Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-12-04

Him is lot potential in human nature, then
that lif becomes the most unreal shade In a
world of shadows. But this is not so, nor
do We thus read the divine story. Not so
amid the vain things of this world do We
find that life most real, and unfailing Of
string assurance and solace and succor-
sol ace and succor against morbid and de-
sr,onding moods and against churchly ira
dition contrary to faith in human nature.
If tollies and wickednesses seem to be rifle,
then solace and strengthen yourself with
memories Of goodness that have blessed your
home and friends. Solace and strengthen
yourself with embodied, breathing good
ness not far to seek. Thank God and take
courage for that human kindness and In
tegrity in men and women which Is the tes-
timony of Gods Righteousness We have
many reas ons for JOY and Thanksgiving
but the cDiefest reason to be glad is in this
faith in the dignity Of human nature.
AT ST. PAUL's CHURCH.
The sermon at ST. Paul's Episcopal
Oh tch was by Rev. Z. r. Atwill, the rec
tor, and was listened to with the closest in
terest ty large congregation. The text
was fro m Genesis s: 20-22.
And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and
took of very clean beast, and o. every clean fowl,
and ofieI ed burnt offerings on the altar And the
Lord smelled a sweet SAVIOUR; ana the Lord SAID
in his heart, will not again curse the ground Tor
mans sake for the Imagination Of mans heart is
evil IRON his youth neither VIII again smlte
any more every thing living, as have done.
While the earth remaneth, seed time and harry
est, and cold and heat, and summer and winter
and day and nj ght shall not cease
The speaker first briefly pictured the
scene described, Noah standing near the
stranded ark the priest OF the world. Around
him were gathered the population Of the
earth, left by the waters waste. The
world was beginning new again. Ard al
though TIE little company were dependent
upon the creatures saved with them in the
ark, and tae teachings of worldly wis
dom were to carefully preserve each life,
yet, guild ed by better than worldly pru
dence. Il .ey selected the best they had for a
thank offering to God, on this the first
great Thanksgiving Day; day not OF
golden haryests, OF well-flled barns and
peacei al homes, and 1Ocks and herds and
feast of good things about the old Preside
but a day when that little band were glad
TO fad a foothOld among broken rocks
piled up by the sweep of the waters: a day
when they stood not as some adyenturer
upon the frontier, with a mighty ciyillza
ton behind, to which he may retreat, or
from which he may draw supplies; but
alone in the world, every side a frontier,
every quarter of the compass an unknown
land. And they, in this their hour Of need,
offering unto God the best of every kind.
trust Him. 1t was an Offering. proof of
their love and faith. And God dis
cerned an odor Of rest, of accept
lance. 1t vas the true fragrance of deyo-
ton. 1t was like that service Of the
Patriarchs looking forward to the fulfill
ment Of promises dimly understood, the
service Of the lsraeltes looking for the
coming Messiah, of the apostles leaving all
to walk with Christ, of ST. Paul for-aking
all to tell Of Christ, of the humble Christian
of to-day, guiding all his life by the teach |
ing Of the Master, content with the bene- |
dictiOh of the beatitudes. Ii Is typical of
the full, perfect and sufficient sacrifice, OBJ |
latiOn and satisfaction offered on the cross
by the Lamb without blemish and without
spot, an offering BY means of which we are
accepted and made unto God sweet SAVIOR
Of Christ. Mr.. Atwill then proceeded to
note the direct connection between this
sacrifice and the blessing of Sod upon the
earth AMI said that inexplicable As this may
seem 1t constitutes the very gIst OF our
religion. God values and accepts the mani
iestations of our gratitude and love, how
ever. humble and imperfect they may be,
till like the sunlight and the rain it hlesscs
the evil and the good. From Noah who
offered what he had and to her " no did
what she could the blessing comes In the
economy Of His Providence it IS ordained
that though the righteous be few IN mum
Der. their prayers, their aims, their faith
shall come up for memorial before God and
for their sake peace, plenty and continued
blessings shall abound; ten righteous men
should save the city the whole family Of
Cornelius were blessed every mariner on
the sea of Galilee was SAFER when Christ
said Peace be still How great, then.
