, 1876-01-10


childhood, and Lie will lead us np from shi+ o.
scnre c3rner of the uniyersc TO higI.r, rIdor
knowledge OF lila proysdentiai government and
AL truth. We ehR!l g hare the tuition Of lailda
centuries before No began to t6lnk. Tie I'M
perfection and sin that now blind III shall bo
removal. EvorT hoy aspiration ovcry net OF
ttao faith. nscry triumph Of couscieucs ovar
lc9eyolence, Ia training our splriss for Tho bona
o. hght hboTo tho clouds whore VIC shn!l no
lnnker see. "a IL tho reflection OF a mirror
Gi!n',ls, i.''a, but 1eso y face: Tho veil that now
l!t,ed ~ array. We shall sea lin faco TO faeo.
Wo shall stand 10 bis prcsenco amid the bright.
ness and hehuty OF Heaven. "sfe shall
Gas3ner Gs3 AZ Tho river Which iows by His throne
Ihou 'ho clouds will break aud Tho Nght of
midday henm upon oil tho dark psoh!emn Of Tbs
present lise. Ne can then vol aiford to rocc,ye
.hankfnlly tho par.!sl light nor glvsu Us. and
Of tlssa probloms II We do it in that s5iri;. it
viii no. harm t!s to stady them now. 1 cannot
dwell upon 1t. but want to say with cmr.lstia
thai nothing cahts suc! light npIn these di1Trr.
eut problems Al true faith tn Christ.
The unequal distrioution Of worldly blessinen
IN ono Of theae problems which meen ~ tho
moment wo look upon human lie around III.
In oycry, corninrniss you tind those who scon
TO- to be tho "rets" Of fortune. Wealth, aud
to them without any special merit ln
than that auy ono cau hee, null With
far lass OF earnest effort and patient tn1ustry
thsn mapy Of their neigbbors put forth to secure
= bare living. In many instances wealth in fair
r. earned BY uurernittIng toll, br fruealisy. by
honesty, and fair dealing in business pursuits.
And much uf tho worlds poverty ia fairly caused
hy tndolehce. intcmuerapca and psodlgalitT.
But these cases sro not embraced in the tsliicu4s
Problem Of which I am speaking. There arc
nisny WHO have fortune thrust upon lheal with
tho exercise on shtlr part OF far 3esB skill aud
rrudcnee thail many OF their leAst-succoaHful
competitors in the race Of life hayo constantly
employed. And wealth IL properly rcgardod as
one Of tne gIeat advantages ot life. IL IL often
nltnlaed ard pcrvcstod. So are Ill other gifts
and blessings Of llfo--intetctual ability. gouius+
oducation. notlcat power. personal bcauty. aud
personal Influence. But The perscrH mad H.
s,se VI such gifts 6oes not pruycnt our calling
them htess1IKh. Each ono Of them iH rtAl
good. though nlau'a folly aud Bill may slanaform
any ono or 81 OF them into cuEsc. 10 wealth
frequently made Of IT, lightly used. It wiithot
only b1Hig personal enjoyment to lts posseuA3r,
nut bo tl.e iii cans ct cultiyasing tho mind, retin
lug tbe &Astc+ enlurginY Dtuesulcuce, blessing
humanity. aud honorl & God.
Why, then, hro tho advantages OF wealth 30
often withheld from tho Mosk desetvu1gf
Nhv sto the good aud ylrtuous 81 often
doomedto wstx through afo 10 tho va}e Of pur-
crtf 'hna obEcurity, ~hito thousands who Layo
s,Arceiy al. hshor mart than suo most iutouso
sclhaaness roll in uealtu !? TIE more nc s:u1y
this subject tic lnore no ehalI bo convinced that
we do not fully understand tho problem. No
tnuat bo content for the prdscut WITH n partill
to!utt1n, aud wait for tho - by and by " to vim
dIcsse tic wa,s Of God NTH n,eu. but though
we sos ouly ia q mirror dinly, res wo DO gee. Nc
sec enough 10 cut.tirm our faith thst In the
ultimate lssuo Of al Things, perfect jnst'co will
be 1noted cut IT,, to al,1jasttso te.npefe;a Njt,
things AZ prrseht ment. Tue best anu rtehest
Joys OF 1i5o. after nil, are rore e4ualy d4-
IrI5uted than may d. ftBt view appear.
