The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1872-08-08

FUNERAL sFRaos

Ust Bsaes. j


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good 89a I bard Hassea mg course.
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Hsarefyrib fsst Is igt8 NJ Jur ws Il
croua ofnqtte5muas. sdieb ds Iord
ne rjgbte9u yaage, shaH gjrs ne ~
fbgt dag.
raul began two lives On earth. They
were as unlike each other as they could be
under human conditions. lie pursued The
auc until o singular experience came up
ou him on BIS way TO Damascus. And
there also Il was that be began that other
liie which be never abandoned but which
+ l4a eluila 10 with ever Increasing devotion.
until a. Paul tbc aged be suffered martyr
dom iu testimony TO Biz sincerity, This
last Hie to him, was tbc true and
only one. The other was Il blank or
rather a crime. He committed 4. into the
hand, of The eXpialiug One as be himself
could not avail against IL and be drove il
from his memory. But the other, The later
chosen, was Bis delight OUcu did he
. liit IL to bis own eye, as rare gem, while
I is flashing ray beamed ON the vision Of
+ bis associates and culmina,ed a star for
thc admiration and love OF the world.
As wc contemplate this life, as lifted to
our vision by Paul, own hands, we have
some special points to observe:
( First-A life through the Spirit per-
soual work
/ II we were uuinstructed in the deep
things of the Spirit, we might be inclined
to ccnsure Paul for the dominancy Of his
own personality IN the bold figure Of his
I lite conflict, There indeed can be no mis-
take Of the emphatic language, 81 have
fought ~ have finished, !" ~ have kept;"
aud listening TO the sound we might sup
pose that the earnest Paul cXulted in the
proves Of his own arm and mistook the
secret and source of his strength. But
the supposuon would be far from the
truth. No one could be more mindful of
( the help Of Him "who workoth within to
viii aud TO do, at the same time he has
driven the language to lis utmost for ex-
pressions to emphasize bis personal
strength. The circumstance brings the
I fact to our minds that our personality is
as much involved In the christian life as
/ II there were no renewing and sustaining
Spirit. His operations ON the soul is con-
ducted in that sphere and in such man
ner that while all our strength is derived
from him yet our will that works in har-
mony receives all the benefits and can
credit itself al the accomplishments.
| This is not by any means a singular, an
anomalous fact We deal with similar
ones at all times. For instance, we say
we breathe, we live, we grow or we de-
cline, and so we do as much so
as If there were none other than our
selves concerned. But we know that
we do nothing absolutely Of ourselves. It
/ is solely Gods power through which we
breathe and live and grow or decline.
/ Oar personality in all such operations is
/ involved so entirely that the work be-
comes our own and we naturally speak
/ of it as our own, and arc not misunder-
stood. 1t is only as we realize our own
agency in any work that we are aroused
to earnostness We are intensified Just
so far as we are implicated in cause.
/ Paul regarded himself as wholly involved
in the work; the new life was his own;
/ its air was his breath; its products were
+ his food, his growth and his hope; its
comforts were his delight, while its sac
ridces even were bis joy. And so far too
/ that other christian as he has entered into
+ the mysteries OF the noblcr life. lie is
far from any passivity in the midst Of the
divine activities. lie know that they are
abroad to make him fact and a power ;
( that, as the sunlight comes to the vege-
/ table and vitality TO the animal, with all
+ ts wonderful throes of life, 50 the Spirit
quickcus his soul that bis lite
may leap into It's privilege Of kingship.
T This, as apprehend it, was the secret Of
our brothers convictions. lie was Of
( that class Of men who believe as If he
knew, because he was himself involved in
the truth. His personality was engaged
( at bis conversion, in bis church affiliations
and ia his experiences. 1t might have
made the cup Of life sometimes bitter, but
since he knew the hand that held il to his
mouth, it was completely drained.
sccond--A life through the Spirit a
complete work
We come now from the hand doing to
the deed done. Paul stood as il were at
bis martyrdom. Ills eye on the retrogpcc-
tive saw his spirit struggles and saw no
more. His spirit horizon was the illumi-
mated mountain Of bis experience on tie
Damascus road. lie saw lhe intervening
distance that lined itself afar from him
under The red glow Of his setting sun II
was 10 his .oul field Of battle Ili- lips
have painted ito us in stern terrific
imagery a sentimental age may shrink
under lis piercing light, bul 20 him WHO
Is involved iu the truth, who i intrepid
Of foot on tle field 81 carnage, uanght
but paul'- language can adequately con-
yeg the power Of tilc fact Tie strong
men, we may fear are passing away from
as, whose earDesiues- Of conviction and
force q adbgrenea o principle can truly
interpret Paul., liio and work u the
world. Tie apostles course had not only
been ! scene of battle but hc saw himself
bearing away tac victor, palm. Il was
spiritual gold Oh hls beard a the sualight