The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1892-02-11
them, are as useless as lamp without oil.

tHlClSIlSNi.
1t is customary on Memorial Day to
decorate the graves of the nation dead
with flowers. | can see how one, who
lost no friends in the great conflict will,
as a mere matter of form, place a few
flowers on the grave of some sleeping
hero to such a one the form is much, the
reality but little. His feeling cannot be
deep because his experience has not been
deep. Not so with that loving wife, whose
husband, at the call of his country dark
est hour, leaving home and dear ones,
lays his life on the nations altar, and
sheds his blood for the nations atone
ment. When her thin, care-worn hands
place the choicest flowers over the grave
containing all that was once dear to her,
the symbol. as beautiful as it may be- is
lost in the love which moves her heart
The flowers are nothing but fading leaves
but the love which brings then is deep.
warm and eternal. In that grave is buried
her love, her heart her very life She has
experienced much therefore she feels
much, and loves much. We may SO en-
phasiZe the formality of religious woI-
ship, that the life itself will become cold
and meaningless. The heart must be
warm; the eye must be single to God
glory: the soul must feel the inspiration
of Christ love; there must be the expert
ence OF a new life, and these can only come
as the sweet spirit of Christ abideS in the
heart. Bind your life. with the tender
chords of love. to the pure life OF Christ
Let your heart beat in harmony with his
Let your life grow and develop under the
guidance of His spirit, and He will impart
to your soul that richness Of experience.
that balm of healing, that quickness OF
;.,;+ II = .I,o ~.
peace. that life that hope. which this
world can neither give nor take away.
Glory and praise be to the name OF Christ
In that name is unlimited power; in that
name is measureless love, in that name
are fathomless depths of mercy: in that
name is the brightness of ever increasing
splendor: in that name is the dawn of a
new life, which shall not cease to broad
en-, till its far reaching beams of love have
encompassed the earth, and brought to
all humanity knowledge of the kingdom
of eternity.
The Christian life means a fitness for
eternity. Here the soul must bear the
burdens of sacrifice and toll and there it
shall see the conformation and compile
ton of the problems which this life can
not solve. Every pang, every tear. every
SORROW is but the laying on of the hand of
God to better prepare the soul tor useful
ness in His eternal kingdom Slow me a
heart that has never suffered, and viii
show you heart that has never vet expert
enced the realities OF life. Show me a
heart that does suffer, and bears its sorrow
with the spirit OF Christ, and will show
you heart that some day will shine in the
crown of His Glory The gold wcdged in
among the rocks and earth is of no value
to the world while it remains there The
lock must be blown to atoms. ground to
pow der tried over a burning fire and al
ter passing through these stages. it comes
forth bright and pure as the sky under
which ii shines. The souls OF men are
often crushed by the burdens of the
world. ground under the foot OF misfor-
tune and adversely. tried by the hot fire,
OF sorrow, but these sutferings are often
blessings i'll disguise. They are only the
droSS which time throws away. and the
soul freed from its cares and burdens
will shine with purity and light in etelni-
ty
AS long as the human heart beats with
love, as long as the soul breathes in sym
pathy, as long as there are tender feelings
and deep emotions in human nature, SO
long will there be suffering in this world.
1t is one OF the means by which Christian
character is developed
The Christian life means life of use
fulness. ''Ye are the light OF the world ="
1t is your duty to illuminate your life and
the lives of others as far as possible with
the >plendor Of Christian love We are
the salt of the earth. 1t is your duty to
per1neate with preserving power the mass
of humanity about You. The light cannot
help throwing out its fragrance nor the
fire its heat. SO it is the very nature of
the Christian life to convey its light its
sympathy and love To every heart brought
under its inspiring influence
No life in this world can be a blank. 1t
is the theory OF science that the smallest
blow Of the hammer sends a concussion
through the universe lis influence.
though imperceptibe is real Every life,
however insignificant has some Influence
in this great world. and especially is this
true OF the Christian life. which is the en-
hodiment OF the spirit OF Christ. The
Christian life is not a barren desert. whose
sandy soil receives the rain drops and the
sunbeams, and gives nothing in return.
1t is rather like the fertile soil of the val
ley. moistened by the rains and warmed
by the sun. it responds to this blessing
with joyous and golden harvest
Finally the Christian life means an en-
bodiment of all that can be found in the
life OF Christ. He came to write no creed.
to organize no sect, to lay down no dog
ma, but to give life, simple and pure
There is no need of human lips to eulogize
him. for his glorious deeds of love are
written in his warm lifes blood He
came to deliver humanity from the dark
gulf of death, and to feed the perishing
soul with immortal food He is love in
carnate. His language is the very music
of love, his deeds are deeds of love, his
miracles are wonders of love. his tears the
sympathy of love, his death the pain of
love, his resurrection the victory of love-
His entire life is a message of love- This
message is going the rounds of the earth.
awakening echoes in the hearts of the in
different, calling the sinful to repentance,
and imparting life to the dead. This mes
sage is being translated into every Ian
guage. 1t is being read by the myriads
of the earth 1t mingles with the hum
and industry of daily life Its influence
is reflected across the great waters which
separate continents, and is felt on the
shores Of every isle. 1t brings blessings
to childhood and youth, furnishes music
for the wedding march, guides and pro-
tects the life through the heat and burden
of the day, falls like gentle breeze over
the evening of life, and as the evening
twilight fades away into the darkness of
NIGHT hOyeIs like an anval of ,oarcv o,-o,