Strong Character.


STRENGTH of character consists of two things

power of will and power of self-restraint. It 

requires two things, therefore, for its existence,

strong feelings and strong command over them.

Now it is here we make a great mistake: we 

mistake strong feelings for strong character. A

 man who bears all before him, before whose 

frown domestics tremble, and whose bursts of 

fury make the children of the household quake 

because he has his will obeyed, and his own way

 in all things, we call him a strong man. The truth

 is, that is the weak man; it is his passions that 

are strong; he that is mastered by them is weak.

 You must measure the strength of a man by the

 power of the feelings he subdues, not by the

 power of those which subdue him. And hence

 composure is very often the highest result of 

strength. Did we never see a man receive a 

flagrant insult, and only grow a little pale, and

 then reply quietly? 

That is a man spiritually strong. 

Or did we never see a man in anguish stand, 

as if carved out of solid rock, 

mastering himself? Or one bearing a 

hopeless daily trial, remain silent, and never tell

 the world what cankered his home peace? That

 is strength. He who with strong passions 

remains chaste; he who, keenly sensitive, with

 many powers of indignation

in him, can be provoked, and yet restrain

himself, and forgive, these are the strong men,

 the spiritual heroes. 



Rev. F. W. Robertson.







Talent.


CIIRISTIANS frequently excuse their neglect of

duty, by saying that others are more gifted and

 better competent to discharge these duties than

 they are themselves; but let them remember 

that though they may have but one talent, they

 will have to give an account for the use of it;

 and the  faithfulness or neglect of those more 

gifted will  not be considered in their own 

account; for  every man has received his own 

gifts to do his  own work, and every one will 

have to render his  own account.  The day of 

Judgment will reveal the difference between a

 life of faithfulness in  the service of God, and a

 life of selfishness. The  end of the one will be 

joy and peace; the end of the other misery and 

despair.

Live constantly with reference to that

great day. There went a man from home, and to

 his neighbors twain He gave, to keep for him, 

two sacks of golden grain.

Deep in his cellar one the precious charge

 concealed; And forth the other went and 

strewed it in his field.

The man returns at last, asks of the first his

 sack: "Here, take it; 'tis the same; thou hast it

 safely back." Unharmed it shows without; but

 when he would explore His sack's recesses, 

corn there finds he now no more:

One half of what was there proves rotten and

 decayed; Upon the other half have worm and

 mildew preyed.

The putrid heap to him in ire he doth return.

Then of the other asks, "Where is my sack of

 corn?"

Who answered, "Come with me and see how it

 has sped"

And took and showed him fields with waving

 harvest spread.

Then cheerfully the man laughed out, and cried,

 This one Had in sight to make up for the other 

that had none.

The letter he observed, but thou the precept's 

sense, And thus to thee and me shall profit grow

 from hence; In harvest thou shalt fill two sacks

 of corn for me, The residue of right remains in

 full to thee.





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