The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1895-12-13
Saved by Hope.

The text of Rev. w. b. Matteson's SER
mon last Sunday morning was Psalms
42;5-"Hope thou in God" The subject
-"The Saving Power of Hope"
According to the ancient myth, Pan
dora was commissioned by the gods to
bring their several gifts to humanity, but
all the proffered blessings escaped save
one. Hope only was left.
The myth is parabolic. Hope lis the
spring of human progress, the incentive
to all human achievement. Francis
Walker lays it down as an economic fact
that "Cheerfulness and hopefulness in
the laborer are the spring of exerton in
comparis N with which brute strength is
but weakness" Slave labor has always
been insufficient labor. The great men
of the world-the men who have accom-
plished most and affected most largely
the progress of humanity, have always
been men of great hopes, men who en-
dured as seeing the invisible, men who
forgot present ills and overcame existing
obstacles in their eagerness to attain some
future good. Alexander the Great, when
he OWNED the spirit of battle, reserved
only for himself the right to hope.
Hope may expire either of safety or of
disappointment. Sometimes, though
rarely enough, hope is quenched in salts
fact on. Thorwaldsen, the great sculp-
tor, was found viewing sadly and unhap-
PLY his last great piece of statuary. 81
am sad," he said, for have in this sat
isfied my ideal. l can never hope to do
anything better" Solomon had all that
man might hope for-power, riches, wis
dom, great name-he had nothing fur
Their to hope for, and was most miserable.
VANITY of vanity, all, all is vanity"
More commonly hope is slain by disap-
pointment. Hope does not die easily-it |
springs eternal in the human breast"
but oft buffeted and repeatedly over
thrown, it may linger at last but feeble |
and Pickering flame. The saddest sight |
in the world is that of man or woman |
who has lost hope, who does not still be-
lieve-
1.-THE brightest hours are still to come,
The fairest days, the noblest years."
and that
Trough some bright gate wide open SET
The heart snail find its Eden yet"
Hope is Enthusiastically christian
virtue. Worldly hopes are set on things
fieeting and unsatisfying; things that fail
and "vansh away but the christians
hope is firmly established. 1t is "hope
in God" 1t is such hope only that
Springs eternal in the human breast"
The hope of the christian cannot be
quencbed in satisfaction or die of surfeit.
He is permitted to hope for the most ex
a. 6. l. -
God and it doth not yet appear what we
shall be, but we know that when he
shall appear, we shall be like him."
Likeness to Christ, conformity to Christs
spirit, participation i'm the divine nature
this is the alluring, but in this world,
at least, ever in its completeness, unat-
tainable goal of christian aspiration
On the other hand. the christians
hope need not die of disappointment
There are failures and defeats and disap-
pointments enough in christian living; if
we look to ourselves or our achievements
we shall lose hope quickly enough. The
psalmist in his sore distress, disquieted,
and oppressed-whena all Gods
waves and pillows had gone over him
still hoped, in God. David, after the sack
of Ziklag, in the extremity of his over
throw, still encouraged himself in the
Lord" In God there is renewed hope
and encouragement for him most baffied
and distressed.
We encourage ourselves in God by re-,
his great might. He made
the world all strength and power is his;
he gave strength to Samson; enabled JON
athan and his armor bearer to scale the !
heights and capture the fortress at Mich
mash; gave strength to Gideon and his
little band so that they overthrow the
Philistines. Paul rightly declared, 81
can do all things through Christ that
me-"
We encourage ourselves in God by re.
his known disposition. He
is not harsh and stern and unforgiving; |
he has revealed himself as loving, consid-
kind "merciful and gracious;
long-suffering abundant in goodness; for
giving iniqulty and transgression." We
find it difficult to ask favor of a hard
and unkind man, but easy to ask it of a
man of known benevolence and kindness
of heart. We can hope even in failure
and in sin, because our God is merciful |
and gracious.
But we have more than his known dis
position-we have his promises. He has
promised help; he has pledged deliver
ance; he has invited our petitions. He |
is more ready to give good things than we
are to ask or to receive them. In the |
darkest hour Judson saw only light. "The |
he made answer to an inquir-
ing friend, "the prospect is as bright as
the promise of God"
We are encouraged also by the remem- |
brance of former experiences of divine |
grace and succor. David had courage to