glorious harvest, if we are faithful and patient,
guaranteed by the living God.

And do not pervert the teaching of the Scripture by narrowing its scope.
It does not say,--Work, for the work is good for you; results are
nothing. It says rather,--Work, for God is working with you, and results
are His care. The Lord does not say,--Take no thought for the morrow,
for these cares of food and clothes and health are sordid; despise them,
and think exclusively of higher things. Quite other, and infinitely more
wise and tender, is His teaching,--Do not be distracted by cares, "_for
your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things_,"
and how He furnishes those who trust Him let the birds and the lilies
declare. "_Cast thy bread upon the waters_," for there is One watching
it who will bring it back after many days. "_They that sow in tears
shall reap in joy._" "_He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious
seed, shall doubtless_"--doubtless because the Lord of the harvest
assures it--"_come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with
him_."

Three practical principles, which indicate the Christian policy of life,
I gather from the text:--

1. Do not be afraid of giving with bountiful hand lest your charity
should be wasted. Scatter your gifts freely: "_freely ye have received,
freely give_." "_He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed_,"
blessed with the blessedness of Christ, and like Christ he shall gather
in rich harvests. Sow your gifts as the husbandman scatters the seed in
his furrows, leaving it with God to watch it, to bless its springing, to
ripen its fruit. Much of our charity, our effort to bless mankind, must
seem to be futile. The waters close on it, it vanishes from sight and
touch, it is rotting, we think, in the depths. No; I think that the
discovery of the unknown fruit of the patient efforts and the loving
sacrifices for men which on earth seemed to us to be wasted, will be one
of the purest and intensest joys of eternity.

2. Do not be afraid of working lest your toil should be fruitless. There
is no fruitless labour. Every hammer-stroke on the forge of duty welds
something which will outlast eternity. Work with a will then, with a
courage, an energy, a hope, to which Heaven lends its inspiration; and
believe that nothing is so sure in the universe as your harvest. This
seed of your toil may be stolen, that may be crushed, that may be
blighted when it is set for fruit; but th