The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-07

Joseph sitting as prime minister when he was
30 years old, and David ruling Israel when he
was mere boy. Many OF the most able kings
that followed David did their best work before
tney We're 30, and Josiah, when be was g.
brought about the greatest revival that Israel
nao ever known. Youth was supposed to be the
period OF wild oat sowing, but, as a matter of
TACT, IL was age that had the greater TEN ptations
III was when Solomon was old that his wives
turned his heart from serving God. The COM
mon sin OF penuriousness fourished most in
age. The weeping jeremiah ives usually spoken
OF as an old man, but after long career as a
prophet he was only 80 years old
IN the New Testament the ml4fchless form of
Jesus stood out, with His work finished at 49,
when he was crucifed, and his most profound
uesclple-John-was young man. John the
Baptist was very young man, as was Saul,
whose sublime lights of devotional eloquence
made the blood OF every generation tingle
continuing Mr.. Nutting said: ''The heroes of
1nermopylae and Marathon, the historic fields
OF human liberty, were Greek youths. Alexan-
DER the Great conquered the world before he
was 30. Hannibal. the greatest tactician that
ever lived, was general while a mere boy
ana you will as rule see that great
men showed their qualities early In
me last century, among our own race,
Charles Fox, the ablest parliamentary leader
the world has seen, was member of the house
OF commons at %, and led the opposition at D.
Inc younger Pitt was prime minister at "A, and
led England gloriously through the most mag
innocent period of her history. / tell you that
young men are not day as prominent az they
were thousand years ago. Perhaps they ought
not to be. But, at least let us not be told that
this is the era par excellence of young men
The time would fail me to tell OF Nelson, the
stripping, who changed the method of naval
combats, and made England omnipotent on
the seas; of the young man Wolfe who achieved
the conquest OF Canada and left the brightest
name in America among British generals The
name OF Washington ia too familiar for me to
recall the fact OF his being general at g. and
holding an important state position at I9.
You remember well that Thomas jefferson wrote
the Declaration OF Independence at SO, and that
Alexander Hamilton was the ablest fnancer of
MS time In his twenties. Robert Morris said of
him AZ that time that be was the only man In
the United States fitted by bis studies and his
abilities to create public credit and bring the
resources OF the country into active eff iency.
"But why multiply instances of this kiud? II
well known that the greatest poets have
achieved their fame in the twenties; that almost
al preachers who have become men Of great in
huence rose to that influence while almost boys.
Harrison the famous boy preacher OF the Meth
odists is something like SO or "a years old. He
will reach his second childhood before the name
leaves him. But what would the people who
talk about the preachers say should they re-
member that Charming was installed over an
important church in Boston at the age OF 81;
that Jonathan Edwards was the most prominent
American preacher at %; that Wesley and Whit
field made the world ring when they were near
the same age"
Dir. Nutting thought that the principal reason
why young men did great things was the ex-
uberance OF life that was in them. They had
not experienced the woful effects of failure and
hoped everything. Youth was losing some
powers as IL approached age that 1t would never
have again. Education brought its penalties al
well as rewards. The buoyancy and hopeful
ness of young people was gift of God meant to
be infused into His church, that men might I'M
dertake great things. Young men were the
effective workers in every church where there
was a constant revival.
Every sort of genius showed itself early If
there was an opportunity for its development.
he exhorted the young to make the best OF their
youth, recalling the saying OF Richter, that 'the
youth of the soul is everlasting, and eternity is
youth" Youth, like Immortality, contained
unknown possibilities of achievement, but some
young men never allowed themselves the holy
ambitions Of youth, thinking Christianity stale,
when it was the emblem of immortal youth
They should listen to the voices that spoke to
them in youth, and God would introduce them
to life worth living.
Mr.. Nutting's closing words were:
Jesus Himself always rewarded enthusiasm
He burned with its holy flame Beginning at
the house of God He made a scourge and drove
out all who had brought their traffic into it,
What journeys did He take through all their
cities; what bands OF disciples did He send out;
what multitudes did He teach, while those who
would not join in the great reformation cried:
she is beside Himself; He hath a devil" He
worked as every man will work with divine
mission-with God within. His eye flames; His
cheek burns; He exclaims to His disciples, all
radiant from their successful preaching tour,
"Behold, ! beheld Satan fallen as lightning from
heavenr There never lived a man with such an
inexhaustibie enthusiasm as our savior. He
had meat to eat that few men know OF. He had
work to do, and how. was He straitened
until it was accomplished! His earnest
ness knew no bounds OF time or
world, and He knew its eternal powell He was
not crucifed for naught. Made perfect through
suffering, etherealized by death, He knew that
His unrivaled figure would fire the heart of the
world. And so He stood inspired on olivet,
breathing the dawn OF a redeemed world, and
uttered that daring enthusiasm: go We, make
disciples OF all the nations, and 10! l am with
you Away, even TO the end of the world" And
so Christ conquered, because there were no
other enthusiasts that could compare with
felt no mighty thought stirring within IL.
Christs followers furnished this thought
and the world began to blaze. 1t con-
and because it was contagious 1t was
the antidote for lethargy. Enthusiasm is
often the only thing that will break habit.
That is why II is always present In the time of
conversions. It takes an earthquake to break
up the rock strata of the world; il takes Il vol
canlc ire to tear up the dead level OF se0lment.
You can't tear q man away from his hesetting
sins unless you thrill his soul with an enthusi-
asm for his Savior. Just as the wise recru ting
officer in the war time caused strains OF music
to sound through the city streets 20 wake the
patriotic heart and tear it away from the sweet
thra.lJom of home, SO do we need TO hear the
marshaling shout of the King of Ages that
sounds down the centuries, calling "Come unto
Me. The fields are white. The time is short.
Eternity is long. The service is glorious. The
victory Is sure. Break away from your chains.
Awake TO righteousness Enter into the spirit
demption. of renewal, of restoration, OF reforms
ton" TO get enthusiasm OF youth we must go
where ii Is. Ii propagates itself by contact.
Live with Christ aud Paul The enthusiasm OF
Patrick Henry and General Warren brought on
the revolution. The burning words were no
sooner uttered than they spread like wild fire,
enkindliug all they touched. The enthusiasm
of the aboltionists brought about the over
throw OF slavery. Your enthusiasm made the
West q mighty empire. You are IN its spirit
lacS it. Tn y who stood with Christ, like Peter
at the transfguration, or who saw him in the
binding light, like Paul, caught the fire, as
we must catch il, if we 10 be
heroes and do yaliantly No man will ever be
shaken from his Indifference ami proc-as ina
shake him unless God is stirring you. unless
you are enthusiastic | get tired, and suppose
YOU do, of the lack OF enthusiasm in a church.
IL 10 not good form TO be withou: it, II you
you must be enthusiastic, all sleepy, SOW, stag
nant customs 10 the contrary notwithstanding.
! hope the day Is not Tar distant when 10 soul
who comes into this church will fail TO be inter
ested In something; when there viii cease 10 be
one aabby, nimsy, DuTposeless person within IL.
nected with any OF it's societies It's missions, its
associations, its social departments OH find a