Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-06
HOPE IN THE SOUL.
Without 1t the Christians Life Would
be Gloomy Indeed.
A MOTIVE In EARTHLY AFFAIRS
And a Great Actuating Principle in the
Domain of Religion.
ST. JOHNS FEELING OF ASSURANCE
rwRIrTEN FOR THE DISPATCH. !


st. John, who said so many helpful, up
lifting and encouraging things, set down in
his first epstle this inspiring sentence, with
which begin, and from which 1 start, and
upon which, as a good, solid foundation,
build up what I have to suggest to-day
about Hope.
That apostle, who is described as the dis
ciple whom Jesus loved, and who was, of
all the twelve, the most appreclatlve OF the
spirit of his Master, said thus: Beloved,
now are we the sons of God, and it doth not
vet appear what we shall be; but we know
that when He shall appear we shall be like
Him, for we shall see Him as He Is. And
every man that hath this hope in him puri-
ffeth himself even as He is pure"
Here is description of the Christian life
gathered into single sentence. At the
beginning, the love of God bestowing upon
us the gift of sonshIp. At the end, the
blessing of God, revealing Himself, and
making US even better and closer than sons,
calling us into nearer kinship. making US
like Him. And, all the WY between,
blessed hope is held out. There must be
some ground for hope, and there must be
some purpose toward which hope is directed,
in order to have any real. availing and per-
manent hope. And that is what want to
speak about this morning-about the foun-
daton and about the object OF hope, for this
is what the ground and the purpose OF hope
mean, leaving the rest or another time.
HOPE MUST HAVE FOUNDATION.
Hope must have foundation. Groundless
hope is but idle imagination and ends In
despair. 1t must have been of some such
phase of hope as this that Sir Arthur Helps
was thinking when he said in one of those
most practical and inspiring essays of his,
"the men who hope little are the men who
little, who do the duty next them, instead Of
fancying what they would do ii some great
and remote duty were given them, they in
deed are the men who go on working.
False hope binders workout not true
hope. And the men who have little hope,
little genuine and worthy hope, are just the
men who will not and cannot 20 on work.
ing long.
That is very solemn truth, which is get
ting tested and verified in these DAYS. More
and more there is growing up about us
whole class of men without hope. Whether
or not the statements of the Socialists
be true, whether or not the reason for
poverty is progress, he at least is right
without hope of improvement for themselves
or their children which will first test our
institutions" The men who have WELL
grounded hope, who can look forward con-
fdently toward something better, and who
realize that that something better can he at
tanned only through work, are the men who
not only 90 on working, but work best.
IT APPLIES TO RELIGION.
This is as true in the spiritual world as it
is in the social or the business world. 1t
applies as much to him who looks forward
toward heavenly hope as to him who an
ticipates the winning of the goal of an earth
ly ambition. Imagine our spiritual future
to be blotted out, no life beyond, no God, no
hope, and from such point of view con-
template the work of the Christian life. We
hardly realize how large part hope has to
play in the Christian life until we imagine
it withdrawn.
Read in the letters of st. Paul how hope
sustained him in the manifold trials of his
lite. "It is true" he said, 81 suffer this
and that, nevertheless am not ashamed,
for l know whom I have believed, and am
persuaded that He is able to keep that which
1 have committed to Him against that day."
Hope bore him up. ''That day" was ever in
his sight. "IT we be dead with Him, we
shall also live with Him. Ii we suffer, we
shall also reign with Him." "Hence orth is
laid up for me crown of life, which the
Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me in
that day. and not to me only, but unto all
them that love His appearing"
There was, you remember, an an cient
philosopher who cried, "Give me but a
place to plant my lever. and I will move
the globe" Hope is good lever. 1t will
remove all obstacles; it will accomplish all
Pnt or ha Uall lad
Ground it upon the word OF God; that was
where another and still greater philosopher
planted it, who said; 81 have a good hope
because OF Thy word" Take that word of
ST. John with which he began: Beloved,
now are we the sous OF God" Here Is q
good ground for hope.
Even now are we the children of God.
God, who has given for US His own Son.
Snail He not with Him freely give US all
things? God, who has so loved US as to call
US His own children-''Behold what manner
of love the Father hath bestowed upon US
that we should be called the sons OF Godi-
do not His latherhood and His love assure
US of blessings beyond our Imagination?
NOT A HARD TASK MASTER.
We are the Sons o: God. That is what the |
Christian religion teaches. Our sins are
offenses against Father-not against hard
task master, who is ever watching the race |
with anxious and angry eyes TO spy out our |
and to measure out our pun
ishments, but against our Father, who loves |
each one OF US, who is grieved at our ofenses,
who sorrows over our shortcomings, who asks |
ior our love 10 return, who would have US
behave toward Him lovingly, truth ully, |
and obediently as children, who desires the
salvation and happiness now and forever of
every one of US. God is our Father. That is
the ground OF our hope.
Hope must have an object We must not
only have a reason Tor being hopeful. but we
must have something definite to hope for. |
This is the other part of good hope, and
here again, we have good hope because of
Gods word