THE KING’ S BUSINESS
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said, “Yes, when I was in England I felt I must pray, pray, pray,, but when I reached Chicago I felt I must hustle, hustle, hustle.” This expresses the self-seeking o f hun dreds o f pastors, looking for better pastor ates and more pay. Yield self to God and He will exalt and enlarge the field o f ser vice in due season. A little boy saw a piece o f pie being cut and said, “Mama, who is that big piece o f pie for?” ' “ Oh, that is for you, dear,” and the little fellow took it saying, “Oh, what a little bit.” Self-Planning. —Some people plan all the details o f their lives and then ask God to bless the plans. They arrange every turn in the road in shortsightedness, just to please self. It reminds one o f the story told o f Philips Brooks. He was walking along- the street one day and saw a little fellow trying to ring a door bell that was too high for him. Mr. Brooks, out o f the kindness Of his heart, went up the steps and rang the bell for the little fellow. Im mediately the little rascal yelled, “ scoot,” and ran around the corner to hide. We like to plan in our own selfishness and leave God to work out our own wretched plans. - Self-Extravagance. —-Think o f the five- cent shows, the five-cent sodas, the five- cent chewing gum, the five-cent nickelets that have mounted to millions o f dollars, and nobody helped materially by them except the manufacturers. All spent on self. Self-Pride. —It mak take either the form o f pride o f face, pride o f place or pride of v. 33. Disputed by the way. “ Disciples should have found something better to talk about after they had heard about Jesus’ sufferings, than this wrangle about rank. How chill it must have struck on Christ’s heart that those who loved him best cared more for their own petty superi ority than for his sorrows.”—Maclaren. “W e will all be called upon to account to
race, but it is self-pride just the same. It is said, that at one time the Armour meat company offered their employees a prize o f a suit o f clothes to those who made a certain mark o f efficiency in their work. They were to go to a tailor and be meas ured and order the suit o f clothes they wished. One fellow ordered a $90 full dress suit. When the bill for this suit came into the office, Mr. Armour called this young fellow in and asked him if he ordered what the bill called for. He said, “Yes.” “Well,” said Mr. Armour, “I have killed and shipped thousands of hogs in my time, but this is the first one I ever dressed.” Self-Glory. —-An infidel Who was full o f self-praise climbed a high mountain think ing he could get nearer to where the Bible said “ God sitteth on high.” Standing on the top, he lifted his hand and said, “ If there be a God let Him strike me dead with a thunderbolt.” After uttering this challenge he drew in his breath and a flea went down his throat and choked him to death. Did the gentleman think God needed to use a thunderbolt to crush his self-glory? Self-Exaltation. —A young man sat in prayer meeting beside a young lady friend. He rose and offered a very eloquent prayer. When he sat down he turned and whis pered to the young lady and said, “What do you think o f that for a prayer?” This is a sample o f self-soiling the very heart o f the sanctuary.
COMMENTS FROM SUNDRY SOURCES
By K. L. Brooks.
Him for what has taken place on the way.”—“ If we bore in mind that he knows all we do and say by the way, we would be more careful about our conduct and conversation.”—Torrey. “All selfish dis cussions degrade Christian dignity and impair Christian usefulness.” “The church is still fighting the battle o f etiquette and status.”
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