What will make us successful? Matt. 7 : 21-27.
WHAT makes the pleasant shade that we enjoy
so much on the hot summer days? The
tree itself? No, for the sun shines right down be-
tween the branches these cold days. The branches?
No, the thickest limb on the tree casts but a long,
narrow shadow. What then, the leaves? Ah, yes,
the many thousands of little leaves, each catching
a few sunbeams, make the one big shadow on the
ground beneath.
Christian Endeavor has been so successful and
done so much "for Christ and the church" because
each and every member has pledged, "I will do
whatever he would like to have me do."
As God has a purpose for each little leaf, so he
has a work for each of us. Besides, he knows just
what each one of his children can do best. Let
us, therefore, do with our might whatsoever our
hands find to do. Longfellow, the children's
friend, said that the talent of success is nothing
more than doing what we can do well, and doing
well whatever we do.
The Christian Endeavor society which attains
the highest success is the one whose every member
is a complete society. If we are assigned to the
prayer-meeting committee work, this surely should
not lessen our interest and work for missions. If
our special work is with the lookout committee, our
prayers for the meetings and their influence should
continue just the same. It is no less our privilege
and duty to carry flowers and loving smiles to the
sick, even though our names may not be enrolled
on the flower-committee list, or one of the sunshine
number. Christ's "whatsoever" may not be just
the special work given us by the president or super-
intendent of our society. Opportunities for doing
good are found along every pathway. Let us fol-
low Christ, our perfect Example, and go about
doing good.
But all our works, the apostle Paul says, are
nothing without faith. Further, if we have all faith
so that we could remove mountains, this is nothing
without love. Love, then, should be the true in-
spiration for all our service for the Master. "We
never do anything well that we do not love to do."
A bright boy, chairman of the lookout commit-
tee, said to himself: "Next week I must report to
the society what our committee has done. I will
call a meeting at once, and give each member the
names of some few persons to invite to the meet-
ings." Another boy, not a member of that com-
mittee, brought with him to the society a friend for
whom he had been praying almost a year. With
a sincere pleasure, he handed the name of his
friend to the lookout committee, that they might
propose him as a new member.
The first boy's work was a duty performed; the
other's, a loving service.
When we realize that it is our privilege to be a
Christian Endeavorer; when we enjoy reading God's
letters to us, as given in the Bible, and love to talk
with him in prayer, then will our service be accept-
able to the Master. Then, too, we may ask for,
and expect to receive guidance and help from
Jesus; for without him we can do nothing.
By Mary Emily Vaughan