The Newtown bee., 1894-08-24

REV O. o. WRIGHT.
 Luke 1s I3, IA, Is, "And one Of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.
 And Ire said unto him, man, who made me a judge, or a divider over you?
 And he said unto them, take heed and be- ware of covetousnesS, for a mans lite con ssth not in the abundance ot the things which he possesseth."
 We are in the midst of a great social and industrial revolution. We have come to crisis marked with violence, destruc- tion and the shedding of blood. The wheels of industry stand idly waiting, or halting as between two opinions; the messengers of commerce finger to watch our halls of legislation; the ominous murmur of discontent goes up from the broken and distracted ranks of labor; and fear and doubt have seized upon all, while we look about us for some su- e grounds of confidence to hope for a brighter future. Ispeak in particular of our own country, though in a general sense the whole civilized world is affect ed by similar conditions. Indeed, it seems as though Christendom itself is ap- preaching the continuation, or end of one great period of spiritual progress and that another seal of the Divine Apoca- | lypse is soon to be broken. Let us not think of the situation as simply involving the conflict of capital and labor and questions of law and order. The ques- tions of the day have to do with princi- pies which are of eternal significance.
 They are questions which are of deep concern to church and state and involve the most vital relations of society and government. Indeed we may well look upon the events of these last days as way marks in the evolution of the King. dom of God among men. Ii becomes us then as Christian citizens to enquire most earnestly what these things mean and to ask ourselves most seriously what is our duty as factors of the government and as members of Christ.
 THERE ARE PROPHETS
 who will tell you that these are the signs of the coming end of the world. Tha1 the world is to grow worse and worse with conflict and confusion of evil il every form, until it ends in it's own de struction. That the few who shall b. were from the universal wreck and ruin There are good people who doubtless be lieve that we are fast coming to such { dire crisis. l am not one of them. l be growing better, and that the Kingdom of Heaven is making progress among th' children of men. No doubt that th' highest conditions of our improvement are often involved in some temporary conflict and confusion of interests. W, may go wrong in our blindness and hav to retrace our steps; we learn wisdom b, bitter experience; we are Wayward ant selfish, and bring evils upon us by on sinful conduct; but on the whole w know that the history of the worl' proves that we have gone forward In tn grand march of our common humanity and that what has been is the earnest 0 what shall be in the evolution of tn divine plans of the earth and mar Temporary disorder is often but tn necessary preparation for some great in provement. As when factory shut down to make repairs, or put in ne, machinery, or to introduce better sy: tenn of doing the work; or to undertak r the manufacture of other and bette goods.
 It would be but narrow and stupi 2 mind which would infer from the coi fusion and conflict of interests incider to such repairs and changes that bus ness was ruined and that the factory WE going to destruction. The progress {
 the world seldom continues long in or :, unbroken line. And the same is tru i. whether of the business world, the sciel r tific world or the moral or spiritual lii : of men. The great movements of u ] ages are intermittent and changeab like the waves of heat and cold and tt ! currents of the ocean. Man propose
 but God disposes. Tides of emigratio
 rise and the nations of the east flood u
 west; or the hordes of the north al
 poured upon the lands of the south mal
 ing -new tribes and states and people ar
 NEW CIVILIZATIONS.
 But the Lord who made them all hat