity of disposition or
situation, some may feel as if they
were unequal to the outward activities
of Christian work and service--
theirs may be the silent but equally
potent example of a holy, meek,
loving, peaceful life.
We are all able to influence others,
by the quiet unostentatious influence
of a pure, consistent, godly life.
Be it yours not only to serve your GOD,
Be it yours not only to serve your GOD,
but so to live that the world may be
the better because of you; and that
when you die and your hand lies
withering in the grave--
the seed dropped by that hand,
years on years before, may spring
up bearing fruit to the glory of GOD!
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