The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1894-02-23

dnu eao noaFehs' DuC IN the wake o
that life what a phosphorescence O
smiles on the cheeks Of souls pardoned
and lives reformed, and nations re
deemed. The millennium itself is onl,
one roll of that irradiated wave of glad
ness and benediction. In the sublimes
of all senses it may be said of him, III,
maketh path to shine after him."
But cannot look upon that luminosi
ty that follows ships without realizing
how fond the Lord is of life. That fir,
of the deep is life, myriads of creatures
all a-swim and a-play and a-romp in
parks OF marine beauty laid out and par
TERED and roseated and blossomed by
Omnipotence. What Is the use Of those
creatures called by the naturalists ''crus
taceans" and "copepods," not more than
one out of hundreds of billions of which
are ever seen by human eye? God ere.
ated them for the same reason that he
creates flowers in places where no hu.
man foot ever makes them tremble, and
no human nostril evey inhales their redo.
lence, and no human eye ever sees their
charm. In the botanical world thew
prove that God loves flowers, as in the
marine world the phosphori prove that
ne loves life, and he loves life in play,
life in brilliancy of gladness, life in ex-
uberance.
And SO / am led to believe that he
loves our life if we fulfill our mission as
fully as the phosphori fulfill theirs. The
son OF God came that we might have
life and have it more abundantly." But
| am glad to tell you that our God is not
the God sometimes described as a harsh
critic at the head of the universe, or an
infinite scold, or God that loves funer-
ais better than weddings, or a God that
prefers tears to laughter, an omnipotent
Nero, ferocious Mana Sahib, but the
loveliest Being in the universe, loving
flowers and life and play, whether of
phosphori in the wake of the Majestic or
OF the human race keeping holiday.
LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE.
But mark you that the phosphorescence
has glow that the night monopolizes.
and l ask you not only what kind of in
fiuence you are going to leave in the
world as you pass through it, but what
light are you going to throw across the
worlds night of sin and sorrow? People
who are sailing on smooth sea and at noon
do not need much sympathy, but what
are you going to do for people in the
night of misfortune? Will you drop on
them shadow, or will you kindle for
them phosphorescence?
AT this moment there are more people
crying than laughing, more people on
the round world this moment hungry
than well fed, more households bereft
than homes unbroken. What are you
going to do about it? "Well," says yon-
der soul, 81 would like to do something
toward illumining the great ocean of
human wretchedness, but I cannot do
much"
Can you do as much as one of the
phosphori in the middle of the Atlantic
ocean, creatures smaller than the point
Of sharp pin? ooh, yes" you say.
Then do that. Shine! Stand before the
looking glass and experiment to see if
you cannot get that scowl off your fore
seae, .4A peevish look out of yourslip
Have at least one bright ribbon in your
bonnet. Embroider at least one white
cord somewhere in the midnight of your
apparel. Do not any longer impersonate
! funeral. Shine! Do say something |
cheerful about society and about the
world. Put few drops Of heaven into |
your disposition. Once in awhile sub
'titute sweet orange for sour lemon.
Remember that pessimism is blasphe-
ny and that optimism is Christianity. |
Throw some light on the night ocean.
+ You cannot be a lantern swinging in
he rigging, be one of the tiny phosphori
back of the keel. Shine! 'Let your
light SO shine before men that others see
ng your good works may glorify your
father which is in heaven"
Make one person happy every day, and
o that for 20 years, and you will have
nade 1900 happy. You know man
7ho has lost all his property by an I'M
investment or by putting his
anne on the back of a friends note. Aft
r you have taken brief nap, which every
ian and woman is entitled to on Sun
ay afternoon, go and cheer up that man.
GU can, if God helps you, say some
hing that will do him good after both
you have been dead thousand years.
Shincl You know of family with bad
by who has run away from home. Go
efore night and tell that father and
other the parable of the prodigal son,
i'd that some of the illustrious and use
Il men now in church and state had
lily passage in their lives and ran away
ON home. Shine! You know of Il fam
= that has lost child, and the silence
the nursery glooms the whole house
ON cellar to garnet. Go before night
ID tell them how much that child has
lppily escaped, since the most prosper
is life on earth is struggle.
Shine! You know of some invalid who
dying for lack of an appetite. She
mot get well because she cannot eat.
-oil a chicken and take it to her before
ght and cheat her poor appetite into
en- relish. Shine! You know of some
e who likes you, and you like him, and
ought to be Christian. Go tell him
nat religion has done for you, and ask
N if you can pray for him.
THE FAILURE OF EULoGY.