our responsibility Tor our faith and dey0-
ton measures. Noah did not refuse, as ID
some. TO render service because he could nos
see the immediate connection between hi
offering and Gods blessing. lie did his
duty in faith and by law as fixed a. that
which hurls the planets through their
orbits. he received the blessing of God which
always follows duty performed. You can
not measure Gods benediction with a line OF
sound it with a lead, while You doubt and
delay and complain. precious time and the
blessings are lost.
The speaker then foicibly dwelt upon the
proneness of mans heart to evil The little
band of worshippers were entering on new
life The past was buried IN the waters.
They have passed out of the region Of july
neHf and stand under the shelter Of u.ercg.
No longer were they in the face OF the
waters exposed to the fury Of the storm;
they have entered the shadow Of the great
rock in the weary land. God notes our
imperfections and weakness but lie does
not desire the death of a single sinner lie
is long suffering full of mercy and compas-
sion. not willing that any should perish.
Therefore. lie says, while the earth re-
maineth seed time and harvest, etc.. shall
not cease. This Is why the golden waves Of
harvest delight our eyes neither sun nor
rain or dew have failed. Not for our right
eousness. though let Us remember, but Of
the Lord : mercies. Ihus does He draw u
with cords OF love. Let Us seek Him early
because lie seeks US 50 lovingly. Let Us In
the day Of our prosperity seek deliyerance
from thai selfshness, that c0vet0usness,
which stUps the outflow of every generous
disposition and corrodes our enjoyment and
dwaris our gratitude. Noah and his family.
homeless, and strangers IN the land we're
not more dependant than are the mos. ia
yored and prosperous OF to-day. This point
the speaker most fully illustrated. Have
YOU not seen, he said, in your j0urneyings,
brooks dry, no murmurlng and tlnkle oil
waters. no still pools to mirror the sky, no
rapids, toaming and gllnting and dancing in
/ the sunbeams, but the whole course still as
| death, the pebbles on its bottom ghostly
white: the shadows where merry children
/ loved to wade are but shifting. gritty sand.
| All where Is the brook 1t the fountain
/ fails? And 50 Is it with the How OF
merces. They cover up with beauties the
/ Jagged edges of life. They turn their re
| ireshing current toward Us a. the brook
/ that leaves the straight line OF It's course,
seeming to be attracted by the old home
stead. and almost having It's doorstep.
] They seem to come to Us as Of course, bat
should God, their source, fail TO send them,
the whole scenery Of life would be chang cd,
the busy mill-wheel of our useful activity
would stop We may learn the conditions
under which God suffers them TO increase,
and forecast the times when they will prob
ably return. But the whole secret of secur-
itv and permanence lies at the fountain
head Shall we dare then to think OF fruit
ful seasons, OF national peace and prosper
itv as having an Independent existence!
| We can, by our own efforts utilize the
stream, but VIC cannot create a drop Of It's
waters. While dwelling upon the fact OF
how often Gods mercIes are covered up
beneath our own sclishness and seli-sufil-
cheney, the speaker quoted that expressive
passage from Whittier's Hazel Blossoms, in
which a popular superstition Is used by the
poet to illustrate a'beautiful tbought-0)m-
mencing:
And as within the hazel's hough
A gin Of mystic virtue dwells,
That points to golden ores below,
And in dry desert places tells
Where low unseen the cool, sweet wells
In conclusion the preacher said that
about the most commonplace life gather
testimonies to His goodness and power.
We may follow back the moisture that re-
freshes the plant to the sea; aye, We may
find the dew of its birth upon an Alpine
! .rIanin-. Int I'LL II shn,us His nAWer We