Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1873-1877, 1873-10-29
JULIA WARD HOWE IN THE
PULPIT.

4 sermon from Boston's Apostle OF
the New Wonlan's Gospel, preached in
| the Unitarian Church at Harlem, n Y,
| contains the following:
j, is II great misfortune that we are so
| famii,.. with the sound that we under
stand but little of the sense of many
| i4an'ifui truths taught US in the Bible.
| Words and expressions from Holy Witt
| become dali like coins III constant USE
| that after awhile lose their weight and
are no longer worth the plice stamped
| upon their face. The pictures in Chiist's
| mind were al zeal. anu ii is a pity that
they were not always reproduced with
closer ttention paid TO their purity of
form and naturalness of coloIing. OF
the ten virgins who took lamps and went
ont TO meet the bridegroom. one-half
were wise This proportion is larger
than We should have the right to expect
in our day. How very few Of Us have
the oil of wisdom with Us while we wait
for the coming of the bridegroom The
oil of the parable was wasted just as our
natural powers waste without cultiva-
ton, and when the sudden call for the
exercise Of these powers comes to Us.
how few OF Us are ready, Our trials
nearly all come suddenly. and give US
Int little time for preparation. 1t be- |
hOoveS US, then. TO be always ready, to |
have oil III our lamps and 10 have them |
trimmed and tit for use.
OHr great trials come to US sometimes |
in the form of terrible temptations, and |
what can he more sudden than these? |
And what is there that demands more |
careful preparation TO withstand? When |
we think of it, little wrong is done by |
generalization. Ifyou are asked whether !
YOU Will DO a mean and cowardly act,
or a brave ana magnanimous one, you
answer Il brave one; and at the time you
really mean what you say, and in your
heart you intend to act bravely. But
the temptation comes when you least
Expect it. 1t comes with the suddenness
Of flash. You are uuprepared. Your
better nature is asleep, and You yield
and are lost. Think how friehtful are
the results of some of these visitations
Look at the French Revolution, that era
Of national chaos which has not vet
given place to order. Take our own Late
war. which was foretold years and years
ago by De Tocqueville. We winked at
The corruptions that were sapping the
of our liberties Great and
GOOD men lifted up their voices and
'ried to US. BE prepared" but we
slumbered and slept, and then came the
lreadful hour of slaughter We had no
oil in our lamps, and this great, foolish
nation was taken and shaken and made
10 look God in the face. Then We were
forced to learn that cotton was not king.
hat money was not king. that policy
was not king. but that truth. justice and
God demanded our allegiance. Then
there was rushing to the niarket-place
to buy the wisdom that We had failed to
lay away, but it was too late.
Ny mind reverts to short and simple
/ once Heard Henry Ward
Beecher preach. One sentence found
NE where | sat. and nailed itself fast to
ny heart: DO not think that you can
have TIE support and comfort of religion
# you can order them like a suit of
'lothes from Il tailor" Never has that
aoble man, SO wickedly aspersed only n
hort time ago, spoken truer words.
sorrows have often come to me since
hen and found me without that suit of
'lothes l had Lot oil i'll my lamp. |
Was unpre pared for the coming OF the
1t seems cruel that thu.
uOil.h virgins were not allowed TO enter
fter they had purchased fresh oil aud
etrinmed their l.lnps: bat it mus; he
emernbered that v hen they were needed
hey We're not ready. Whit is done eau
lot be undone. We may rep, LII and Ie-
'eDt, but repentance cam Il reverse facts .
hat are recorded.