Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1894-07-05

round-the-world journey, selected as
the subject for his sermon through the
press last Sunday. Another Chance"
the text being taken from Eccles. xi.. 3:
If the tree fan toward the south or toward
the north, in the place where the tree falletb,
there it shall be-
There is a lowering hope in the minds
Of vast multitude that there will be
an opportunity in the next world TO
correct the mistakes of this: that. If we
make complete shipwreclx of our earthly
life ii win be on shore up which we
may walk to palace; that. as de-
PENDANT may lose his case in the cir
cult court. and carry it up to the SUI
prenzt co:;rt or court Of claacary and
get q reversal of Indignant in his be-
half an the costs being thrown over On
tie t.-r pa-tv. 80, II We fail n tie
earthly trial, we may in the higher
jurisdiction Of eternity have the judy
ment Of the lower court set aside. an
the costs RENTED. and we may be vic
torious defendants forever. NV object
in this sermon Is to show that common
sense, as well as my text, declares that
such an expectation is chimerical. You
say that the impenitent man. having
got into the next world and seeing the
disaster, will. as result of that dis
aster, turn, the pain the cause Of his
reformation. But you can find ten
thousand instances in this world of
men who have done wrong and distress
overlook them suddenly. Did the dis
tress heal them? No; they went right
on.
That man was flung of dissipation.
"You must stop drinking said the
doet u. and quit the fast life You are
leading or it will destroy You" The
patient suffers paroxysm after parox-
ysm; but. under skillful medical treat
ment. he begins to sit up, begins to
walk about the room, begins to 90 to
business And 10, he goes back to the
same grogshops for his morning dram.
and his evening dram and the drains
between. Flat down again! same doc
tor! Same physical anguish! Same
medical warming. Now the illness is
more protraeted: the liver is more
stubborn, the stomach more irritable,
and the digestive organs are more re-
belIious. But after awhile he is out
again, goes back to the dramshops, and
goes the same round of saerilege
against his physical health.
He sees that his downward course is |
ruining his household that his life is
perpetual perjury against his marriage
vow, that that broken-hearted woman
is so unlike the roseate young wife
},
mates do not recognize her; that hi
sons are to be tainted for lifetime by
the fathers drunkenness. that the
daughters are to pass into life under |
the scarfcation Of disreputable an
cestor He is drinking up their happi
ness. their prospects for this life. and |
perhaps. for the life to come Some |
times an appreciation of what he is |
doing comes upon him His nervous |
system is all a-tangle. From crown Of
head to sole of foot he is aching, rasp |
ing, crucifying, damning torture
Where is he? In hell on earth. Does
it reform him?
After awhile he has delirium tire |
mems. with whole jungle of kissing |
reptiles let ont on his pillow, and his /
screams horrify the neighbors as he |
dashes out of his bed, crying: Take |
these things off me-" As he sits pale
and convalescent. the doctor says
Now want to have a plain talk with /
YOU. my dear fellow. The next attack
Of this kind you have, you will be be-
yond all medical skill and you will die.
He gets better and goes forth into the /
same round again. This time medicine
takes no effect. Consultation of physi-
clans agree in saying there is no hope
Death ends the scene.
That process of inebriation, warning,
and dissolution is going on within
stones throw of YOU. going on mall the
neighborhoods of Christendom Pam
does not correct. Suffering does not
reform. What is true in one sense )
true in all senses. and will forever be
So, and yet men arc expecting IN the
next world purgatorial reiuvenation
Take up the printed reports OF al lhe
wilson's OF the United States. and You
win find that the vast majority OF
the inearcerated have been there be-
fore. some OF them four. FIVE. six times
With million illustrations all work
ing the other way in this world. people
are expecting that distress IN the next
state will be salvatory. Aon cannon
imagine any worse torture IN any otler
world than that which some men nave
suffered here and without any saiutafy
Furthermore, the prospect Of reior
nation in the next world Is more I'M
probable than a reformation here. In
this world the life started with inho-
cence of infancy. In the case slpPoseu'
the other life will open with all the ac-
cumulated bad habits of many years
upon him. Surely. it is easier 70 D,l1u
a strong ship out Of new timber than
out of an old hull. that has been grouiu
up in the breakers. If with innocence
10 start with in this life man does lo'