LIVING FOR CHRIST
A Sermon Delivered by Eleazar Bales, on 1-27-1872 at Mill Creek Monthly Meeting Held
at Spring Meetinghouse, Indiana, Western Yearly Meeting (Conservative)
Previously Unpublished Material Transcribed from Archival Manuscripts by Tom Roberts,
Made available to the editor by Edsel Burdge.
This is The Quaker Homiletics Online Anthology, Part 3: The 19th Century
It has been a considerable length of time since it has been my privilege to sit with friends here. I
might say it has seemed good to me to sit with you on this solemn occasion, and I have been
introduced into serious meditation on our condition as men and accountable beings to our great
benefactor and Father. I know from experience that it is often the case as Christ has told us that in
the world we are to have tribulation. It has been my lot to experience, at least a considerable
portion of my travels through the world and often been made to remember the condition of
Friends here at this place. Christ says "be of good cheer for I have overcome the world". Dear
friends there are many of you who know as well as I, something of this in regard to trials and
tribulations on our journey of life; and also our way has been through opposition. It is the [curse]
with all who are spiritual travelers to a more permanent home than this. We meet with opposition,
and sometimes it seems as though it were on every hand. We have an enemy to contend with, and
he is always opposing us in our efforts to do our Heavenly Fathers will; he is opposing every good
thing, because he is an enemy to all good an his desire is to turn us away from the path which God
has designed for his children to travel in to this heavenly land. I have no doubt but that many who
have undertaken this journey have become weary of fighting and turned back almost at the point
of reaching their reward. I have really thought sometimes myself that we must indeed fall by this
enemy, but I have all confidence in that all sustaining power if I keep my place and keep my eye
single to my guide; he is able and will conduct us safely through all opposition. I have desired to
day that we might all prove conquers. God is no respecter of persons and willeth not the death of
the sinner and I believe there are many of us now, who have experienced his long forbearance
according to apostolic declaration. I am a firm believer that he willeth not the death of the sinner,
because he has made so great a sacrifice even of his only begotten Son upon the cross in order to
give salvation free to every soul. This salvation is not for a part not for a few, but for all men yet
there are conditions my friends, we are bound to work out our souls salvation with fear and
trembling before Him. We are not to sit down here in idleness and forget God, but work out our
souls salvation with fear and trembling. God has promised that his grace is sufficient for all his
children, notwithstanding through all the opposition in this world, all who wait upon hi he has
promised to renew their strength whereby they may be enabled to run this race, and this through
opposition, running the race that is set before them and not become uneasy. O my brothers you
feel near to me this day, and I have been reminded that we are fast passing away from the
checkered scenes of this world, and it does seem to me there is every thing in the promise of God
calculated to stimulate the traveler on his journey to his heavenly land where it is life eternal. It is
eternal glory, a home where sickness and death are never known; but here we have trials and
tribulations and temptations on every hand. Where I am now located I often see processions
following the remains of some brother to his return to dust from whence he came. Are we not
willing to come under the influence of his yoke and receive a crown of glory, which is life eternal.
My friends we cannot realize this unless we comply with the terms of salvation and not only
acknowledge it with our tongue but with a sincere heart. My Dear Friends, how I have desired
that we might not fall short of any duty that is required at our hands. The heart of man is deceitful
and above all things desperately wicked, but the Lord knows it and searches the hearts of the
children of men.
Dear people I feel to say once more, "Don't be discouraged," on your journey, but press forward
for the mark of his high calling. Press onward and don't look backward and God will help you on
your journey. He will enable you to journey on through all opposition and the enemy of your souls
peace will be over come and your reward will be life eternal.