Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1892-12-29

these two things, the plan of God
and the liberty of man. We canno
get rid Of either, nor can we see hov
they a be perfectly harmonized
yet there they are, constantly run
ming parallel to each other, anC
forming, SO to say, the two lines O
rail on which the chariot of human
progress rolls along"
God has planned what man was tt
do from before the foundation Of the
world, and yet man is free to dc
whatsoever his heart delights in
These two fundamental doctrines
OF christianity do not clash, but lie
~peaceably side by side, making the
sure highway for the advance move.
ment Of all things from the animal
to the angel.
DR.. Pelantet, taking the locomotive
for his symbal, teaches this needed
lesson: "If one tyrant should com.
mand a man to move a
railroad train, he might
push with his hands forever
and be utterly unable to move it a
hairs breath. But if he turns the
lever that lets out the steam, he can
move 1t with perfect ease. Much OF
the work the Lord gives his people to
do is as hard as to remove mountains;
but faith is the lever that applies
the power Of God; and the meakest
saint, strong in faith and using Gods
power can do mighty works, beyond
the power of even angels strength"
Christianity makes every thing of
faith, and yet like light it seems
impossible to grasp it. Now coming
to us as the lever of the locomotive
we know what it is, and why faith is
said to be able to remove ever
mountains.
Beecher once spoke under this
railroad figure: "Going to heaven in
churches is like going on a journey
in cars. One sect of church people
think that theirs is the right church,
because they go in palace cars;
others think theirs right because
they go in sleeping cars; Others think
theirs right because they go in plain
cars. Now it makes a great deal of
difference which you ride in, so far as
your comfort is concerned; but it
makes no difference in respect to
your getting to the end of your
journey" Then why not cease to
antagonize each other? We are on
the anne train, all bound for heaven:
If 4 sect gets there, all sects will
get there, as all sections Of a train
get there together at the
determined destination. Let me
urge you to get on the car of the
religious train most congenial to
your beliefs and associations, but get
on somewhere, and at once.
Religion, in its misconstrued
efforts, by persecution and
martyodom has slain its thousands.
Railroads by mismanagement have
slain their tens OF thousands. Now
many men are for doing away with
religion forever for its murders, but
are enthusiastic for the extension
of the railroad. Why this bigoted
inconsistencies.
Ingersoll says: "For me it is hard to
see the plan or design in earthquakes
and pestitences."
Father Lambert takes him to task
thus: "a boy stood near the railway
gazing philosophicaly at a passing
train. A burning cinder from to
smoke stack struck him in the eye.
He unused on the incident in this
way: For me it is hard to see what
design or plan this great corporation
could have had in spending vast
sums of money to throw that cinder
in my eye. 1t is somewhat difficult
to discern design or ~benevOlence in
It," The answer is as evident as it is
conclusive. / have been on a
train anywhere since / was five years
old but what | have seen the words,
Passengers must not stand on the
platform" Also the signs at every
crossing, lookout for the ars."Now
these warnings never become chest
nuts. But If the church warns men
flee the wrath to come every meeting
how tired it makes men. Several
hundred yards before bridges there
now rope hangings over the railroad.
These are for the saving of freight
brakesmens' lives.
They are looked upon as humans
and merciful. Why not feel the same
toward certain sentences in the Bible,
that warn us to do differently from
what we are doing and thus save our
selves? One day on a train l WAS
thinking of the probabilities OF the
train being hurled over an embank-
ment, and the fearful scenes that
must follow, when / observed a
bright little girl of four or five
summers approaching me, and, as
she extended her little hand and bade
me good morning in a sweet, clear
voice, I engaged her in conversation
by asking her if she were not afraid
to ride on the cars. To which she
replied: Sometimes, but | am not
afraid this morning, "Why,"I asked,
are you not afraid this morning?
Everybody else seem afraid today, for
we are running so rapidly. "Oh,
there is no danger at all, papa is
running the engine"
Christian, be not afraid of the
dangers of this life, our Father is
running the things of time.
] noticed in crossing both the
| Alleganies and the Rocky mountains
that long before we came near any
tunnels that the trainmen lighted
the train lamps. When we reaced
them with their dread darkness.
there were the lamps filled, trimmed,
burning, and throwing friendly rays
of light upon the faces Of our friends.
Now you are travelling in the open
sunshine of health, wealth, friend
ship, prosperity, life, but just ahead
of you are the dark tunnels of disease,
poverty, forsakenness. death; why
not fill, trim, light now your souls
lamps of faith, hope and love, so that
when you enter these tunnels, you
mill bo -oodv 70 ,,aot ,n5 a;,nol +bo;,