Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1876-08-29
..EIaht me Good Eynhi. -

The following sermon was preached
by Rev II. \. Cleveland OF Boston at
the Congregation. church, Bethel, Sun
day. August Is. At the request OF many
leading citizens OF Bethel" we give it
place in these columns.
| Timothy VI. vi. Fright ,he good
tight lay hold on eternal iIie, whereunto
thou art called.
Strictly speaking ..cl5 is and can be
but one eternal life and that is Gods
Made 10 His image ald likeness We may
receive OF that iie according 'J His con-
ditto and our measure To lly hold on
etcrua. lite Is our mission under the Stars,
our highes. destiny and Ji,ss-dEess. IL
i mind lite sou. lie The same 5lr. "A lie
that Is the Ueali.ude Oh God; the thrOo
and glory OF the universe.
Al h.gh becoming In TINS nOlH is con-
diuored 10 difficulty and struggle. We
are assigned Q share IN The processes OF
our destiny that is excellence mt1 boz IN
creased and our immor.a. ,au-Gc,iJns
heightened. Hence We begin .Iio with
only The power and ,Le chance 10 become:
/
deavors That We may contend wisely
and well nature operates and God waits.
We get what We eject aud hght !Or. In
the process o. tAu good light we ay hold
on better lie. Lie Tor man consists
not in the abundance OF the things be
pussesseth, but IN conscious alliance with
God, 10 intelligent obedience 20 Jaw; IA
expanding faculties ana ripeniug virtues.
Man needs are greater, more comp..'
Gated, delicate and pressing than those
OF the animal races. The animals have
no need OF fires or looms OF needles; and
no destiny OF progress or virtue Is pro-
vded them. Man Is put under bonds 10
exercise losethOught, Skill, prudence, en-
ergy and virtue, or be viii not be per
mitted 20 remain long 10 these parts. de
must keep his eyes open; bring luto play
his summit faculties find out The ways oil
caution, and OF mastery over the forces
that operate about him, or Nature Will
disown and crush hiun. She vii. let
loose upon him the wolves OF hunger,
disease, aud social disorder aud utterly
consume him. He Dl1tSt become OK cease
TO be. The decree is unaiterab.e that
only the iittest shall survive.
Ii however the mon tCW learn, obey
and become; il hc will use his faculties
and energies, and walk along right ways,
he shall dwell in safety and prosperity
and have length of days Nature will
| impa.t to him her secrets and treasures;
lit his burdens; DO his drudgery; run
his elrands; and wholly yield 10 his pur-
! pose.
And so mans tools; weapons, ires,
clothes, houses, iteratures, institutions;
civilizations lie, in the first instance in
the potentially of his brains. Man IS
! the only animal whose brains project
over the eyes and are sqlarely poised
over the legs Mans dowery is in his
thought power; his true lite, a thought
| life. The seventies and remunerations
OF nature, the Author Of our being has
placed in the constitution of things that
we might work out by a cooperative sell
endeavor, grander destiny than was
possible by creation. la His wisdom,
and TO our reason II is better TO begin et
the bottom than at the top OF the ladder
The difficulties in way OF the common
pursuits OF our lite are not penalties but
deeply laid and Tar reaching blessings.
Pulling at the oars not only shoots the
boat mp toward The perennial fountains
and the eternal sunshine, bot makes the
ooatman more than he was and so worth
landing. Antagonisms help us. We are
pounded into eainestuess by force OF cir
cumstances aud whipped into heroism by
adverse fortunes, compelled TO seek re-
suits, as the hunter to run down the deer
or starye, we grapple with the rugged
facts OF our existence and i'll the fight lay
hold on larger aud better life. Do you
master science? You attain two bless
ings, the greatest OF which is your own
Improvement. 1t Is 10 the difficulties We
encounter that we are indebted for tho
increase and refinement of faculty; Tor
growth in wisdom and b9lauce in Iudg-
ment. Doing only what is easily done
taxes no energy and ripen5 no power.
Wealth easily obtained Is never half the
blessing that wealth slowly acquired is.
Make the man simply place ot deposit
for that which cost 10 thought and no
effort and he viii remain what he was;
worse, be will sink into decline. SJiil
water gets green scum on it and unused