"ENTERPRISE: ITS BEGINNING AND ITS END"

"Dear children, how happy I am to come amongst you, and to find so many here who are not only doing their best but are determined to see the battle through to the very end. All those sacrifices which you make, are they not noted by the One who loves you best?

"Sometimes it seems impossible that you can lay aside the duty of your own home, of your own community, to come away and join with others in worship of God; yet you have prayed and your prayers have been answered; the sacrifice has been made and the blessing remains for evermore.

"You see, dear children, this is for you individually an anniversary. You have your Church anniversaries, like birthdays, and those many events which you like to commemorate; but so seldom do you remember the anniversary when you first dedicated your life to God. How did it come about? Why were you able to contact with Spirit Power? Many of you will answer: 'I was in deep trouble, everything of the earth seemed to have failed me.' Then something was released within, the consciousness that, in spite of all, God was indeed your loving Father, and so the things material were laid aside for the things which are spiritual, which last for evermore.

"I have been asked to speak to you upon: 'Enterprise: its Beginning and its End'.

"There may be some gathered here who would say to me: 'When I was young, I had dreams of what I would like to do, the spirit of adventure held me fast, and the world seemed a wonderful place to live in. Then as time went on, I found that instead of those adventures which seemed so dear to me, it was discipline, it was the road of duty, shouldering the burdens of others, giving a helping hand, and opportunity for enterprise passed me by'.

"Yes, dear children, we have all been through that stage, and I know that many regret the dreams of yesterday because none of them seem to be fulfilled. But all that is wrong, it is merely the material point of view. No dreams that have good in them, no desire which was transfigured by unselfishness, can ever die, can ever fail to come to pass.

"And I would remind those who will listen, that those things which are not possible in the coarse conditions of the earth plane, bloom in all their glory in the World of Spirit, where the Love of God is expressed in so wide a measure, where the little things are seen as little no longer, but as part of the great Almighty Whole.

"So let us think a while upon those who have started enterprises. As we trace through history, we find that those of past ages also desired to be enterprising, tried to set into being something better in the conditions in which they found themselves. What was the result of all this effort by the prophets of old, the ones who had the courage to face authority, and to tell the truth although they knew the punishment that would follow?

"You see, dear children, in history we have guidance for the present, and when we look at things from a spiritual point of view - hope, a wonderful hope for the future.

"The prophets spoke by the Power of God, and they gave out a teaching or a prophecy that was not at all welcomed by those who sought their end, and many were slain after they had been tortured. But when you think of the lives of such as these, are you not amazed that that spirit of enterprise which so inspired them was not quenched by the conditions and brutality of their own age? They stood fast by the Word of God, though they were tempted to betray their faith; and their physical life left its mark on time, of the value of faithfulness.

"But those through whom the prophecies came - and many were not fulfilled for generations - had nothing to support their statements, no reason behind that which they gave forth; but they spoke by the Power of the Holy Spirit, and history has revealed not only the justification of their prophecies, but the amazing character of those who, in spite of dreadful penalties, carried through their enterprise to the very end.

"Then we think of more modern times, of the explorers who undertook to open up lands or continents, who had a tremendous struggle to gather together the essential wherewithal, who found discouragement on either side, and many to say how foolish they were to go forth into the great unknown and to sacrifice their lives for something which was so intangible.

"But, again, history has justified them, has justified Stanley and those like Livingstone who, inspired by the spirit of enterprise, gave up their all to find a passage through dense countries so that civilisation might follow after, so that the coming greater life might have room to grow.

"Can you visualise the world today with those great lands still impenetrable? They are now peopled by the children of God, and if some of them do not recognise that they are the children of God, God does not repudiate them, they are His, and one day with joy they will recognise that they are sons and daughters of the Most High.

"Yes, we send out thoughts of gratitude to those who had sufficient determination to keep to their enterprise, to see that the adventure on which they started was carried through to the best of their ability.

"Today, Science reveals the spirit of enterprise; but there is one thing which seems to spoil the picture, and it is because so much material gain lies behind the enterprises of modern man. Yes, such as these help on evolution, but what is their motive? You cannot say that behind all the effort given forth to bring into use great edifices and erections, to conquer time and space, the same spirit influences the inventors as, for instance, the spirit of Scott and Shackleton, and many others who, obeying the holy impulse within, went forth into the great unknown, and showed to all the world the courage which human nature possesses, the endurance of the real self within.

"And so I come a little nearer home to you, my children, who are meeting many difficulties owing to the conditions of this time.

"Now some of you who are quite young, feel stirring within you, the spirit of enterprise; but there are those around perhaps to say you are not practical, you should take up something which will give you a material position, one to be envied by your neighbour.

"There are many men today with sore hearts; they have talents which are unemployed, they are forced to take the work that lies at hand; and the thoughtful ones are appalled by the dwindling of craftsmanship. Machinery has taken the place of the creative power in man.

