, 1874-08-10
The Story Of tho Burden Of tho
Desert.
Sermon by Tho Rev. II. N. Powers,
OF St. Johns Church..
The Rev. O. N. Tyler on tue lmpre-
oatory Psalms.
Discourse by the Rev. George H. Wel's'
Of Montreal.
Sermon at St. James Church by
Bishop Clarkson.
- ,::narlls Of President Magoun, OF Iowa
College.
Sermon ut St. James Church by
Bishop Clarlsson.
= @ Christians Work.



Yesterday morning tho Rov. DR.. Powers
preached his first sermon after bis roturn from
tho Alliance trip to Colorado. His toxt waa:
The burden Of tho desert. 1saah, KILL.
As tho travolor purauea his Journey, day after
dr. ovor tho ilimtaDlo waste, no tlnnlly be-
comes conscious of woarinoss tint ID oppros-
elyo. Away. leaguo upon leaguo, atrctchoa tho
vast ox,anBe. lilo Same aky ia ovor him, tho
same droary loyol before him, tho sanlo horizon
bounds lis vision nt morning, noon, and night
No groom hills, or waving grain, or retfoani'g
grovoH greot hiB oyo, NOR docs Lo hear t1o souhab
Of industry or amusement. lnStcad o. plehsahs
valleys, and cultivated fields, md tho blue radgea
of distant moutttainD, he sees on every sido tho
mighty Bveop of tho Gosort with it's monotono,a
surface and coaaooas dcstitution OF lifo with its
actiyitios and cnjoymontB. Tho incossaut sats'o-
noas. tho pntt over such q wilderness ut last
amounts to burden. uo longa for change, If
1t bo nothing moro than rugged rond and sights
and sounds that would be otherwise untlitcreBt-
Ing, To think of travelling such q Landscape for
years would bo intolorablo. Hc asks, pleading2y,
"Wlon will 1t ond q
Thore nro experiences OF human lifo that arc
aptly figured by this "burlen Of tho desert"
In fact, all wl,oso path runs on rnany years got
Into sud ana lonoly placos, TINT .i iihey would lam
lily are born to trial aud care-to sorvlco TINT
lcoousoa nouotonons in its continuity and do
nnntls Whore tnero is no sovcre trial tn ono'a
prossnrn Of daily duty, . burden thnt is at least
Distressing. I do not di1parage tho dignity and
necessity OF labor. II il one OF man's grcatcst
blessings TINT no is Obliged to be industrious,
taEo responsibilities and endure hardship. No
strong and noble character Is found without such
an education. Still tho fact ronlalns tint whore
there t. no reof to tho TaneS tha' gqns sTa
to to-, contlnuouai dr,1gery, whore tho struggle
to maintain oxietonce, With stsnrgent nocossstlos,
ia protrnoted without respite, tho very sersencss
siyo. There il great multitude III tho world
wllo get no relief in their lives from tho hard
routine OF their occupations mud cares, and
though. Of courso many Of them arc without
high aspirations or ino Bensibilitios, yot among
them are those who feel ofton that they arc
ploddng over d desort. The dull aud heavy
monotony tires tllom. They are weary OF tho
san,o patl, tho Bnlne service, tile Same ohango-
lcsa oxpas.no. tho snu,e dark horizon. And look
ing out on tho picturoa TINT como frequently to
their hcnrts. thoy nhh for soMe pleasant change
for q rest perchnnco, Gil some musical shore,
or amid mountains that nro bright and sweot
It % il not 80 much that my ono r'ace. OF any
one occupation, III better tinn another,
dismal 1 routino of lifo Is desirable.
ono carries himself with him, Of COURSE. wtler..
over ho goes, and tho bnBe md discontontod
mind car never. by any mere removals. wherever
it wander. find noblenoss aud cOrtont. Still, tho
agreeable variation Of ono's experience, for
ti,no, ia recreation and n rest. It would be a
blessed thing ii all who know what tho burden
of tho saMcnoBe and tiIesomo11cBs OF business
and household caro- is, could lave aomo llttlo
yenrly reapite~eon,e diyor8on from tho lleavi"
ieas and irkeomenoss Of their way. Nothing is
lost, but n great doal .ganod, whom tic desert
life is now aud then broken up. and one ia per-
uittod to Btart afrosh with new experience.
