The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1881-09-20
DAIIA WEEKLY BAZOO. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 90 1881.
AN ELOQUENT SERMON.
Allen ]. Van Wagner on IF ]
Could Live Ny Life Over
Again"

The Rev. Mr.. Van Wagner preached a
Eost interesting sermon Sunday evening
on the subiec. OF Birthday Reflections, Or
What Would Do if / Could Live my
Life Over Again"
The church was crowded with an intelli-
GENT audience, who listened with rapt at
.en;ion to the discourse Of the eloquent
gentleman. The following Is the sub
stance Of the address:
Mr.. Van Wagner said that he was half
way along the allotted life OF man-the
three score wears and ten. 1t Was the
habit Of men who had arrived 1T middle
or old aye, and OF many who were younger,
TO look back over their lives with poig-
naut regret for the mistakes and hiUnders
they had made, thus making themselves
miserable over the inevitable. Ii was also
the habit of many 10 look forward 10 a
period when the pleasures and the rest
which had been denied them through life
could tee enjoyed To the full, ana a new
Ice entered upon. II a man was not happy
at twenty. if fifty years had been passed in
ill-con,ent and ill-natured fauit-fnding
with everything in life, that man never
could be happy.
The speaker said tina, if he could live
his life over again he would have no
higher ambition than TO he jus;
what he waste attain JUS:
the success he had attained. He
said that, frs; OF all. he would take better
care OF his health. While al college lac
had overwcrked himself in n,auv ways.
lie did not expect TO live 10 he an cid man.
Before the next thir;y-five years Were I,ass-
ed he expected To be laid away He had
had fair share of the happiness OF this
| Lille and did not complain. The great men
Of the world. iurists, statesmen, preachers,
soldiers. had all been healthy men with
very few exceptions. Ii ne could live his
life over again he would see more III kcme
life, than which nothing was more grand.
or noble. \ man should spend al ,he
most not more than one or two nights IL
the week away from honle-awav from MS
sorrowing wife and his unhappy chill
dren. Ali the sweetest joys and pleasures
Of lie were centered in the home. II lac
could live his lille over again he wouId iGv
20 make people happier. That WAS the
grandest mission OF man. k world be
kinder in his pulpit ministrators. He
used To think, IN coilinon with the major
lily OF preachers, tina; his people needed
scolding now and then. S;.i he had
reached his age when lac knew the futiii;v
of such course. He did not believe in
such things now-did mol believe in hold
ing his congregation down into he'll every
other Sunday just 10 let them sizz a little.
Ii he could live his lie over again ke
would correct his bad habits. He had ne ser
smoked, or chewed, or drank. But he had
not kept regular hours fer eating
and for retiring 10 rest. nor systeinized k:s
studies. He had no objection to tiie use
of tobacco in itself. but every man w;i> Bei-
Ter off without it. His health wcuId IL
bette, and his pccketbook iatter.
The eloquent gentleman extended his
address over several other heads, but OH
account OF lack OF space We Cannot give
the serInon a more full report. There
were many in the audience whose gray
hairs at,ested that they were standing
near the boundary OF that three score years
and ten SO tonchingly alluded to by the
speaker. For them the eloquent sermon
was particularly fit; while those who were
near or nearing the age Of Mr.. Van Wag-
her will not fail To Remember his words
and all their teachings. ~ the close Of
the sermon beautiful SOLO was most
sweetiy and ar;isticaliy rendered by Miss
Mabel Van Camp.