Omaha daily bee., 1883-02-19
FACTS FOR FUTURITY.
The Destiny Of Man Discussed
by Rev. HaIShl.
The New Congregational Min
lister Makes His Debut.

darehs, OF the Dodge street Presby,
terisn church, has been delivering 9
series of Sabbath evening lectures,
which have proven most interesting.
That of last evening vas upon the sub.
ject:
"YoUR DESTINY"
Lech. ! s.: "Your fathers, where
are they?'
In this new country We are not i'm.
pressed by go many outward rigns Of
ths passing sway of time, az the In
habitants vi some of the European
nations are. They have the grass.
grown ruins, the filled cemeteries, the
hoary mansions aud the long geneolo.
giles In the parlors there are paint.
ings OF many ancestors, aud 10 the
dining rooms there Is the plate that
has descended from fathers to sons
for hundreds of years In this coun.
try the prominent objects that meet
our gaze impel us to reflect upon life
rather than death, work rather than
rapsse and lndivldusi endeavor rather
than testimentary succession.
However, at times we ara forced to
think of the passing of time and the
approach of death. The recent death
OF some OF the most prominent men
In the church and some of the widest
known of the politicians OF
the land, might we'll afford
to us occasion to consider that
we must go the way of ell tho Garth.
And I am glad that I can offsr you
some more substantial promises than
science or philosophy can afford.
Where science and philosophy end, or
become misty, religion begins and
sheds a clear, undyipg light. LIST US
consider
I. THE INEvITABLRNESs OF DESTINY
The etymoloey Of the word destiny
Is stated by Web,tr to give this mean
Ing to it: ga prosrrangsd or ordained
event or collection Of events that mast
come to man." In novels and in Of
binary speech the word destiny is
used Of whStayer is be- IRE one, and
whenever writer's wish to sccommG-
date us, they allow the hsrce
destiny overhanging the hero TO ne
averted at just the right moment.
In this manner perhaps we have cone
to jmseiue that death will be alike
coneid srste and pass Us by, Or s5 least
remsin away from US for a very long
period.
It is not q pleasant, but is a very
necessary thought, for US to entertain
that a dark cloud is on Its way to
envelope every one OF rs. Cardinal
Beauford and Louis XII. both tried to
bribe death; but they both failed.
How shall we who have not their
wealth hope to succeedl Jacob
wrestled with the angel and prevailed
but no man can be victorious wrestling
with the angel of destiny.
1.-THE TwoFoLD CHARACTER OF
DESTINY.
The good and the bad are strangely
mixed In all men; yet we may roughly
sly that some men are good and some
bid. We mean by this that the pre-.
vailing sentiments of some are right
and worthy and of others are wrong
and sordid. So men may be divided
In this life into the happy and the
wretched.
These two classes, We are told In
the bible. extend toto the future
world. If-is is impossible for US in
this life TO deny that some are miser-
able, how shall we prove thai they
lose their misery at the moment of
deathl Out at sea the thus Of green
tell the prsc icai ssilor whether the
next dIy will be fair or stormy. SO
we can tell on the authority of Gods
word, what will be the eternal life of
a man by noticing the characteristics
of his present life. But what if IN IN
have sinned and wish 10 live happily
in the future? This brings US to
THE PREPARATION OF DESTINY.
It i, possible for u, to alter what
seems to bs our destiny. If we sre
living In sin our destiny seems to be
an existeucs of exclusion from God il
the future life. But if we fersake sio
and ask Christ to receive and help ur,
aud pray God for Christ's sake to for
give US, we are safe. In this way we
may prepare tor heaven and be sure
of attaining it.
Pluto said: "You will never have
perfect men until we have perfect men
until we have perfect ctreu instances"
If this is true, men will never be per-
feet. In this present life the circum-
stances ara hard, trying and vexatious
we must give battle to the force OF
circumstances as we'll as the forces of
sin; but we have q captain who will
grant US strength and insure our vic.
tory. Accept then of Christ as your
substitute, your friend and your
helper, and your destiny shall be g
blessed and lasting peace with God.
st. Mary's Avenue Congregations,
Church.
The newly chosen pastor, Rev. Will
lard Scott, who just returned from
New York yesterday, preached his In
itial sermon as an Introductory step ir
the prosecution of the duties which
are before him, and there was a large
attendance, considering the sizs of The
edifce and that 1t is bat the com
mencement of organ lied church worl
in that part of our city.
The subject of the discourse il
found In Frat Timothy, 4:12 Ia: Sic
no man despise thy youth; but b.
thou an example of the believers, Ii
word, In conversation, In charity (l
spirit), in faith, In purity. Till
come, give attendance to reading
to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglec
not the gift that Is in thee, which wa
given thee by prophecy, with the lay
Ing on of the hands of the p~resbytery.
In these words Of Paul TO Timoth,
we see there was a fitness which wa
characteristic Of Paul's writings