pledge fully, freely, and forever." What wonder that in time the light
broke and that Bushnell became a great prophet of the faith!
Even Paul, finishing his laborious discussion of God's providence
toward Israel, acknowledges his baffled thought:
=O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of
God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing
out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his
counsellor? or who hath first given to him, and it shall be
recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and unto
him, are all things. To him be the glory for ever. Amen.--Rom.
11:33-36=.
And then, as if he turned from philosophy to action with gratitude, he
begins the twelfth chapter:
=I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present
your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is
your spiritual service. And be not fashioned according to this world:
but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove
what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.--Rom. 12:1, 2.=
_O God, we thank Thee for the sweet refreshment of sleep and for the
glory and vigor of the new day. As we set our faces once more toward
our daily work, we pray Thee for the strength sufficient for our
tasks. May Christ's spirit of duty and service ennoble all we do.
Uphold us by the consciousness that our work is useful work and a
blessing to all. If there has been anything in our work harmful to
others and dishonorable to ourselves, reveal it to our inner eye with
such clearness that we shall hate it and put it away, though it be at
a loss to ourselves. When we work with others, help us to regard
them, not as servants to our will, but as brothers equal to us in
human dignity, and equally worthy of their full reward. May there be
nothing in this day's work of which we shall be ashamed when the sun
has set, nor in the eventide of our life when our task is done and we
go to our long home to meet Thy face. Amen._--Walter Rauschenbusch.
Ninth Week, Seventh Day
=Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye
blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world: for I was hungry, and ye gave me to eat; I
was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me
in; naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in
prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him,
saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or athirst, and
gave thee drink? And when saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in?
or naked, and clothed thee? And when saw we thee sick, or in prison,
and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them,
Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my
brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me.--Matt. 25:34-40.=
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