Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-12-31

future to which we are going, often
startle the mind with profound
alarms. All the forms of earthly
goods fail to fill up the measure of
the souls wants. Time is on the
wing, and with it's flight we are con-
stantly coming nearer to the point
at which time for US will be no more.
We must at last go the way of the
earth, and meet what ever is to be
met after death. Such is life, more
or less to every one. If, in the out
set, we expect it to be otherwise,
we shall find ourselves mistaken.
What every one then needs, as
he passes through this earthly scene,
is hope in respect to the next life
that will encourage and sustain him,
and reconcile him to that which is
inevitable here, cheering him on the
way, and giving him patience to
bear the ills that here fall to his lot,
however painful they may be to his
sensibilities. This is one of the
profoundest necessities of human
nature; and this necessity is fully
met in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
That Gospel is Gospel of hope to
man. Paul, on this subject, says:
"Wherein God, willing more album
| dainty to show unto the heirs of
promise the immutability of his coun-
Gil, confirmed it by an oath; that by
two immutable things, in which it
was impossible for God to lie, we
might have a strong consolation,
who have fed for refuge to lay hold
upon the hope set before us; which
hope we have as an anchor to the
soul, both sure and steadfast, and
which entereth into that within the
veil; whittier the forerunner is for
us entered, even Jesus, made an
high priest forever after the order of
Melchisdec.
Here the hope of the Christian is
spoken of as Gan anchor of the
SOUL" and is declared to be "sure
and stedfast." This hope "entereth
into that within the VEIL" by which
the apostle means that it takes hold
of the realities of another world,
whittier Jesus. our great fOrerunner
and High Priest, has already entered
for us. He means the hope of a
| glorious Heaven in which to live,
and whose blessings to enjoy, when
this life Is ended; and this hope is
now, while we are passing through
the present scene, can anchor of the
the soul both sure and stedfast.'
1t Is a power of comfort and cOnsola-
ton, and serves to hold us steady
and keep US cheerful, as we make
the journey of life and beat against
its storms.
There is nothing more reasonable
than Christian hope. even to full
assurance, in the proper premises
therefor and nothing so we'll adapt
ed to impart serenity of thought and
feeling, as we proceed on our way to
the grave, and to the heavenly land
which lies beyond this scene of con-
fiict and trial. 1t is just what every
one needs, and equally what every
one mag have by simple compliance
with the conditions thereof.
The first of these conditions is q
hearty and cordial acceptance of the
Bible as the Word of God. We
must, IN order to have this hope, be-
leve what this Book says, and re-
gard what it says as being Gods
Word, and not simply mans word.
The Bible purports to be a revelation
from God and Of God and it must
be so treated by the head and the
heart. This is a fundamental con-
dition of hope which is "an anchor
of the soul, both sure and stedfast."
The infidel knows nothing about this
hope. He does not believe enough
to have it. He rejects the Book
that discloses and authenticates its
premises and so long as he remains
in this attitude Christian hope is an
impossibility to him,
A second condition is the personal
acceptance of Jesus Christ as the
Saviour of sinners. No one ever
read the Bible with the least degree
of attention and candor, without see
ing that Christ is there presented to
us in this character ''This faith
full saying, and worthy of all accept
ation," said Paul to Timothy, "that
Jesus Christ came into the world to
save sinners" When the Philippian
taller asked what he should do "to
be saved the same apostle told him
to "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ"
and assured him that if he did so he
would ''be saved" The personal
acceptance of Christ by loving and
trusting faith is an indispensable con-
dition of Christian hope. 1t is not
enough that there is a Christ, or that
be died for our sins. Every one
must for himself make him his Lord
and Saviour by faith in him, or he
has no right to hope through him.
Let us all resolve, first, to Guilt