The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-11
ALL SOULS CHURCH
DIR. BELLOWS ON THE DEcErr1oNs OF III

DIR. BELLOWS ON THE DECEITIoNs OF LITE
DR.. Bellows preached yesterday morning from
Job XXX. 2 8 and ton that 1 we're as In
months past, as In the days when God preserved
me; when his candle shned upon my head, and
when by his light walked through darkness; as
was In the days OF my youth wnen the secret OF
God was upon my tabernacle"
TIE reverend gentleman said THE signing for
days that past or Tor younger days is not con-
fined to Job Youth walks In hope ana exuberans
happiness. But this passes with the experience
OF Lies duties and cares. There is q gradually
saddenng influence as we walk on in life Every
year after adolescence is passed darkens. Young
women, men Of twenty-five, look back on the pass
Ing OF the last seven years and think how good
was the world to them then, and they have moth
ing left apparently but dissipated dreams and ex-
ploded hopes, and before them q dead future
Perhaps the first moment Of anticipation Is the
greatest oil ones lie. For we have in youth such
hao OF happiness about Us that we believe
tn nH IN GOOD and nSble ap have eV1 n9
experienced as yet the FIRST cold blast OF disap-
poutment 50 the Prodlgal thought when he lett
his father's house and went TO wander through
the world. At this age there Is an unbounded
confidence IN Gods providence. but In mature age
past and not the future strikes US tile beau.
tifuiuay. wnen we had ready trust in all that
was IN the world and when all was bright the
great expectation AS age comes on life tends
more and more TO orudgery. We at Least ex-
pected 10 una q word 0i hclpiul people, VINO were
willing to neIp US along; ont instead we dnd
malicious and wicked people, and we think
we can never fall into their ways. We find
human nature unmstakaoly bad aud with an ap.
pearance OF gOod will, and We yield TO tue usual
and gradually fail INTO tue ways OF other men,
and we lind at last We are little better than the
the Creator should not have made our prospects
so blank and our hopes so much better than the
reality. Gods meaning and purpose Is that
we should have these d'sippolntments and
ish hopes which, II granted, would defeat the
that we wanted n would not subserve His
plans. Life Is a rugged pata which we must climo
up, and God will not be with us IN Sinking the
trials OF lie. We are all ike children, ana we
don't want 10 go to school, God promises us Iu-
ture happiness out we are no more satisfied than
year hence. But YOU cannot have the desires or
your heart IN the very shape and at the very time
you want them. We are dreaduy disa ppointed.
and II Is only experiences winch gives the ability
to bear uncompaininRiy what before VIC consid-
cred caiamities. SO far as have observed
upon success or lnsuccess. Lac Is not what
we would wish IL TO be. 1t IL not what
you excusably NAV think u TO be. We can
not forget the day when we I'll st left the domestic
Preside to go TO boarding school ana when we
were put In with u lot OF otner boys we mad never
seen before and were known, not by name, but
by a number; and after, at college. when placed
among colo, unlovaoie companions, among suspi.
cion and competition. and IL Is only when success
has crowned The efforts tnat one begins to enjoy aud
10 hope again The temptations aud the victory are
the sentiments whIcb show us the priest ana the
King IN our natures--that power that can glld the
bardsome duties Here ~ IL that the critical
period ~ strongest. How lew see At glance thls
King IN their natures when he unveils his solemn
face and shows his grave credentials. IL Is con-
science, winch sits In q household OF It's own and
issues Its DEGREES. Wnen we acknowledge
heartily this direction al higher thing, we men
understand the inner vocation OF life. Things are
not what they seem. Pleasure, power, success,
do not bring happiness. There is somet thing more
TIA, we crave or. II Is our Immortal knowledge