The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-11-04
Sermon by Rev. Wallace
Nutting, Sunday Evening.
The Hero, It's Highest Defini-
tiOn, the Man God Trusts.
That True HeroiSm Asks Nothing of
Fame or Fortune.

At the Union Congregational Church
last evening the pastor, Rev. Wallace Nut
ting spoke from the text, Acts xxi:l3:
al am ready, not TO be bound only but
also 10 die at Jerusalem for the name of
the Loru Jesus"-"Heroes. 4" The SER
mon, which follows, was listened to by
the usually large congregation that fills
the Union at these Sunday evening SER
vices.
The hero, by the highest definition, is
the man whom God trusts. God knows
where TO find him on all questions OF
conscience. The hero finds IL easier 10
do a hard thing when he ought, than TO
an easy thing when he ought not TO. With
out going back TO the dark ages we can
dnd such people in college, in stores. In
shops, in drawing-rooms and Kitchens.
There is as much need OF heroism in draw
ing-rooms as elsewhere. One OF the hard
est things, perhaps, that Jesus ever had
10 40 was TO speak as He did TO the
Simon who invited Him to dinner. To
differ from person who has just done
MS kindness requires heroism as lofty
rs the endurance OF physical pain.
There are two sorts OF heroism-that
which bears, and that which dares. The
aeroism which bears is required OF most
people and is as good in quality as the
sther.
IL one can do notable deed to cause
che world TO wonder he can feed his he
.oic impulse. The soldier rushes forward
md plants the color on a hostile redoubt.
He receives the thanks OF the government.
Another soldier, as brave, stood waiting
orders with his company under Calling
nrc.
NoBoDY KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT HIM.
Nobody? A just God keeps the only COM
plete rolls of honor.
There are multitudes OF people waiting
Tor their 'chance' as ii is called. That
chance is planned for and it will come.
Heroism consists in being ready for it.
High qualities will not be wasted, and
whoever has the spirit to bear or dare
will have the occasion sometime. A real
nero does not need to be fed on glory.
The spirit is in him.
Heroism is not the rrerogative OF an
excluive class, nor is il demanded of a
,ew only. IL, as have tried to show, it
Is as difficult to do little things perpetu-
lily in n good Hpirit as great thing -oc=
casionally, then God has arranged the
world SO that
EVERY MAN HAS HIS OPPORTUNITY.
We bear clerk say that his work is
commonplace aud he cannot bear ii. He
asks for larger work. God has put him
where he has to do the hardest thing. He
needs more character to be a man where
ne does the work OF a machine than he
would need in more varied exciting en-
ploymert. Almost anybody can do great
things under great moral pressure, or the
influence OF numbers and enthusiasm.
God has made the world so that we need
the heroic spirit more than soldiers and
statesmen. When Webster made his great
speech against Haine he had behind him
the education and aspirations of a life
time; the nation waited to hear MIN; his
oratorical dover surged within him; the
rewards OF genius and the sense of tri-
umph were before him. 1t would have
been dastardly to have kept silent. He
was obliged to speak, and he spoke grand
ly. But when q hard thing comes before
you to do, something that Is easy for some
people, but shakes your soul, when you
are placed where no human being will
know Of your temptation or acclaim your
work, when the world is liable to misun-
derstand you for yJur lifetime then is
the opening for the largest heroism.
There are people near us who give liber-
ally OF their money to noble purposes.
They bear reputation for penuriousness,
but they are the rea. heroes for they are
esteemed mean for Christ's sake.
A woman who supported two families
from small income died with the repu-
tation of a miser.
At the same time that m ill-man In a
neighboring town announced his noble
gift OF many thousands for charities there