New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-22
BUILDING A NEW SEMINARY.

united labors in this more commodious dwelling
place be speedily and inexpensively secured Brave
hearted and stoutarmed students these They did not
need exercise in playing baseball or in any form Of gym
nascs They combined useful labor with needfu exer-
else. Overhanging the stream is tree which IL Is de-
sirabc in size and shape it Is probably just
they need for part Of the proposed building
cutting this tree, of the young
less perhaps his axehead is becoming loose its
helve strikes strong blow and the dies of and sinks
into the deep OF urbld water. Search is made 1t
would SEEM but In vain. The young mans distress is
all greater because the tool is borrowed and borrowed
too 1t is likely, from poor man Elisha is not ndncr-
cnt to the cry of need in temporal we'll in spiritual
affairs and he Is the mans side lie breaks on
stick and It into the water where 10 is shown him
that the sank and the iron appears floating on
the surface This a miraculous display Of power but
human instrumentslity must be conioned with Divine
maculousness and the young Is commanded. Take
It up thee.r and read He put his hand and
took IT,"
LESSONS FOR MODERN LIFE
The story Of this ancient time is full OF lessons for
modern life Several Of these lessons IL would be easy
point OUT. but thought may this morning be held
to great lesson the duty Of making iron swim;
the duty Of doing what is impossible to unaded
strength, remembering that Gods help may secured
and that with It all things possible Dr. Bushnell
IS right in this sense, when he teaches in Of his
sermons that duty is not measured by ability. We
to do what cannot do; perform the impossible;
achieve the unacheyabeln word. 10 make iron swim.
How could the disciples with their 1--WE barley loaves
and two small fishes feed the thousands OF hungry men.
women and chdreni The thing judged By all ordinary
rules absolutely impossible Yet Christ said Give
ye them to eat We must remember that with the
mand went the Divine power which made the
pshment possible Quantity thought been thus
expressed: An Gods biddngs are enabngsv In
all relations in life all commanded to perform
quite beyond unaided strength. Trlumphanty
does the matchless Paul exclam L can do all things
through Christ which strengtheneth me-" This state
explains the of this great there are
really impossible tasks to those who have God on
their side. Divine command includes the promise OF
Divine strength precept of impossbiity is promise
OF Omnipotent help"
GOD SEEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY.
This uuth finds its illustration In the history Of our
great county The history OF country more marked
by striking prcvidsnces As Christians and patriots
ought oftener TO see Gods hand in the wonderful story
Of our land On this continent God has made me
to swim; here the impossible has been achieved here
human grit and Divine grace have giorioudy con.
Joined for the establishment OF civil and religious liberty,
and for the securing Of National prosperity such
world never before Why the discovery OF this
country long delayed This question often asked
To the great nations OF Europe and the Orient this
continent was utterly unknown through the centuries
God Is never In hurry. IL often takes thousands OF
years to rpen His stupendous plans With Him thou.
sand years are as day, and day thousand
years.
When the clock OF Gods providence struck The hour
the continent of America sprang into view. Dr. T. d.
Harper has shown how God made evident man Of
Genoa that to harmonic the world be another
land beyond the and the unexpored
waters God carried him safely Just az the time when
new continent needed, when Europe was over.
crowded when humanity crushed in spirit with
despotsn both civil and ecclesiastical God unveiled this
western continent and oDened up camping ground
for the hosts OF civil and religious The Lord
God made the iron TO swim I'm these waters Many
writers have often called TO that, but
for storm which wrecked their feet this country might
have been settled by Mshomctans dark shadow
Of superstition might fallen this
before Columbus reached our shores
THE IMPOSSIBLE DONE BY THE PURITANs.
The achievements OF the Puens in their inhospitable
surroundings were II again the iron made swim.
and the impossible performed In his grand grafton at
Plymouth Rock, quoted by the writer already named,
after recounng the perls Of their long voyage and
describing their arrival on the bleak shores OF New
England. Edward Everett " Shut the page OF
history and tell any principle Of human probability
what shall be the destiny OF that little band of advent
urersr What have the result OF that settle
ment7 The capital OF these brave and brave women
granite rocks and ceberss consecated hearts and
unquesonng faith in the God of Heaven The little band
become sixty millions; the Lord God truly pro-
tectcd the infant colony when with pillar OF cloud and
he went before Ills ancient people Gods throne and ark
truly the shores OF New England they were
on the shores Jordan and the borders OF Canaan Soon
a nation free and independent born the iron was
made 20 swim.
The impossible performed Divine power and human
nstrumenay conoined Behold the growth Of this
Nation! Her free schools her open Bible. her civil
liberty her religious freedom and her marvellous material
prosperity-these are wonder OF the world. Tri-
umphanty she has gone through the great civil war
which robed the land IN sackcoth and baptized IL In
blood. She has up from her baptism purified and
ennohed written brightest page be found
in history OF the world she has started on new
aud grander To-day radiant and beautiful she
sits queen In the congress Of nations Great ques-
lions are still be solved and greet perils to be met bnt
in the presence Of this glorious past, no trre son OF
America will ever doubt God shrink from his duty
a citizen and patriot. Deep in many turbd streams
OF ignorance OF poverty and OF vice lies the iron yet to
fashioned for noble service Divine purpose and human
performance Will raise it. and put 10 on the helve OF ct
7enship in the Republic and hershp In the Kingdom OF
God.
REPRESENTATIVES, WORKED IN THE CHURCH.
The same truth s Illustrated IN the history OF the
Church God gives His Church impossible tasks; and He
then gives her heroic faith and Divine help see Aora-
ham leaving his ancestral home TO him Is given task
bev,nd human ac,cnl hment; but again the Iron Is
made 10 swim Must Moses bring the axe-head OF q
nation out o. the dark waters Of Egyptian slavery No
wonder he shrinks from the apparently impossible task
Opening pathway through the Red sea is making the
iron SWIM The rod Of Moses is outstetchrd the power
., COD comes down. and the waters stand up in crystal
,v,s on either side How shall water be found In a
,er,ess land or food where there is none Again the
iron swms See Israel gathered az the Jordan Hear
the command OF Joshua the priests bearing the ark
,o,ch the water with their feet See tho waters divide
and Israel passing over d'y shod-
Behold impregnsble Jericho; but see her now her
walls fat and Israel passing rIumphantly into the city,
Again God makes the iron to swim Let the men OF Jeheho
sheer and while the men OF Israel march IN silence
,ound her walls When God touches those walls ana they
fall ia the sneers OF Jericho Will De over. ana the
,ynmnhs 0, Israel viii begin. To-day. amid similar
peers the Church is marching around walled and hoafy
evils THANK God the walls are doomed! Thank God
49,, o,,s NJ victory will yet be heard. David makes,
with Gods help the iron swim 50 do Isaiah and Danie
Az IA Chris, and His apostles Was ever fey greater
than 10 attempt the world with twelve men
without arms without learning without social influence
They had On their side God and truth. Away they 20
ave, the rocky hills OF Palestine; away over
the sparkling waters Of the Eeean With