Another burden Of tho deBort is doattutiou
OF human sympathy. Such ia the constitution
Of man that ho requires society. friendship. at,
that il without the cnrichmonts OF love-. It III
III tho sunshine Of kindrod natures. in tho aa-
surauce Of tho trust. and esteem, and devotion
lont traits arc developed, aud tho purest onjoy-
nlents known. Take awny ffnm QUO oil plonsant
companionHhip, all that tcstilies to ne'ghborly
confidence and cc''cer',, md life IL barron i'll
deod, And yot there are ttoAc who 1.-Two on with
out the consciousness Of sincere friend; who
amid all tho muititudos around them arc assured
OF nnno who hayo them in tender ostecm. When
ono las thus carried aono hls trals, has folt tho
hcart-hungor that iB nover nppeased aud appro-
ciates tue value md poBsbities Of friendship,
bin isolation and poverty amounts to anfforing.
lie bears the burden Of tho desert We may bo-
1ege tint good many know what this iH-slat
it il to walk woariao,no path with no truatrul
companion to abide whore there IL no homo !:
TO como from work with no welcome OF wntchfnl
eyes; to go abrond with mono to express interest
or Rolictlldo; to endure disappointment, pnn
HickncHst without enjoying tue support Ct ai,cc-
tionnso asslduitics; to fool day after day TINT
they arc cared by none in all tho world With
such life not ouly grows ma.,otonous: but chcor-
less. There IL no vordurc upon it. 1t lsunbleHe
with fountains OF swcet watars,
But there il another desert over which the
most. Whole iives are prosraotod,; have i to
.s9t q + son f&si tor sno nS ars aea sn as
aud strange Hnd grioyoua 9e patIla IN IN wttseh #
somo seem favoretl with peculiar blessings, md
to enjoy freedom from the calamlties That
blight tho rosoH OF so many lycs And yot nc
ono call feel assured, while In tho world that lit
il Hecrro from alction. For, Of gil certaintios,
human prosperity is ancortain. Many n man nj
household finds it oyorshudowed, aud q grca'
vacancy whore lie promised himself a swoci
,companionhhip. Marly an ono, gocsa, gr1opine
eGu nad eowsa @ 99Yn III IT'D "a 'fS f haf o 81,
moll.erH WHO bury thoir babes, and Iccolyo nc
moro to their caressea tho ma|tonB who truHtet
to false v"wa, and who curry tho aecret Of thcii
teception IN htoken ,hanrts; Tho lons widow
crupia who wtrc, once atrong, bu!
now aro cut or from. oil the high nctiyities ant
gonerous riytriea of Tho living; tho utlsophiss
ficated aud afroctionatc, who hayo becn barefs
OF tlulr Euilen all eounsolnrs,-l think OF Ill
those who "atel lopoloaslT ~ painful cogches
WHO chulG DAEH 10 TOota NtoT8 hO hlnft VOICE
welcomes tllum; who toll on amid tic thronp
without sympathy; who hoar IN their lnnoconct
dark as,sricions;, who fcol cach day tho hrish
illusion Of health, or conlpntonco. or Affection
e]l1lo theln,-tlink Of tlluao whoso wsonga arr
mt rglltcd, OF those whose toars nre novel
wiped av"y. Of thoBo who raAt not In t!!or a,1xi
etios MI! t;rofs, tho Kroat, sa, motley enrays'
md you viii confess t!,nt q yast number tnoN
tic ''burdon Of tho deAert:" Onward Tho,
trayol, anl yet they SOON to DO no nlghcr tl!f
1ongud.for place Of refroaEluleut.' The birds dt
,ot siug for them, nor tl,e brooks prattle, mol
tho cool nlollutains rise. nor the fruitful yao.
welcome them to pleasant rotroats. 1t ip on ant
on. with the burden prossllIg heavy. and Will
feet aore and weary that tlloy TO-.
1slt there ia yet nauro slroadfal burden Of tl,s
desert. TO bo destitute of the deniraio .llngt
Of this lilo Ia bad enough, but to }lavo hopoloH
tIeaolatton in tho nnul IL Infinitely WotAo
llore nro thoBe believing 1t, n righteous Cad
Vilo acknowledge their .uiltlnosH to themselves