The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-06-18

"AOAoAchSo w luut tiuiu VI prOVlututid
events-the selling of Joseph by hi
brethren, his slavery and Imprisonment
IN Egypt. his Interpretation of tn,
kings dreams, his triumph over temp
tation, his exaltation to the place mex
to the king in power and authority
The coming of the famine, the oppor
tunity presented to Joseph of relieving
the wants of these very brethren tina
had sold him hither when they came
down to buy corn, and of showing 6
forgiving love. 1t is, in short, the his
tory of life read in the light of Gods
plan for it. 1t is looking back over
life from the other side of it. You are
now on the forward side of life. You
see all before you yet to be achieved
The look of the text is back upon a
noble life from the other side of it.
And we are permitted to see how God S
plans had been fulfilled in that life.
We see Joseph's life fitted into the his
tory of Gods chosen people. His life
touches and vitality affects Gods great
plan for the redemption of the world.
1t all seemed dark enough no doubt to
Joseph in the time of its living. There
was not much encouragement to him
that he was moving along any great
lines of Gods proyidential action
when, seated on the camers back, he
went toward Egypt The slavery and
the Imprisonment of Egypt did not
promise much for great future. But
never mind, Joseph has struck the line
of life which in the end will show him
to have been sent along his way by the
plan and will of God. God sent him
before Israel.
Now before we go on to anything
else let us tarry right here to insist up
on it that life today furnishes like OPP
portunity for greatness. Sometimes
fear that we are in danger today of rob-
bing young life of its inspiration. The
rivalries of life have become intense.
The machinery of the world has multi
piled until every man has some little |
cog wheel to drive round in it, The |
young man graduating from school to-
lay is early advised that if he would |
succeed now he must learn to do some !
one little thing well. Concentrate your
energies, he is told. If it is business
hat you have chosen, then get into the
great business machine and show that
you can fill some little post of response
oility better than others. If you are to
De scholar; spend all your life on
single Greek root or particle Do not
expect to walk in any of the highways
II Gods great world plans; for he either
has none of those great plans to be real
zed any more in the world. or if he
las them, they are to be promoted only
" the Especial favorites of fortune or
hose endowed with the powers of
,enius.
When ! was boy in the common
chools in the country almost every
IAN who came along told us boys to be
aithful to our books and maybe some
ay one OF us would become president
I the United States And | can re-
ember to have looked about among
~ companions and wondered which
allow might be chosen, and sometimes
could not prevent the thought, it may
Q that shall be elected, who knows?
ut alas! we have very little of that kind
speech making to day. We have
armed some statistics, that there are so
lany millions of boys in our coun-
y, that only four or five of them in q
ngle generation Can ever hope to be
resident OF the United States. We
ave permitted our mathematics and
ur knowledge of the laws OF probabili-
es to kill our inspiration. And our
oys are 81 own a future with dull laden
zies hanging over it. Now let us here
)night stand for some more generous
aspiration of the life of today. God is
4 his world now as ever. His plans
nd purposes are as great and glorious
s ever. And they no less call for the
of men in their fulfillment.
md the fact that the discoveries of
cience, the invention of machinery,
he gathering together of the ends of
he earth into one little neighborhood,
nd the massing of people of every
slime and tongue, have been brought
lbout in our day, only makes the word
opportunity" stand out more clearly
IS the watchword of life.
But having said this much about life
n general let us see about this man
whom God sent before Israel. He was |
a rare man without doubt. He was,
every inch of him, man. And so God
could use him. Now tonight the special
feature of your qualification for life is
that of an education. The reason we
are here is found in the fact that you
are to graduate from the high school,
yxy.4I.,,t trooipo apu mara Hole hatuaa,,