Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 January 1898 — Sunday School Column [ARTICLE]

Sunday School Column

Conducted

BY W. C. SMALLEY,

REMINGTON, INDIANA.

All things come to him who hustles while he waits. Wo are anxiously awaiting the coming of the January Awakener which will contain a report of the last meeting of the State Executive Committee at Indianapolis on Dec. 31st. Don’t fail to read it. There are some powerful forces at work in the Sunday school sphere, we do not believo the people generally realize the magnitude of the Sunday school movement. There are now twenty four millions of us and the good that is being done is truly wonderful. At a meeting of the representations of the American Sunday School Union in Chicago recently they reported since their organization over fifty eight thousand schools established. This is the work of a number of years but think what a vast army this work alone has influenced for God. There- has sprang from their work alono over five thousand churches. It must be remembered too that sometimes Sunday schools are planted where a church could not be founded in many cases, the only way to reach the older people is through the little ones proving the truth of the quotation that “a little child shall lend them.” Brother or sister did you ever stop to think what effect on your life should be the realization of your indebtedness and how enn we show to the world we feel this obligation? We cannot help loving a gratiful child we like to know dur gifts arc appreciated. Every body despises an ungrateful person. As God’s children we enjoy the blessings of health and reason and all that makes life worth having and the closer we live to our Savior the greater are the joys and obligations we feel. But how cun a man show gratitude to his maker? For answer we must turn to the way Christ has given us. How cau a child show gratitude to his father? There is no difficulty about the form that filial gratitude should take. The love and reverence und obedience the lather lias a right to expect arc due from tho child of God to hie Heavenly Father. So it is in our relations to God. His gifts are a trust which must be faithfully administered. One way we can siiow our gratitude is by our gifts, we can really give Him nothing but we can give to His cause our influence, our time, our money. Any tiling done for His people in His name counts ns service for Himself. Even a cup of cold water He appreciates.' Wo may show our gratitude too by our lives. There is no sermon so powerful in recommending Christ to the world as a loving, beuitieent life. No better retufn can we make to our Lord for all tliut lie has I done for us than that of living for Him. •