"Well, dear children, do not mourn, time marches on, and these changes must come; but always remember this: You are flesh for one short stage alone, you are spirit, and no thought that you cherish of a creative kind, in the God-way, is ever wasted. All these things are harvested for you in the granary of Immortal Life. And I congratulate those who, in their spare time, seek to express the talents they possess.

"Again, I come nearer home still. What is it that inspires a man or a woman to open a church? In the majority of cases, they have little of the material goods, and have to face the anxiety of meeting high expenses, yet you find there are thousands who cannot rest until they have done their little bit for God.

"They start their enterprise and find that they have many disappointments, that those who supported them become jealous or envious and forsake the fold. They look out on a very grey aspect. They have done their best to make their little temple good to look upon; have given from their own homes those things they prize the most, in order to honour God and to encourage others to worship in their church. Yes, I know that some of you have suffered sorely because you have not received the support which so much effort and sacrifice should have drawn from others.

"Never mind, shepherds of the straying sheep, never mind; God understands. Think of the Christ, of all He sought to do in those three years of ministry. How at last He stood alone, forsaken, and there was no one there to come forward and say: 'I will die with you!' Ah, this had to take place so that those who followed after should have the writing on the wall of comfort, should never be able to say that Christ could not understand the difficulties of their own life.

"And this brings to each and every one enlightenment. Did the enterprise of the Christ die with Him? Those in authority took it for granted that that was the end of the rebel talk of the Gospel of Love which should supplant the gospel of authority. Yet you find that out of the seeming wreckage of all earthly hopes, there were found a few who, inspired by the enterprise of their Master, determined to give their all to carry the message He had suffered so much to deliver to those upon the earth plane.

"So I say to you, shepherds of the straying flock, let not your heart be troubled. If you have done your very best, if you have not held back the sacrifices, you too shall find that the seeds sown have not been in barren ground. Maybe you have to wait a while for them to make a showing, maybe you are a little impatient, you want the results to come here and now. Once again I remind you of anniversaries. The anniversary of the sowing of the good seed, perhaps will be celebrated only in the next stage of being.

"You see, dear children, where I am leading your thoughts. So much of the teachings, so much of the views of those in the body, are merely distortions of the Truth. In the Holy Book, so clearly laid out for all to see, is the beginning and the end of enterprise.

"Woe unto those who have been inspired to take up the Master's work, and then, affronted or disheartened, or feeling they are not appreciated as they should be, throw their tools aside, and the staff of faith lies rotting in the dust. The hill was too steep to climb, they are going to rest, and so the bondage of the soul takes place. Yes, woe unto those who are tempted to abandon the Master's work when once, in spirit, they have made their vows to God.

"So I say to you who are striving on, against great obstacles and difficulties: All is well with your soul if you are prepared to see the venture through. For remember this: When the body is cast asunder, in conditions of Reality you will be able to trace back the beginning of your enterprise; and some, alas, see that there was no end, but merely a fading away. They were caught up by material influences, and the broken vows, and all the hesitation expressed by broken vows, appear before them almost as an avalanche which has to be scaled by them, with suffering, until at last the will remains sufficiently firm, when the high way is made their own, when the shining Cross of Jesus Christ brings peace and joy to their being.

"So today, as I have said, with great joy I come amongst you, for I can look into your hearts and minds, and I know that there are many who have resisted temptation to give up. Blessed are such as these, for theirs is the Kingdom. But woe unto the faint-hearted, to the ones who, tempted by the thought of failing health, tempted by the voices that told them that it was no use to go on, gave up their spiritual enterprise, for the test in the world to come remains, still awaits them.

"Rejoice, dear children, in that which you sought to do, rejoice because the spirit within you drew you out of your home to gather together this day to support the efforts of others. It is an anniversary for you. When you pass hence, with joy you will see that what once appeared as little things, are there as fundamentals in your home - and without that furniture it would be bare indeed.

"I bless you all, bless each worker in the Vineyard, bless those who come into the Vineyard and take up their task, even though it seems as though the sunset of life has already been reached. I bless you in the Name of the One who loves you best and understands you best, Jesus the Christ. And I ask you to go forward, whatever the future may hold, believing that because you want to carry your enterprise through to a glorious end, God will finish what was not possible to bring into being while upon the earth plane.

"Always remember, dear children, that when sleep holds the body you are able to see what is true. No longer are you deceived by depression or sadness, or by the ills of the body; you count your gifts with an infinite gladness of heart, and you pray to the Father that the strength may come just for another day. And that is why you find that strength does come for that other day; and when sleep holds you, refreshment and healing are all around.

"We thank the Father of us all, that never has He failed us, and never will, so long as faith triumphs over the flesh; and in the Better Land we shall gather together and count the sheaves of the harvest we have built together. Thank God for the workers, thank God for those who intend to cooperate unto journey's end.

"God bless you all, and comfort each one, whatever assails. Soon, as sleep holds the body, we shall meet again. Farewell, dear children, farewell."

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