Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1888-11-15


thought of God, Can any rest this side
of heaven compare with this which the
believer feels when busted with con-
temptation of Gods part in the manage
ment and suporintendence of bis earthly
course, Life becomes "A piece of grace
full apestry under such an Inspiration,
which the man holds up to himself in
admiripg wonderment, that out of such
materials as he has furnished. God could
ever weave such beautiful and com
plete figure. He maryels at the skill
and adores the grace that could take the
tame and ill-ordered warp of life as it
came FROM his hands and fill into il such
threads of gold, and make from il a gar
ment so fit for an angels wearing
Faster than these words have convey
ed their thoughts has the mind of our
brother gone back to the days of old,
and come and gone again in meditation
on Gods part and work in them. And
just here is where we are TO held the text
in these reflections. Let the words of the
Psalmist be made personal, aud this
brother whose Christian life now over
runs half century appropriate his
thoughts aud say with him
II remember the days of old;
| mediate on all thy doings;
/ muse ON the work of thy hands,
Ia this survey of fifty and four years
there are many things which have be-
come old 10 this age of progress. What
change in the world of science and in
vention has come around since this date
when our brother joined himself TO
Christ,
Men are nearer Europe ia time and
space to-day than he 70 New York City
then.
We can send word and receive answer
from any capital of the Old World as
soon as the fathers could get a message
to and from the towns OF our own little
state.
Equally great and marvellous are the
works Of God in the history of His
Church which are called to this remem-
brance from the days of old.
The doors then closed TO three fourths
Of the people of the earth against the
Gospel of Christ have been opened and
the SaViour's call TO preach the Gospel
To every creature has become possible in
fulfillment.
The Christian life of this great nation
shows progress commensurate with these
great world-events which have been TAX
ing place about us.
But ii Is in the life close at hand, it Is
10 the individual Christian life embraced
in this anniversary, that ! would limit
these words. Ii is a day for personal
"reminiscences. time for musings upon
the work of Gods hands in these years
of his gracious leading.
OF these musings think may beable
TO interpret few to you.
LIST. This is one. How God has
brought the unexpected TO pass in these
years. Not the unexpected IN adversely
and tr al how these have come to our re-
spected friend: but the unexpected in
privilege and experience.
In the special work of saving men TO
Christ. to which good part of his early
years were given. the call aud the bless
ing of God was most unlocked for.
Had the distrustful boy who, fifty
four years ago to-day came into fellow
ship with this church. been told that in a
few years God would call him forth
from his humble home TO go from house
TO house in the Apostolic way ia person.
al work for Christ, and from town TO
town telling men of Him, till there
would not be a considerable village in
Vermont where his work would not be
known. and till thousands of persons
would be included i'm the gracious sum
mons TO come and see the Lord, he
would have been a. much astOnished rs
was Ananias when the Lord told him to
receive saul into the Church, for he was
a chosen vessel unto him 70 preach the
Gospel unto the Gentiles
Yet this most unexpected event came
10 pass. For fifteen years this work
was carried forward by our brother as
he went hailng men and women and
calling on them everywhere to give them
selves 20 Christ. More unexpected still
was the result that attended these years
of EVangelistic labor. God turned the
wayfarer's lodging for a night into a
glorious Bethel where men. by scores
and fifties, saw God face 10 face in favor
and forgiveness.
The unexpected comes also with this
anniversary day. Could any surprise
have been greater than the fact which
this day reveals. that of all the large
number who associated themselves with
the church in the first year of its bisto-
~, he was to be the only one to cele-
brate half-century of continued life
with it,
Could he have believed what he now
sees. that of all those who came to wor-
ship with him in those days of his first
love for Christ, he should meet to-day in
worship with only three who knew him
then:
How true the words of Whittier must
seem on this occasion.
''How strange it seems with so much
gone
OF lite and love, to still live on
ID. Another musing of this hour ae-
quaints us with the identity of the Chris
tian life.
Had YOU aud been present at the
meeting Of this church fifty-four years
ago. when the story of this young mans
finding Christ, was told, we should have
seen but little difference in it from the
last testimony given in the meeting of
the church this very month. He is liv-
ing the same life to-day as in that first
day of Joyous conservation. He has the
same sense Of personal unworthiness,
the same thoughts of the lovely and
righteous character of God. The same
mystery hangs over the words eternity
ap1 tho grave These naSsfuo Yaa r. /