1ho family aIoctous giving HuFne Of tho sweot-
c8e JUS 0l lilo, couse.oNsHGtB OF pcrnonai viz
tue, wos1s Of kindness. trno friendship usefu.-
moss TO ot}Iery, love Of tho beautiful! In patuso,
health Of body. activity OF mind, and il1ial, Joy
ouh faith IN Cod al . FatEes-:hcse arc
suu-cca OF 10y and blessing which nro aB fully
within tue reach OF tho poor III the rich. Tue
struggle "itt auTorsity may 10 tho leak poanlble
e',ctY!ine of character, hn4 = nsb.t+ 11ufe.
holy chatacterlA In Of uunpoakably higher Worth
ponEcst may viii tue estsen Of good man and
Eoo1 angels. Amid all d.yesritias Of outward
rendition III life, In all tic freaks OF fortune It
bslIl renhins tFuo TINT each QUO IL
and character determines destiny. So il IL seen
that outward condisuu6 of tic earthly lifo do
uot ehapo our future lilo. In the hardest human
lot life Of poverty lReta but fow ycarH aEa il
God rcdcclussE mcrcr ia accepted it soon ords
III the everlasting glory and uucouutol wsaltA uf
Heaven.
II is great fa!3acy into which sou!o good men
baye fallen to nrGae from tll's unequal Istribu-
tion Of earthly good to ell unconditional prcdcs-
tinatiou Of given nulnber OF uernons to ever-
laatlnB '1fc, titus excluding o:ilerb from - tho
grace ct God that bnnfcth eslratiou," 60 that
their pcrs0nal doom to future n,isery III
12ed BY arbitrary declee, aad without
tho Eli3htost reference to personal character.
Ait tue Inequalities OF this life can to eaHliy nd
justod 30 long as tuoy do not control tho endless
destiny OF the soul. but tho absolute nna un-
conditional 1HedeterMafntIuu OF any human
beng to external exclusion from tho grace Of
God py arbitrary decree ia thought WlIicA pcr.
.ertB tho inst and righteous nosel eignty Of God
into tho unreasonable, caprlciauB, uujnat cou-
due: ot = crnel trrant. Such = thought Is no. to
bo named IN compat!aon with tliese temporary
inequalities Of tho preheut lite. Tesu c.,, ca*itv
bs made right wlsou tho cnd!oss future Is left
uutnucned i'y thcm.
Tnoro aro other facts Of human lifo which rre-
sent still moro dilculE probio:..n., T"o-th,rls
OF the human Eaco nEo to.n IN The darhuess
OF hshthon lands. From childhood to old
ono rsy Of light from Tho tlospot and tho Cruss
Ct Jesus. ftow terrible tho lot Of children u cir
csies born ln tho hhunts at vice, and having all
their carly training there beyond tho reach Of
every good ialtue.ice? 1'lene facts ass. how
ever, hlfeyiated by The tsaehine VI the t}oepol
TINT those Hho hayo lived ~IsLout revealed tnw
will 10 hold responsible only for tbs Il Sht aid
moss is accepted with Him." Tno ropoutant
hcatilan who has never henrd of JESUS will sbAlu
IIss redennlng grace ns truly ~ tno peHltsut
srnes Of Christian lands, Tn thcse rsob!cma
vo hec only by tho reflection VI a mirror,
dlmiy. Dut ne do noe. Va hoe light
enough cast upon these difficult Jlsobla!nH
TO Inspire aud susttin our falth lu tho impartial
jnsIioo. tho goodness tnd marcy Of God. No
boo enough to sow that tncrn IL abundant light
above sna yess Of cloud thai lot tho tresout o}1r
hanes our sky.
It may Ut ,rtle TIL ss first thought aud ye: 1t ts
true, that these unso!vel prpuokaa Ut Tolig.ou
ase increased iu nu.nber By isyoIat,os,. Koseta-
ton 1neaua uneoy6rIne. 1t Is not the creat!oh
or invention OF something new, but tho un,et.
ing Or disclosure OF tl,o old which previously
existed III the mind of uod ald in tho uaral mud
soctal nature NJ man. And ~ Revelation tn.
covers 70 our Wow the facta OF GoI's
Ito aud being. 1t PILES tho lnsstor!cs ono
uron another uutil We aEu enyirouoi wItI. tham |
ot every s,dr. and they rlso around ua Ike in. |
ucueo, imponotr3blo walls OF mountain tdslEs. |
We ave taught 10 think Of nod A. i'nssessius tho
lhree.fold peGdoua! stinctios.a-F.ttller. hpn
II A.. = tix,l i.s