The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-26
VOICE OF THE PULPIT
DIsHEARTENED URGED TO .MAKD
THE MOST OF WHAT Is Left
A Cheering Discourse by Rev. Francis
ID. Hornbrooke, Pastor OF Cham
ming Church, Newton, Mass.
Strengthen the things which remain"

the loss Of something as almost. IL not
quite, the same as the loss OF everything.
IL very little remains for a church or a
man TO do, we think that a good reason for
the one or the other TO do nothing But
the word OF the spirit that speaks 10 the
churches is. Establish the things that re-
MAN," or, TO put 1t I'm the speech OF our
own day, Make the most of v hat Is left"
People sometimes say in times OF grief
over some loss, Nothing Is left me-" But
the fact is, something always is left, even
after the largest loss. We may lose much
light. but II is never altogether dark There
is always enough of light to take at least
one step by.
The church was never so BAL that IL did
not have few souls who were worthy TO
walk in white robes with :neir Lord. In
our own day, when the church seems to have
so little to do in the practical direction OF
affairs, there are those who think IL has
nothing to do But. ar least. it stands. in
the world as the only agency whose avowed
purpose is to maintain those great princi-
pies of faith and conduct on which the Ma
TONS welfare depends. A. last. IL can
help to keep alive those sentiments upon
which the service IF man TO man depends.
Whatever else OF the work OF the church
has gone, that still remains.
So IL sometimes seems TO men OF refine
ment and culture that they are shut out
from all contact with the affairs Of business
and political life. They have no part in the
movement Of the worth But there is some
thing just as important action. and that
is sound thinking and gracious living. a
man who has the time 10 think and 10 read
and to DO the things that make life sweeter
and brighter to those around him has
much-needed work in this world TO perform
The young man before whom no present OPP
portunity OF active life is opening may and
does anxiously ask, What remains to
me?" But for him, too. there is left the
opportunity TO learn, while he waits, all
that is in his power TO learn; 10 keep his
mind alive and his heart true. II he does
this, then when his chance comes he viii
know how to use IT. But what is left TO
the sick. the feeble. the old? One must
have had little experience of life TO ask
such question. For the best lessons OF
faith, and courage, and hope, and patient
endurance very often come from those
whose years are filled with memories OF
WEAKNESS and pain The body fades away.
but the loving disposition grows day by
day. No strength is left TO strike a blow
for any cause. but the spirit OF resgna-
ton is there TO teach US how to bear hard
things which often requires more strength
than TO do them.
So the vigor OF youth and earlier manhood
goes but the garnered wisdom OF the faith
full years remains TO help the world. A
mans fortune is taken away. But all is
not lost, nor is the best lost. Manhood re-
MAINS and with it all the forces and vir-
tues of which wealth is only the faint re-
Election. So, too, the man or woman from
whom the nearest and dearest have been
taken has not lost all. The tender MEM
cries of the past remain. the duty OF irytng
service TO those who look up to them FOR
light and guidance rernains-and love re-
mains
'"Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never 20 have loved at ALL.
Amid the criticism and skepticism OF our
time, timid souls cry out that faith is no
longer on the earth. But when We look
more deeply into the movement OF religious
thought we shall find that much remains
Many objects OF faith are taken away.
but faith remains. Doubts or some systems
OF theology are not evidences OF spiritual
blindness Rather are they indications that
our spiritual vision is too large 10 remain
contented with the explanations these have
given Faith in the systems may have van
shed, but faith in the realities they tried
in vain to explain may be stronger than
ever.
Childlike credence may have departed.
but the intelligent faith Of manhood is
more than ever with US.
We may not be able to rest our faith in
the goodness OF God on isolated and mirac-
ulous acts done at some past time. but
our faith in the goodness Of the total order
Of the universe was never so deeply i'm
of as Il n
day Faith in some external authority.
such as Bible or church or creed. may be
weak, and yet the faith in the internal au-
thority OF the right and true may remain
more impressive and more imperative than
ever.
Sometimes people become very much
frightened over the modern criticism Of the
Bible They think nothing will be left or
the Bible when IL has finished its work..
But am confident that when this criticism
has done all IL can do II will leave the
parts Of the Bible which are most vitality
related to our highest religious and Chris
tian life as full of charm and value as ever.
No criticism can ever take away the es-
sential value of the Sermon on the Mount.
or the parable of the prodgal son. or the
great chapter OF ST. Paul on charity, or
the sweetext psalms, or the noblest utter
ances Of prophecy. These will ever re-
main to us, TO bless, TO comfort and to
raise us up.
Yes something is always left 10 US. And
nothing shows the real value OF a man or
woman more than his or her determination
to make the most of what is left. The real
difference between people consists in the
ways In which they regard their losses.
and the uses they make OF their remain
ders. IL was once thought that when q
man had lost his sight hearing that
| nothing could be done for him or expected
| OF him. But now We take the other senses
| and develop them so that. I'm a great de-
| gree. they take the place or the lacking
| sense Even when two senses are gone We
| do not despair, but make the remaining
senses compensate for their loss. So We
| take those whose mental faculties are fee
| ble and aid them as far as We can 10 do
| some OF the work and enter into some OF
| the joys OF life. When a nation or COM
munity does this tits carrying out the no.
| blest aspect OF Christianity-as the religion
| which reverences what is lowest and weak
| est And a nation has failed 10 do its truest
| work when IL neglects the weakest boy or
| girl on the streets or the most vicious and
| abandoned men and women in our prisons
/ II is the glory OF the state that II fosters
these remainders OF human virtue. and Il
is its shame when 1t negects them and al