Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-05-07

l OF sessions or ArusteeS WIZ was ucto
when l came. Here and there in this
vast assembly is one person who heard
nv opening sermon in Brooklyn. but not
more than one person in every tive hun
dred now present. or the seventeen
I persons who gave me unanimous call
when came, only three, believe, are
| living.
But this sermon is not dirge; IL is an
anthem. While this world Is appropri-
ate as a temporary stay, as an eternal
residence il would oe a dead failure. IL
would be q dreadful sentence If our race
were doomed 10 remain here thousand
winters aud thousand summers. God
keeps Us here just long enough to give
Us an appetite for heaven. Had we
been born in the celestial realms. we
would not have been able TO appreciate
the bliss. Il needs a good many rough
blasts 10 this world TO qualify US 10
properly estimate the superb climate OF
that good land where il Is never too
cold or too hot, TO cloudy or too glazing.
Heaven will be more to US than 10 those
Supernal being who are never tempted,
or sick, or bereaved, or tired, or disap-
pointed. So you may well take my text
out OF the minor key and set IL 10 some
in the major key; Zone generation
passeth away, and another generation
cometh."
Nothing can rob US Of the satisfaction
that uncounted thousands Of the gsner-
alton just past were converted, COM
forted aud harvested for heaven by this
church, whether in the present. build
ing, or the three preceding buildings
in which they worshipped. The two
great organs Of the previous churches
went down
II TIE MEMORABLE FIRES,
but the multitudinous songs they led
year after year were not recalled or In
jured. There is no power in earth or
hell 10 kill a halleluian, IL is imposSl-
bic to arrest a hoSaDna. What salts
faction TO know that there are many
thousands In Glory on whose eternal
welfare this church wrought nightly.
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.
During the passing of the last genera
ton some peculiar events have unfold
ed. One day while resting at Sharon
Springs, y. y, / think 1t was in 1870,
the year after my settlement IN Brook
lyu, and while walking in the Park OF
that place, found myself asking the
question, II wonder II there is any
special mission for me TO execute in this
= - ~ & ~ m
me- There soon came upon me great
desire 90 prescl the Gospel through the
secular printing press. realized that
the vast majority OF peopis, even
IN Christian lands, never enter a
church, and that il would be
an opportunity of usefulness infinite ii
that door Of publication were opened.
Aud so / recorded that prayer In a blank
book, aud offered the prayer day in and
day out until the answer came, though
in a way different from that which l
had expected, for il cane through the
Misrepresentation and persecution OF
enemies, and I have 70 record it for the
ENCOURAGEMENT of all ministers Of tie
gospel VINO are miSrepresented, that If
the misrepresentation be virulent
eLOAkns anu DAltEA CuUNH ~ 0uQ NbA-
tinuOuS enough, there is nothing that
so widens ones field OF usefulness as
hostile attack, II you are really doing
the Lords work. The bigger the lie
told about me, the better the demand 10
see and hear what / really was doing.
From one stage Of sermon publication
70 another, the work has gone on, until
week by week, and for about twenty
three years, l have had the world for
my audience, as no man ever had, and
to-day more so than at any other time.
The syudicateS inform me that my ser
mons 20 now 10 about
TWENTY-FIVE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE
in all lands. I mention this not in vain
boast. but as q testimony TO the fact
that God answers prayer. Would God
/ had better occupied the field and been
more consecrated to the work. May
God forgive me for lack OF service in
the past, aud double, and Quadruple,
and Quiutup.e my work in future.
And now, having come up TO the
twenty-Glth milestone in my astorate,
wonder how many more miles l am TO
travel? Your company has been eX-
ceedingly pleasant, o my dear people,
and / would Ike to march 6y your side
until the generation with which we are
now moving abreast, aud step TO step,
shall have stacked arms after the last
battle. But the Lord knows best, and
we ought to be willing 10 stay or go.
Most OF you are aware that propose
at this time, between the close of my
twenuy-6fth year OF paStorate and he
fore the beginning OF my tweuty-sixth,
TO be absent for few months, in order
Co take a Journey around the world.
expect TO san from San Francisco in
the steamer Alameda" May 3lst. My
place here on Sabbaths will be fully oC
cupied, while on Mondays, and every
Monday, I will continue TO speak
through the printing press in this and
other lands as heretofore.
And now in this twenty-tifth Ami
versary Sermon l propose to do two
things: first, TO put a garland on the
grave Of the generation that has just
passed OF, and then 10 put q palm branch
in the hand OF the generation just now
coming on the field Of action. For my
text is true; zone generation passeth
away, and another generation cometh."
OBJ, how many we revered, and honored,
and loved 10 the last generation that
Quit the earth. Tears fell at the time
OF their going, and dirges were sounded,
and signals Of mourning were put on;
but neither tears, nor dirge, nor somoer
veil told the half we felt. Their going
left a vacancy In our souls that has
never been filed up. We never get used
10 their absence. There are times when
the sight Of something with which they
were asSociateG-a picture, or a book,