St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-04-13
THE SILVER LINING
That Eliminates the Dark
Edge Of Every Gloomy
o f5s, Cloud.
Science Figures Largely in
a Discourse by Rev.
~ w. S. Vail.
Christian and Social Duty
to Make Every Life Look
Cheerful.
Where the Influence Of Mind
) Over Mind Is Brought
to Bear.

A large congregation at the Grand
opera house yesterday morning heard
Rev. w. S. Vail preach what proved to
be a very eloquent and interesting ser
mon, based OH scientific fact. The les
son taught was to make life bright for
ones fellow men, the theme being
every Cloud Has a Silver Lining"
and for text the proverb, "a merry
heart dOeth good like medicine" | read,
said the preacher, that Charles A. Dana,
now beariug white crown as the indi-
cation of his age, continues to work the
long hours of the day, and that in a re-
cent interview he declared that his
work was his joy, that constant euthu-
SiaSm sustained him, and that it was
never burden. When | was boy [
used to wonder at the stories of sailors
VINO, viewing the distant gathering
clouds. watching the play of the light
ming and listening TO the threat of the
thunder, still sang their songs i'll the
face of danger. And no matter how
limited our knowledge, we always ar
rive at the conclusion that the spirit
in which our work is done makes
it easy or irksome. But the re-
cent studies in mental science have
given us new grasp of causes, and
they have, L believe, by that very reason
made new interest in an old line of
thought. The first thing we have to
learn, then, is from the psychologist.
And he will show us that mind has pc
culiar action upon mind. He will show
us that mind has direct influence and
does not always work through the chan
neIs of sense. From this he will take
us to the fact that one mans uneaSineSS
will disturb an assembly, that one mans
enthusiasm will kindle many, that a
Sheridan'S name pronounced along the
line restored courage, that fear result
ing in panic was supposed by the an
clients TO be the product of demon.
Rufus Choate could try aiury in his mind
by a kind of direct contact. Beecher
could measure the spirit of a vast audi
ence. So can every great singer. And
this brings US to the fact of most i'm
pOrtance, that we have power of in
breathing and outbreathing of mental
influence that is OF the most serious i'm
portance to the man who wants to use
it for the purpose of making life better,
and for receiving and giving out the
cheerful spirit. Then we
Go to Science Again,
and we study what Carpenter called
''eXpectant attention, what others
have called the expectant mental atti-
tude. The plain teaching is that If we
are filled with an idea, the expectancy
Of mind will make us easy converts to
IL. MaudSley knew of man, the cook
OF a vessel, being lost at sea; and in the
dusk of the following evening some one
declared they saw his apparition walk
ing on the water. There it was. and for
4 time all hands coming Oh deck joined
In a chorus of wonder. But some one
ole discovered that it. was white
board riding the waves. Their minds
had been filled with excitement; ex-
pectation had led them to look for
man dressed in white, and 10. they saw
him! This explains many things that
have been seen in the camp meeting aud
the revival. 1t explains the dance
mania of the middle ages. 1t
explains many ideas of obsession.
But it is of the utmost value in
ordinary life. 1t shows how the
belief in an idea will give it form and
power IN our minds. How we shall
come to have the influence that con-
victlon always carries with it. How we
shall by the aid of direct mental power
be able to cast our influence as we'll as
to gain it. In word. it shows the man
how he may gain this by keeping
constant belief that it will come of
itself, and by the power of mental dis
trIbution he ScatterS it as the sun sheds
light wherever he goes.
Beyond the individual the theory has
applications in many directions. The
most important place is the home. Here,
too, we are to keep close to the phySiOlO-
giSt. A mans emotional nature is so
near his nervous system that 1t is well
to remember that people may be tired,
or in pain, or overweight, ana under
such conditions they are subject to eX-
tremes Of feeling. By your light drive
away their darkness.
Make Your Cheerful Habit
the power that will be to them then as
the guide in the forest. Whittier tells
Of man who was an exquisite judge Of
music. who went into a little church
where every person save one lady, sang
ont of tune and time. 1t was a jangle.
But the one voice by power and sympa-
thy controlled all the others. Can we
not be the one voice? 1t is so with
churches, where the next important APP
plication may be fonnd. Given great
congregation. Given in the hearts of
that congregation broad, humane, de-
vout, and kindly sentiment. Let it feel
that here will many weary one come
who longs for just one pleasant word,
one cheering song. one touch OF human
ity that makes the world akin. Let it
remember that here come those who,
worn with care and all the week, have
been bordering the worries of life.
Let it feel that it is to have place
where the rich and poor can meet to-
gether and feel that the Lord is maker
of them all. Let that big congregation
feel the Importance of its mission in
city like this. Then let it understand
that its attitude is that of a person,
that its thought acts like the
thought of a man; that it has the
direct and positive influence of a per-
son; and then 1t seems, too, that the
happy, wholesome and altogether cheer
ing power of such congregation could
hardly be estimated. 1t is plainly
taught that it was this in the teaching
and attitude of Christ that won the
hearts of men. Surely, in the best re-
suits we have of great movements, we
find exactly the same. 1t is not enough
for us to teach that God is love. 1t is
not enough for US 10 stand up and theo-
retically affirm that all men are breth-
Ten. If the mud be ankle-deep and the
wind is blowing and rain is coming
down, it is not enough to show man
that above US half mile the sun is
shining. What he needs is an influence
that will make him forget mud and
wind. So what men need is to feel in
our presence that there is power to
make them forget darkness. And, bet
ter than all, they need to feel that
within themselves there is possibility
of spirit strong and bright-divine in
its power and of God-Sure IN its inf1u-
ence in present application-a spirit
that gives the merry heart that 'doeth
good like medicine"