THE K I N G ’S BUS I NES S more than a fourth rate preacher and dropped all preaching after a few years. He had ability and some training hut not enough for promotion. He became a castaway in the kingdom. Second, Testing. Has he stood the tests th a t have come to him in the posi tion he now holds? If so he has become strong enough to stand the new and more severe tests in the larger position. A boy secured a position in a bank as janitor. One morning he found a five dollar gold piece on the floor. He laid it carefully on the desk and called the attention of the cashier to it. Another morning he found two five dollar bills behind the waste basket. These also he laid on the desk. He stood the test and soon became a clerk in the bank and finally cashier of the same. Third, Faithfulness. Here is where hundreds of Christians fail. They never get far in the work of the Lord be cause they a.re hot faithful to the op portunity offered them, not faithful to the Word of God, not faithful to their testimony. A Sunday School teacher thought th a t she ought to have a Sun day off now and then, so, without notify ing the superintendent or appointing a supply for her class, she left them at the mercy of chance. She never had a large class, she never had a spiritual class. There were few if any conversions in her class. She finally became dis couraged with teaching a Sunday School class and dropped it. “Because thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee ruler over many things.” Promotion Depends Upon Motive. Why do I work, is a good question to ask one’s self. A man may carry mail from door to door because he loves to walk, because he-loves the money he earns, because he likes to work for the government, or because he wishes peo ple to have their news. If he does it because he loves to walk he will saun-
61 ter along as he pleases and never get a promotion. More likely he will get a dismissal. In our work in and for the Kingdom of God what is our motive? Notice the motive of the poet. If I can live To make some pale face brighter, and to give A second lustre to some tear-dimmed eye. Or e’en impart One throb of comfort to an aching heart, Or cheer some wayworn soul in pass ing by; If I can lend A strong hand to the fallen, or de fend The right hand ’gainst a single en vious strain. My life, though bare Perhaps of much that seemeth dear and fair, To us on earth, will not have been in vain. Golden Text Illustration. Molly, an ignorant mountain white, in Tennessee, could not read. On one occasion a day school teacher offered to teach her. By much patience she succeeded in helping Molly to read the simplest prose and gave her the Gos pel of John. Molly waded through the Gospel, spelling out the words but not understanding them. Every day she went to a rock in the field and prayed God to make her understand the read ing. This continued for twelve long years. Then God sent a missionary that way and Molly was led out into the light. She became a very strong, intelligent Christian of grea,t usefulness. Others ministered and received, like Jesus, their promotion. Molly ministered and received her advancement. v. 18. Son of man shall be betrayed. This was the third time He had foretold His coming suffering since the transfig uration but they were so occupied with
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