p. 135 | Love to the Work

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 9, 1858

Love to the Work.

No one can be happy or successful in any business or occupation which he does not love. The cultivation of the earth was not only the original employment of man's physical energies, but it is also one of the most pleasant. Yet to some farmers it is drudgery, simply because they do not love it. Put such a man on the best farm, surround him with every convenience, he will not be successful or satisfied. But take one who is a true lover of nature, and of her culture, place him on a barren sand-heap, or in a trackless heath, and in a few years he will have a pleasant home and a thrifty farm.

So of any other occupation; so also in spiritual things, in the work of the Christian and of the gospel minister. There is such a thing as enjoying religion. Some christians are habitually happy, religion is their theme, they love to think about it, to talk about it, they love the prayer-meeting, the Sabbath, the Sabbath-school. Such are not only happy, but useful; they exert a good influence on all around them. But one to whom duty is a task, who shirks responsibility whenever he can, and does as little as possible, is very apt to be cautious, gloomy, and more a hindrance than a help to the church.

We once heard a young minister say, that the hardest thing he could do was to preach—he had already preached upon about all the subjects that he felt much interest in, and to prepare a new sermon or repeat an old one was a disagreeable task. Nothing but necessity would induce him to undertake it. Of course while in this state of mind he could not be happy or useful. The best minister will often feel his insufficiency, and sometimes have severe trials, still it is his privilege to love the work.

A low state of piety will make the work of religion hard. Deep piety makes the yoke of Christ easy, and his burden light. The heart that is in union with God, loves him because he has done so much for him, and is indeed a fountain of excellence. And if we love God we shall love his people, his cause, the souls of men. How precious the immortal interests of the meanest of our fellow-beings. How great the privilege of doing something for their salvation. To the heart thus warm with love to God and love to souls, the work of religion can be no task. Our greatest grief in such case is that we can do no more.—Sel.