Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1872-01-24
The New York Pulpit on Fisk.

theIne IOr the anlmaQYerSs0n OF the
several occupants Of the New York
pulpits. On Sunday, the 14th inst,
nearly every congregation in that city
was entertained with discourses based
on the meteoric career of Fisk. We
quote from the New York Herdld's
report of the sermons Of Rev. Mr..
Willis Of the 18th Street NJ. E. Church.
His text was from Proverbs xvi, 25:-
There is a way that seemeth right
unto man; but the end thereof are
the ways of DEATH" Abiding direct
ly to the career of Fisk, the speaker
said:
The circumstances which eonspired
to promote him were as rare as his
abuse Of them was fragrant. His his
tory is a prodigy Of contradictions
his advancement like the magic Of
fable-nOw an ignorant and stupid
boy-now a fantastic peddler, with
tinselled wagons and gaudy teams
now a Boston merchant-now from
bankruptcy leaping to the summit of
Wall street notoriety, and throwing
cloud and panic over the money mar
ket by one OF the most daring schemes
in the history Of speeulatiOn-now,
behold : by subtle craft and romantic
incident, at the head Of one of the
largest railroad corporations in the
world conducting law suits inyolv-
ing millions subsidizing legislatures;
conniving with statesmen and politi-
clans; dazzling beauty and fashion
with his gewgaws; TiYalling kings
with his gems toying with the for
tunes and interests OF communities
plundered by his fraudin guiltyletters
to a paramour, and dying at the hands
Of an assassin who was but his COM
peer in crime. And all this in a short
life of forty years. Truly it was a
strange life. 1t may, under the hal
lucination OF success and the stimulus
of ambition, have seemed right unto
him but it was really Comedy Of
Errors" 1t began in folly; it con-
tinued in deception it ended in
death. 1t was a splendid farce. There
was but one scene in it that was gen.
uine, and that was the bloody tragedy
of its close. That indeed, is too ter
rible to contemplate. and turns what
ever of bitterness we may have felt at
his wrong doings into the tenderness.
of pity for his loss. For it was but too
signal an illustration of the text,
''That there is 3 way that seemeth
right with a man, but the end thereof
is death.H This man made a mistake
but too common among the youth of
the present time-viz., the mistake Of
following inclination. Man was new
er intended to be the creature Of de-
sire, but of reason. The Creator, who
gave to the beast instinct, has given
to him the moral sense. And for man
to ignore the latter and adhere to the
former would indicate either that God
had erred or that His creature had
sinned. We accept the latter horn of
the dilemma, and contend that to be
controlled by appetite and sense is
both brutal and sinful in being so
highly endowed as man. Following
inclinations! Indeed, one must be
under q delusiOn to suppose his spOn-
taneous desires will point out or lead
to his chief good. The experience of
the world proves the contrary. Glut-
tony, drunkenness, debility, disease,
premature age, untimely death, all
come of the suggestion and leading
of our urinelinatiOn, Does man never
want food in quantity or in kind
which will be harmful to him. Does
he never thirst for pOisOnS Does not
his inclination lead him to expose his
health, spend his fortune, injure his
reputation and invite q climax Of s0r-
row for an iDeipiency Of delight ?
Why this is the daily history of the
race Inclinations why, our inclina-
ton Is cur evil genius. But for that
man would have no difficulty in
securing his everlasting good. 1t is
Just at this point that the evidence Of
the fall stares at US, and sin shakes its
DEATHS head and cross bones.
This is the symbol and the seal Of
our frallty. This is the hand that un-
bars the sluiee that whelms the soul
with ruin. Mol to follow Inclination
is to take the first of turn in the road
simply because it is smooth and broad
and beautiful. Because flowers bloom
along its course, aud music regales 1t,
and pleasure charms it, and fashion l
frequents it. Although at the end
there is q pit deeper than the grave,
going down to the chambers ofhelL
Following inclination is the heaven |
of the ToluptuaTy, but not the para |
disc OF man. 1t Is the Utopia of an |
spieurian, but not the goal Of q brave |
heart battling for the right. 1t is the /
plea of towards, the retreat OF sensu- |
alists, the code of those supine erea- |
tpres whopreseDt the unmeanlng par
adOx of 3 life without purpose and a
soul without principle. tits not your
business, young men 1t Is not your |
duty nor your destiny to be poisoned /
and perverted by this false notion. 1t /
is not yours to leap upon the stream |
and fold your hands and close your
eyes unearing that the roar of the mad /
waters tell of the cataract below. 1t |
is not yours to lie down in beds of 4
roses and spices and sleep through 1
your dream Of death while the house /
burns over your head. 1t is not yours /
to lie passive and placid in the arms 1
of sense until your foes bind you and 4
your heart deceives YOU and your 4
manhood dies In chill Of inditfer-
enee. No 1t is yours rather to be
noble and useful and good. To COM
bat inclination for the sake of right.
To DENY and restrain desire that con-
science may live and breathe freely
To bring the life under the mastery
of the will and the guide Of reason
To consider destiny at its ultimatum
as well as at its beginning. To take
in the whole scope OF sponsibility [
and capacity and labor, and struggle
and suffer, If need be, to honor the
one and 10 discharge the ether; look
ing ever unto that Divine and super
nal force which assures that ''all
things work together for good to them
that love God.H
Ny brother, where are you to-day
Whittier has inclination led you !?
What are those scars on your soul ?
Whence comes those sad recollections
Of sorrow and defeat2 Why are you
30 feeble and fearful to-day as you re-
viewthe dark experience ofthe past?
Does il not all come Of following in
elination ? Did you not nestle like
spoiled children in the arms OF for
.une? Did you not smile and dance
% the Iuliabys Of sense? Did you roll !.
liony in the chariot OF indulgence ,
lnril rough place In the road gave ,
you q sudden jOlt and brought you to
and you looked back and
what fool have been?' ;
Oh! / tell you, you are not merely !
lriftwood in a stream, neither ships
,uilt and rigged and launched with /,
II the appurtenances af navigation !
,xcept q helm, and therefore at the ;
neroy Of the elements; but crafts !
milf hv God and freighted with inn :