The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-02-19

borough, a Decatur. a IoussaIut "a
Bolivar. a Clarlxson. a Robert Raikes
a Harlan Page, who had 125 Sabbath
scholars eighty-four os whom became
Christians. and six of them ministers
of the gospel
With gratitude, and penitence, and
worship, i mention the grandest life
that was ever lived That ship of
light was launched from the heavens
nearly 1900 years ago angelic hosts
chanting, and from the celestial
wharves the ship sprang into the
toughest sea that ever tossed. Its
pillows were made mp of the wrath Of
men and devils, Herodic and Sanhedri-
naic prosecutions stirring the deep
with red wrath. and all the hurricanes
Of woe smote it, until on the rocks of
Golgotha that life struck with a re-
sound Of agony that appalled, the
earth and the heavens. But ia the
wake Of that LIE what q phosphores-
cence OF smiles on the cheek Of souls
pardOned, and lives reformed. and
nations redeemed The millennium
itself is only one roll of that IRA dated
wave of gladness and benediction. In
the subli1nest of all senses it may be
said of him. s.He maketh q path to
shine after him"
But I can not look upon that lumin-
Osity that follows ships without real
izing how fond the Lord is Of life.
That fire Of the deep is life, myriads of
creatures all a-swim, and a-plav. and
a-romp in parks Of marine beauty laid
out, and Parterred, and roseated- and
blossOmed by Omnipotence. What IS
the use of those creatures called
by the naturalists tscrustaceans''
and '.copepods." not more than
one out Of hundreds of billions of
which are ever seen by human eve?
God created them for the same reason
that he creates flowers in places where
no human foot ever makes them trem-
Bile. and no human nostriI ever inhaIes
their redolence. and no human eve
ever sees their charm. In the botanical
world they prove that God loves flow
ers as in the marine world the phos-
phori prove that lac loves life, and he
loves life in play, life in brillancy of
gladness life insexu bcrance.
And 50 am led to believe that ne
loves our 1ifef we fulfill ournission as
fully as the phosphori fulfil theirs.
The Son Of God came that we might
have life, and have it more abund-
antly-" But L ann glad to tell YOU
that our Cod IS not the God sometimes
desert bed as a harsh critic at the head
Of the universe. or an infinite scold.
81 a. 1871 -A-rA- --fto AAAAA-L'f1ta LeLLA-A
than weddings; or a God that prefers
tears to laughter, an omnipotent Nero,
a ferocious Mana Sahib, but the love
lest 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 q hOli-
day
But mark YOU. that the phosphores-
cence has a glow that the night mon-
opOlizes, and I ask Won not only what
kind Of influence 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 sorrow2 People who are sailing
on smooth sea and at noon do not need (
much svmpa thy. but what are ven go- /
ing to do for people ia the night Of
misfortune2 VIII you drop ON them
shadow, or VIII you kindle for them
phos phorescence2 AT this moment
there are more people crying than
laughing more people on the round I
world this moment hungry than WE'LL 4
fed; more households bereft than
homes unbrokcn What are YOU
gong to do about it? "Wen,"
says wonder soul, III would like to do
something toward illumining the
great ocean of human wretchedness.
but can not do much. % Can you do
as much as one Of the phosphOri i'm the
middle Of the Atlantic ocean, crea-
lures smaller than the point of sharp
pin? 20, yes You say Then do
that. Shine, Stand before the look
ing glass and experiment to see if Won
can not get that scovI off your fore
head; that peevish look ont 81 your
lips Have at least one bright ribbon
i'm your bonnet. EN- broider at least
3
of your apparel Do not
any longer impersonate funeraE
Shine. Do say something cheer
full about society. and about the
world Put few drops of heaven into
your disposition. Once in awhile SUBJ
stItute sweet orange for q sour
lemon. Remember that pessimism Is
ana that optimism is Chris
tianity Throw some light on the
night ocean If You can not be a lam
tern swinging in the rigging. be one of
the tiny phosphori back Of the keel
shineI Let Your light so shine be-
fore men that others seeing your good
works may glorify your Father which
IS in heaven. Make one person happy
every day and do that for twenty
years and YOU will Nave made seven
thousand three hundred happy. You
snow man who has lost all
bis property by an unfortunate
Investment. or by putting his
name on the back of friends
lote2 After you have taken q brief
lap, which every man and woman rs
entitled to on Sunday AFTERNOON, go
and cheer mp that"man You cam if
sod helps you. say something that win
40 him good after both of Won have
been dead thousand years Shiue-
You know Of a family with bad boy