Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-06-22

world can know. As prosecutions have in
spired martyrs, and their deaths have given
new life to the truth they held for man, so
have other adyersities called new energies
of those who bore them, into being, and
opened new ways and means for the accom-
plishment Of ife's most eiEecual deeds.
They test our faith, too; our faith in God
aud in man. l wish they oftener made us as
strong in The former as they do, in a certain
sense, in the latter. Even now, as this calam-
ity is so freshly with us, the voice of conf
dence III human aid is heard, and promises of
an immediate renewal Of the business inter-
ests SO suddenly Frustrated, are lighting up
with new hopes the hearts of the losers in
this late event We have reason to be thank
full for such a deliyerance from the fear that
hath torment when the way of temporal life is
SO suddenly and foVmidably obstructed. Said
q distinguished citizen, at the assembling to
which have before alluded, " The spirit of
oaterprise, the gecuperative power which l
know to be in the arms and hearts OF these
men around me, is worth a thousand times
more than all the property now persisted in
the midst of u.s." SO it is my friends; that
was A" q word fifty spoken;" and would not
take an iota from It's fall meaning. But may
il not be that our dependence on human eff
forts is stronger far than i'll that Power Of
whose will and working it was long ago writ
ten, Except the Lord build the house, they
labor in vain that build it." Our security,
after ALL must be III Him. Our trials are sent
us that it should be so; and let us keep this
lesson as one of the most precious that be-
nignant Father could have granted.
In summing up my words this morning, let
me remark that aIuId all the callings ana ex-
periences of life there is no calamity which
we have reason to fear so much as sin. This
should we know for ourselves, and this teach
to others, who need the teaching, by precept
and example. We have beea shocked and
grieved by this event, which has made the past
week such an one Of change and loss to our
citizens. But let us understand that there are
worse perils to which we are subject than
those which fire, or any agent Of material de-
struetion, can bring. These are sordid pas
sions, perverted wills, habits induced by base
indulgencies fashions, customs, allowances
that waste as " the pestilence that walketh in
darkness" or the flame that deyoureth at
noon-day. The confagration with which we
have all been so recently appalled,, is not the
only one to which a city like ours is subjected
There are ways Of death in it, we have ca
sons for believing, where the. fires of trans
gression are eating out the souls of their
victims, and where a desolaton will come
worse than any our busy streets can now
present to the eye Of the beholder. | have
seen men, III my walks in this far city, who
were themselves consuming fame No alarm
bells were rung, no engines of safety We're
out after them. But they needed both, and
the power of the Almighty, to rescne them
Heaven make us watchful, in view of such
moral plaques, and successful in keeping those
who need our righteous influence, from the
Vaccinations and distractions with which they
come.
Let me men tion, also, the worth Of an i'm
peyishabe treasure, to us ALL There is such
an one which we need, aud which it is in the
power Of the God Of all grace to impart 1t
is related in history, that when Demetrius
had captured the city of Megara, and the
property of the inhabitants had been entirely
pillaged by the soldiers, he recollected that
Stilpo, philosopher Of great reputation, was
among the number. Having sent for him,
DemetIius asked him if he had lost
anything during the pillage. No,
replied the philosophers i" my property is al
ways safe; for it exists only in my mind. :"
Our property, all Of it really worth possess
ing, must b where this good sage had his Sc
cured, within. We shall find it, if we fol-
low the directions of Christian truth, such as
Jesus denominated the house built upon the
rock, against which no food or tempest could
successfully come. 1t is the heavenly treas
ure of faith, and hope, and high communion
with Him who is invisible. Thieves cannot
reach, moth cannot corrupt, fire cannot con-
sumo it. Be this enduring blessing ours =
and may these morning thoughts upon the
"day of adversely, lead US to secure and re-
| tain it.