_“He That Endureth Unto the End”_
By P. T. Magan
THERE are two periods in Christian battles when it is hard to get people to fight. One of these times is the beginning, and the other is the ending. It takes faith to start a work, and it takes still more faith to endure to the end of that work. Once a work is started, many will come in for a while, and the thing will go well. But such, while they reap a blessing, can never garner to their souls the rich joys which those receive who began the work when it was unpopular, when no one had any confidence in it; when the majority thought it could never succeed. He who metes to men their rewards, both here and hereafter, reserves for this latter class, in the very nature of things,21a richer blessing,—a more profound happiness than the others can possibly partake of. There is an ancient adage that he who strikes first generally strikes last. Perhaps the saying is not altogether without a moral. At any rate, it is generally those who had faith to begin a work who receive grace sufficient to stay with it to the end. It takes faith to do this. When the work is at the height of its success, it is easy enough to join it and bear a part in it. But when the sun of its triumph begins to decline; when men tire of it, and go to something else, or drop out of it, and do nothing at all; when, on account of mistakes, testimonies of reproof surround it, and its course becomes tangled and difficult,—then it is that the faithful ones are revealed—those who “endure to the end.” As Christians we are all striving for heaven; and the Master has told us that he who endures to the end shall be saved. Throughout our lives we are brought face to face with adverse circumstances and difficult situations. In every such experience we must stand by until the adverse circumstance is overcome, or the difficult situation conquered. To do this is to be saved as far as salvation from those circumstances and difficulties is concerned. We can only be saved moment by moment, hour by hour, and day by day, to the end of each separate engagement, and win in each and every trial. How is it in the work with “Christ’s Object Lessons”? Are you enduring unto the end? Have you sold your full quota of books? If you have not, my brother, take courage; endure to the end of this race. Never quit the field till your last book is gloriously sold. If your own books are sold, but the quota of your church has not been entirely disposed of, take up the broken thread; strengthen the feeble knees; lift up the fallen hands; encourage others to begin the work again. Ever remember that God is oftentimes enabled to bring great blessings to an entire church on account of the efforts of one man.