Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-09-12

you have tAlke1 on tueto great themes.
that they are finding out that while
science Is grand in secular directions
worldly philosophy grand in secular al
rections. they cannot give any comfort
90 soul in trouble.
ooaFogf IL THE GosPKf.
Talking with men on steamboats, and
Ia rail cars, ind they are coming back
TO the comfort OF the gospel. They say.
Somehow human science doesn't CON-
fort me when have any trouble. and
must try something else" And they
are trying the gospel.
Take your scientific consolation to that
mother who hao just lost her child. APP
ply the doctrine 81 the survival Of the
tittest." Tell her that her child died be-
cause It's life was not worth as much as
the life Of one that lived. Try that IL
you dare. Go % that dying man with
your transcendcntal phraseology and tell
him he ougnt 10 have confidence In tine
great s.to be" and the everlasting NOW"
and the eternal what Is itg" and 40 on
with your consolation and see II he is
comforted.
Go 10 that woman who has lost her
husband and tell her il was a geological
necessity that that man passed out Of ex-
istence. just as the megatherium disap-
peared in order 10 make room for a
higher style Of creation. and 90 on with
your consolation and tell her that there
is possibility that 10. zoo, 900 years from
now we ourselves may be geological
specimens on the geological shelf, petri-
fed specimens Of the extinct human
race.
And after you have got all through
with your consolation. II the poor al
ficted soul Is not utterly crazed, / will
send out the plainest Christian from my
church, and with one half hour Of pray
or and the reading of Scripture promises
the tears win be staid, and the conso-
lation and the Joy in that house will be
like the calmness Of an Indian summer
sunset. There win DO q glory flooding
the house from foor 10 cupola. Oh, peo-
pie are finding out themselves-and they
all have troubles-they find that philoso-
ply and science do not help them when
there is dead babe in the house. They
are coming back to our glorious old fash
toned sympathetic religion.
Oh. young man. do not be ashamed TO
be found on the side Of the Bible. Do
not JOIN those young men who in this
day put their thumb in their vest and
swagger about the street and the stores
talking about the glorious nineteenth
century, about its light being sufficient
without any Bible and without any
Christ and without any God. The time
Is ccming-wc may not live to SEQ 1t,
but l should not be surprised If we did
see it-when this whole country Is to DO
one great church, the forests the aisles,
the Allegheny and the Rocky mountains
the pillars, the chain of inland lakes the
baptistries, and the worship the hallelu-
iah chorus TO him who was and Is and
shall be eyermore. Oh, come over to
the malority-come under the banner Of
Emanuel.
Vernon was tho son Of an English
squire. He was brought up in great
elegance. There was a man working on
the place Of the name OF Ralph. Vernon
used 10 often talk with Ralph. After
awhile Vernon went of to college and
came back with his mind full Of skepti-
cism. He talked his skepticism to Ralph.
the workman. After awhile Vernon
went from home again. was gone for
years, came hack, and among his first
questions when getting home was.
Where il Ralph" 'Ohr said the IA
Their. Ralph is in prison waiting for the
day of execution"
Vernon FASTENED 20 See Ralph. Ralph,
looking through the wicket Of the pris-
on. said: Vernon. how good you are te
come and see mel 1 arm glad to see you.
l hardly expected you would come and
see me. / don't blame you; / don't
blameanybody; I only blame my sslf; but.
Vernon. want you 10 promise me one
thing. VIII your Vernon replied. Il
will" Il want you TO promise me never
to talk skepsicism in the presence Of any
body. You see II might do them harm.
when Won used 10 say there was nothing
in The Bible. and it didn't make any diff
fersnce how we lived. we would come
out happy Al the last. somehow II had >
bail influence upon me. aud went from
ba.i 10 worse until am here. and must
die for my crimes
by almost snperhuman effort the sen
tenee was changed, and he was 10 he
transported u another country for life.
The ship going there was wrecked ON
Van Diemen's Land Among those who
persisted WAS Ralph. the victim Of Yer
mons skepticism. Vernon tells the story
today with tears aud broken heart. but
h is too latei On. DO not talk skspsscism: