Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1861-06-27
The rriumphs OF Faith.


A Sermon delivered az Lancaster, Wis.,
Nay %, 1861, before The Plotteoitte
District Ministerial association Of the
N. Il. Church, By J. Lester Williams,
Of Hazel Green. Published By order
ofthe association.
s'FOr he endured seeing him who is INVISIBLE
Hebrew, XII, ~
The men who have power to be the great
est benefactors of humanity, have generally
lived and acted in advance of their times.
Their labors, tolls and suffering have not
usually been duly appreciated until after
they have ceased to struggle for the eleya-
ton of mankind.
But when these men have served their
generation and fallen asleep, and the pen
Of the future historian has made a faithful
record Of their deeds of noble, daring and
unfinching sufferings, men look back with
profound astonishment, and are ready to
inquire, why was it that these philanthropic
reformers were 50 misjudged, and their
motives 50 impugned during their whole
life!
The chapter from which we have select
ed these interesting words, is replete with
illustrations Of this idea 1t records the
most signal triumphs aud victories Of faith
over sight; or in other words it gives us a
brief though highly interesting account Of
some men, Of antiquity, who lived for the
future. We may, therefore, appropriately
denominate this discourse the Omnipotence
of Faith or the principle OF trust, and reli-
auce of some distinguished men, for Their
reward in the future. He who knows and
feels his cause to be just can afford to wait
for posthumors immortality.
Let us now proceed to illustrate and APP
ply this principle by selecting a few Of the
many incidents left upon record in The an
mails Of saclel and profane history. There
is long list Of ancient worthless, whose
name aud record are found in this chapter,
few only Of whom we can notice in the
compass Of one short discourse.
In the early history Of our world, we be-
hold Abel, the first martyr trusting in God
and looking forward to the true sacrifice
that was to take away the sin of the world ;
aud thus bearing testimony to the correct
ness of The principle here assumed. There
stands the sainted Enoch--a beacon light
amid surrounding darkness. When the
anti-deluyian world had almost universally
corrupted itself before God, he is seen
bearing steady testimony in favor Of the
true religion. The ungodlv world, nc
doubt, upbraided hin as an enthusiast.
But he endured ais ltfered all "as seeing
him who is invisible" He patiently wait
ed until God took him, and we behold him
mounting the bright cloud Of glory, and
amid crowd Of celestial messengers, he
passed, without tasting death, to the man
sions of the blessed
Ih3 q rialch Noah afford enc Of the
clearest illustrations, and combinations Of
the correctness Of our position any where
to be found in all the broad sweep OF uni
versal history. In his day the earth wa.
corrupt. not only generally, but universally
while he heard voice from heaven sum
moning him to prepare an ark for the sal
walton of himself and family. The Al
mighty assured him that the earth would
be destroyed. There were no indication:
Of the threatened desolation. Yet Noah
"as seeing him who is Invisible" went t
work, and commenced the construction d
that heayen-planned ship which was des
tined to be the only conselvator OF human
life on the face Of all the earth. No doubi
as he proceeded, the uneodly thTong laugh
ed him to seorn. Perhaps as they passed
by they said what crazy mad-cap is this
building ship so far away from water
He must assuredly be demented-no sane
mind would engage in such a silly enter
prise, and no doubt various schemes were
suggested to bring him to his senses. How
they scoffed at the very idea of drowning
the world with waterl The simple thought
they conceived to be worthy Of place on.
" in the brain Of deluded fanatic.
But he patiently labored on day after
dav, week after week, month after month
until at last long years We're added to the
time of preparation. The ark was al
length completed, and yet no rain descend
ed--no symptoms of the approaching ca
ttstrophe. All was in apparent peace and
epose. But at the appointed lime, tax
heavens were opened, and torrents Of the
liquid element poured down, and the foun.
tains of the great deep were broken up
Now, the hitherto inexplicaDle conduct o
Noah is fully and plainly interpreted. liz
is seen floating triumphantly Oh the bosom
Of the wide waste ofwaters; while all those
who had for years derided and ndculec
him as a hair-brained enthusiast, are sub
merged beneath the liquid wave.
What does Noah now care for all he hae
suffered from the jeers and ridicule OF hl'
ungodly neighbours "IIe had endured a
seeing him who is invisible" BY the way
we may remark right here, that nearly ev
ery man who has lived in advance Of hii
times, has been adjudged and reputed a
either silly or crazy. Comparatively few
have escaped both these epithets, ans many
men. Of whom the world was not worthy
have inherited both the one and the other
Even the immaculate Rsdeener bimseI
did not escape, for '.his friends said he !
/ beside himselLp while bis enemies affirmed