Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1859-03-22
WHEE
THE INTELLIGENCER.
SERMON TO YOUNG MEN.
DELIVERED N TuE SECOND PREsBrrERlAv cnrncu.
MARcu 20, 1859, by KEv. n. V. popan.

uecelFeui TOD Is not mockel:
esh shall Of the flesh reap corruption but at soretb
WIS. y '''s ''s '''is'-"Al-
The speaker began by observing that the
principle asserted in the first part of the text
was very plain and common sense one, appeal
ing to all experience What else has the farmer
to expect, than to reap grain similar to that
which he has sown? He would be surprised al
any deviation from that common law. This
then, is law of the Kingdom of nature that
whatsoever man sowcth, that shall he also
reap" God is the same in ALL and the princi
pies Of his government are essentially the same
everywhere, whether they relate to the natural
or physical, the intellectual or moral. No con-
trariety exists. There is no reversal of natural
principles This thought is presented by the
Apostle in the words of our text, in which you
will notice tbs statement to the effect that the
same principle operates in matters of conscience
or religion as that which we see in the processes
of nature This mode of illustrating spiritual
by natural objects is very common in the Old
Testament ard very often in the New 1t is
certainly plain and expressive. Any one can
understand the common operations of the natu.
raj world. Indeed, the book Of naturc is mans
common instruction book. lie here learns the
alphabet of all science; and the little blade of
grass, and the rolling above, are but letters
in that alphabet which can show him as Oh n
printed page the matters that relate to himself
to his God, to his destiny.
Mans future depends upon lis present--hiS
character hereafter the habits he now forms
his destiny in eternity on the life he now lives
My first remark then, is that the principle
Ofour text here asserted springs frou fact
worthy to be noticed, that there is an overruling
Providence. God rules his universe by the nc.
ton of certain laws. These lawsas they develop
themselves are arranged into systems; and hence
We have various systems of laws-the depart.
Inent OF physic, the laws of the natural world,
the laws ofmental philosophy, of moral virtues,
principles, and affections of these laws, one
Uf two things must be true; either at their origin
so powerful an impress was put upon them by
the Almighty that they are now unalterabe, or
their great Originator still exercises n control
The speaker then went on Mt some length elab-
Grating aud illustrating his argument to the eE
feet that the axiom "like begets like is an in
evitable law of the moral as well as the natural
Kingdom.
He then proceeded to take up the Apostles
appreciation of the principle ale that sowcth
of the flesh, shall OF the flesh reap corruption;
but he that soweth TO the spirit, shall Of the
spirit reap life everlasting" He said it was
impossible to mistake the meaning of the phru-
Seology. The terms flesh and spirit have their
distinctive meaning in the scriptures, and rep
resent two conflicting principles, the one ton /
ing to mans degradation, the other the reverse.
Now, to SOW of the flesh evidently means to in
dulge excessively the passions of a subordinate
nature; while to sow of the spirit expresses
elevation of the heart, and the formation ofright
character. Ine idea of the text is this; the
world is the broad field in which men sow; life
time is the seed time, the time of sowing; the
harveSt is at the end.
lie then proceeded to present the subject at
length, and in a somewhat ductrina fortn, after
which he made the Application in strong, for
chile manner TO the youth, especially the young
men, as follows:
These remarks are applicable to all, but adj
dress now to you, young men, whom have
invited to attend, these thoughts, because
your going forth in life is like that of the hus-
bandman that is sowing seed for harvest
yet to come. The principles, the purposes, the
actions of your lives are the seed which YOU are
sowing the results of which are to be reapcd
both in life and eternity. In the first place, do
not think that you can afford to lose or mis-
spend yOnr time. Some think it matters not
how they live Just now, but it docs matter
You know not the force of habit, the power of
propensities formed in the human mind. The
man who first puts the punch bowl to his lips,
knows not that habit will be engrafIed upon
him that will cling to him through hie-knows
not TINT he gives himself up to Il vice that will
prove his master BE wise; look at the present,
and then at the future, and contemplate what
the field of life will be TO you.
Two considerations present to you First,
youth IS the time of choicc; it is the probation-
AIRY state truly; the time when the world is set be-
fore YOU, and life calls upon you for action. In
ninety nine cases out OF every hundred, the
choice a man makes in his YOUTH remains his
choice all through life, and will determine the
character of that life. his death, his destiny
Therefore have asked you to look at this great
principle of Gods TRUTH that "whatSoever
man Soweth, that shall he also reap so that
ere YOU have commenced sowing the field before
YOU, YOU may consider the harvest you will
gather. There is danger that youth will make
the wrong choice that you will choose wrong
pursuit or profession in life. Men will not look
to the extent or quality of the talent they pos
seSs bur are often led in the choice of u pur-
suit by some prcposSession prejudice of the
n,ind: and thus they misuse life, and pass
through it without having effected Whit they
could have done had they started out in the
right direction. You are TO choose carefully
Some kinds of seed are better adapted to one
soil than another; and thus the results Of your
life, the carrying out of your qualities your
principles require different department from
that needed by another.
Then, again, there u danger of setting before
YOU wrong ends in life. The is danger. at
this dav, OF the ynung man making too worldly
\ rhoice WorldiiucSS Is the great sin Of our