Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1894-05-24

sodom, Gomorrah, Pompeii, Hereu.
laneum, Helioplis, and ancient Mem
PMS We're as much worse than our
modern cities as you might expect,
from the fact that the modern cities
have somewhat yielded to the re
straints of Christianity, while those
ancient cities were not limited in their
denominations.
Yea, that generation which passed
OFF within the last twenty-five years
mad their bereavements, their tempta-
lions, their struggles, their disappoint-
ments, their successes, their failures,
their gladnesses, and their griefs, like
these two generations now in sight,
that in advance and that following.
But the twenty-five years between 1869
and ls94-how much they saw. How
much they discovered! How much
they felt Within that time have been
| performed the miracles of the tele-
phone and photograph. From the OBJ
servatories other worlds have been seen
to heave in sight. Six presidents of the
United States have been inaugurated
Transatlantic voyage abbreviated from
80 w NV anu q hdAAs NAAAAA7
| go anu New York once three days
apart, now only twenty-four hours by
the vestibule limited. Two additional
railroads have been builtto the Pacific.
France has passed from monarchy to
republicanism Many of the cities
have nearly doubled their populations.
During that generation the chief sur
viving heroes of the civil war have
gone into the encampment of the
grave. The chief physicians, attor-
neys, orators, merchants, have passed
off the earth, or are in retirement
waiting for transition. Other men
in editorial cbairs, in pulpits, in
governors mansions, in legislative,
senatorial and congressional halls
There are not ten men or women on
the earth now prominent who were
prominent twenty-five years ago. The
crew of this old ship of world is all
changed. Others at the helm, others
on the lookout, others climbing the
ratlines. Time is doctor who witA
potent anodyne has put an entire gen
GRAFTON into sound sleep Time, lil1.
another Cromwell, has roughly pro
rogued parliamenta and with iconoelasm
driven nearly all the rulers except one
queen from their high places. SO far
IS | observed that generation, for the
most part they did their best. CHASTITY
exceptions, but so far as know them,
they did quite well, and many of them
gloriously we'll They were born at
the right time, and they died at the
right time. They left the world bet
ter than they found it. We are in
debted to them for the fact that they
prepared a way for our coming. Eigh-
teen hundred and ninety-four rever
emily and gratefully salutes 1869. 'One
generation passeth away, and another
generation cometh." There are fathers
and mothers here whom baptized in
their infancy. There is not one per-
son in this church's board OF session or
trustees who was here when / came
Here and there in this vast assembly is
one person who heard my opening
sermon in Brooklyn, but not more
than one person in every five hundred
now present. OF the seventeen per.
sons who gave me a unanimous call
when l came, only three, believe, are
living.
But this Sc rmon is not dirge; it is
an anthem. While this world is APP
propriate as temporary stay, as an
eternal residence it would be dead
failure. 1t would be a dreadful sen.
tence if our race were doomed to re-
main here thousand winters and |
thousand summers God keeps us here
just long enough to give us an appe- |
tite for heaven. Had we been born in |
celestial realms, we would not have |
been able to appreciate the bliss. 1t |
needs good many rough blasts in this |
world to qua lify us to properly esti-
mate the superb climate of the good |
land where it is never too cold or toe hot, |
too cloudy or too glaring. Heaven will /
be more to us than to those supernal |
beings who were never tempted, or sick,
or bereaved, or tried or disappointed.
So you may well take my text ont OF |
the minor key and set it to some tune
in the major key: zone generation
passeth away, and another generation
cometh."
Nothing can rob us of the satisfac-
ton that uncounted thousands of the
just past were converted,
comforted and harvested for Heaven
bv this church, whether in the present
building, or the three preceding build
ings in which they worshiped, The
two great organs of the previous
churches went down in the memorable
fires. but the multitudinous songs they
led year after year were not recalled
or injured. There is no power on earth
or hell to kill hallelujah. 1t is i'm
possible to arrest hosanna What
satisfaction to know that there are
many thousands in glory on whose eter.
nal welfare the church wrought might
iIy! Nothing can undo that work.
They have assembled, the multitudes
who served God in that generation.
That chapter is gloriously ended. But
that generation has left its impression
upon this generation. A sailor was
4. II a.I I