THE K I N G ’S BUS I NES S glory and beauty are lower than the lowest th a t pertain- to God. The great est marks of beauty are only good when Growth depends upon the right use of the elements about it. Twenty years ago my father planted three elm trees. Two were put in between two old big lo cust trees which he intended to cut down as soon as the elms had sufficient start. The third was set just beyond the lo custs near the water drain. Here the morning sun always struck it. Today the third tree is twice as large as the other two. It has used more water and sunshine because it had more. Here is a merchant th a t has had a Bible, a Christ, and plenty of oppor tunities but he has appropriated these only in a small measure. Here is another merchant equally if not more successful in mercantile pursuits, but also he has used the spiritual forces about him. One man is rich in char acter, while the other is a dwarf. Motives Develop or Dwarf. If a man’s ambition is to get gain then his whole thinking apparatus works toward this end. When he sees a tree or a person he instantly plans what he can get out of them or how he can use them for himself. Jesus said, “Sell all,” give to others. Follow His will and train your mind to think how you can help others; how you can make that farm, that tree, th a t force bless others.. In the Snake River Canyon in Idaho there are great basins made in the rocks. When the river is high these are filled with rushing water. The gravel and larger stoned grind these basins larger every year. When the water is low, there is no change of water in these pockets; .they become stagnant pools. An offense to all. So is a stag nant life. “There are loyal hearts, there are spirits brave, There are souls that are pure and true; doing service for Him. What Makes Growth?
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Then give to the world the best you have And the best will come back to you. Give love and love to your heart •yill .flow, A strength in your utmost need; Have faith and a score of hearts will show Their faith, in your word and deed." Golden Text Illustration. Love is not seen in nature. One tree grows up through another, cramping his fellow tree as well as himself. This is like the profiteer, the grafter, the po litical boss. A vine in nature clamours over its fellow vines and up a small tree until it has choked the tree’s growth. How like the human vines of selfishness. One fish eats the children of his neighbor and perhaps its own off spring. The beasts live upon other weaker beasts. God has left to man to demonstrate this virtue and love. In stead of preying upon his neighbors, he is to be a help to them. Love always helps. When you make it harder for other people to live in this world you are not loving them. v. 16. Good Master. The word “good" betrays the defect. This young man had but a shallow notion of what was good, as indicated by careless ascriptions of goodness to one of COMMENTS FROM whom he knew so MANY SOURCES little, and by his Keith L. Brooks conception th a t it was merely a mat ter of deeds—self achieved goodness.— Maclaren. What good thing shall I do? He expects to reach life by some tran scendent act. He waits direction upon the road where heathenism is still toll ing, trying to purchase the gift of God with money, toil, merit or tears.—Exp. Bible. Doing is ever the question of the natural man from Genesis 4:3 onward. —Comp. Bible. v. 17. Why eallest me good? Jesus did not for a moment mean to imply that He was not good (Jn. 8:46; 14:20; 8:29), but He saw th a t the young man
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