Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1894-05-10

grlefs, llKe these Two generations now IN
sight that in advance and that following.
But the % years between 1859 and 1885,
how much they sawl How much they
discovered How much they feltl Within
that time have been performed the miracles
of the telephone and the phonograph.
From the observatorics other worlds have
been seen to heave in sight. Six presi
dents of the United States have been inau-
gurated. Transatlantic voyage abbreviat-
cd from 10 days to 81. Chicago and New
York, once three days apart, now only "a
hours by the vestibule limited Two add
tional railroads have been built to the Pa
ciflc. France has passed from monarchy
to republicanism Many of the cities have
nearly doubled their populations. During
that generation the chief surviving heroes
of the civil war have gone into the encamp-
ment of the grave. The chief physicians,
attorneys, orators, merchants, have passed
off the earth or are in retirement waiting
for transition. Other men in editorial
chairs, in pulpits, in governors mansions,
in legislative senatorial and congressional
halls.
There are not 10 men or women on
the earth now prominent who were promi-
nent % years ago The crew of this old
ship of a world is all changed Others at
inc nClm, OtlprS on Tnc LOOKOUT, OInpr5
climbing the ratlines Time is doctor
who with potent anodync has put an entire
generation into sound sleep. Time, like
another Cromwell, has roughly prorogued
parliament ana with iconoclasin driven
nearly all the rulers except one queen from
their high places. SO far as l observed
that generation for the most part they did
their best. CHASTITY exceptions, but So far
as l knew them they did quite well, and
many of them gloriouslv well. They We're
born at the right time, and they died at
the right time. They left the world better
than they found it. We are indebted to
them for the fact that they prepared tho
way for our coming. Eighteen hundred
and ninety four reverently and gratefully
salutcs 1869 "One generation passcth
away, and another generation cometh.
An Anthem.
There are fathers ana mothers here
whom baptized in their infancy. There
is not one person in this church board of
session or trustees who was here when !
came. Here and there in this vast assem-
bly, is one person who heard my opening
sermon III Brooklyn, but not more than
ore person in every 800 now present OF
the Il persons who gave me "a unanimous
call when 1 came only three, l believe, are
living.
But this sermon is not a dirge 1t is an
anthem. While this world is appropriate
as temporary stay, a. an eternal resi-
dence it would be "A dead failure. II would
be dreadful sentence if our race were
doomed to remain here l, 900 winters and
900 summers. God keeps us here just
long enough to give us an appetite for
heaven, Had we been horn in celestial
realms we would not have been able to APP
preciate the bliss. 1t needs a good many
rough blasts in this world 10 qualify us to
properly estimate the superb climate of
that good land where il is never too cold
or too hot, too cloudy or too glaring.
Heaven Will be moro 10 us than to those
supernal beings who were never tempted
or sick or bereaved or tried or disap-
pointed. SO you may we'll take my text
| out of the minor key and set it to some
tune in the major key, 'One generation
passeth away, and another generation
comcth. "
Nothing can rob us Of the satisfaction
that uncounted thousands of the genera
| ton just past were converted, comforted
and harvested for heaven by this church,
| whether in the present building or the
! three preceding buildings in which they
| Worshlped. The two great organs of the
previous churches went down in the mem
orable fires, but the multiiu0inous songs
they led year after year were not recalled
or injured There is no power in earth or
| hell to Kill halleluiah 1t is impossible
to arrest hosanna. What satisfaction
to know that there are many thousands in
glory on whose eternal welfare this church
wrought nightly Nothing can undo that
work. They have ascendcd, the multitudcs
who served God in that generation. That
chap'er Is eIoruusI3 ehueu' bui that gen
era'loh has Ic'' us IMPRESSION upon 'hi'
senera,ioh'
sailor was oSihg Oh siliPpoaru' anu he
saiu 10 ms mates MY iad'' 1 can only
'hInh Oh one passage oi scripture, ne
soui ina sihhe'h' IL Sfia4 uI"' anu .h"I
Keeps ringing III my ears he Sohl ,I"o
sihheth' IL snail oie' an you .hlhk Oh
soiheenlhs else III the bIo'e 10 checr me
up' wen saiiors are hlhu anu they trleu
10 MINK Oh some o'ner PASSAGE i scripture
| WIN Wh4eh W oohaoio Uhclr uSlnS Co'-'
raue' puV 'neS Couio ho'' Cie VI uncii