Use Your One Talent by Myrta E. Steward

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 29, 1860

Use Your One Talent

By Myrta E. Steward

DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS: Your communications through the Review do me good. Don't let us neglect this interesting part of our paper. I have been grieved many times by the excuses I have heard from dear brethren and sisters for not writing more. They say, "Why should I write when others who are more talented and capable of doing more good do not?" Shall we then neglect duty because others do? or refuse to use our one talent because another who has five or ten does not use his? Has God no need of the one talent? Has he so arranged his plan as to use only the wise, the talented of this world in his service, and consequently give them all the reward? Oh no. "God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty." Then take courage ye "foolish and weak ones," if such you think yourselves. Do you not know that one talent if placed at God's disposal will effect far more good than ten self directed.

"A word spoken in due season, how good is it." And the Lord can speak such a word through the "foolish" which will be more beneficial than a whole elegant sermon without the Lord's direction. Then let us leave all our powers in his hands and go straight forward, doing whatever our hands find to do with our might whether in public or private, speaking audibly or through the paper. The space in the Review is like a little meeting house, designed for the church at large, and those who fill it are representatives of the assembled disciples. Now "forsake not the assembling of yourselves together as the manner of some is."

"Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another; and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord," &c. Come now, you who have not the privilege of meeting with others of like precious faith, here is a chance for you to receive the blessing God spake by Malachi; and will you who are thus privileged refuse to meet here with the lonely ones, and with those not in your immediate vicinity? Come up to the help of God. Come and put your one talents together and make a broad phalanx against the attacks of the enemies of God and his truth. Place them all in the hands of the Lord. He knows how to arrange the order of defense just right. Let us get the pure love of God burning in our hearts, and then when we speak or write, some rays will gleam through our words into other souls, and God will be glorified. What a blessed employment to glorify a being of such tender compassion and love.

"I love the Lord, I know I do, / I feel it in my soul."

I rejoice that I have such a friend who is not only willing but able to do all for me that I in any way need. My whole heart is his and O such sweet seasons of trust and communion as I enjoy with him. Why he is more to me than thousands of gold and silver, more than all else besides. He is a dear, precious, loving protector and friend, and I wish I had larger capacities, that I might love him more. Blessed Saviour! kind, compassionate Father! I can trust my all in his hands and feel that all will be well.

Beloved friends let us rejoice that "neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." God help us universally to put on the garments of salvation having "clean hands and pure hearts."

We found the most of the church at Portage standing in the liberty of the gospel, and the church here at Mackford seeking earnestly for freedom, for "holiness without which no man shall see the Lord" (which I believe some enjoy here). May God help them and all the rest of us to become free from the law of sin, and fit to dwell in his kingdom.

"Wake up brother, wake up sister; / Seek, O seek this holy state; / None but holy ones can enter / Through the pure celestial gate."

Mackford, Wis., March 14th. MYRTA E. STEWARD.