The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-04-20

range for us many mansions, since He
realizes over how many different paths
will the tired feet tread. But all trust
ing to reach the abode Of rest and peace.
Broad? Perhaps so. l ask no man, no
woman, to believe with me. l only beg
Of each man and Of each woman, to
have u faith, to be charitable, and to
live a hopeful life. Then that which is
good will come to you, for God, who is
merciful, is just.
Sometimes, and to-day, especially,
when l look Mt my lilies, and know that
in my own home they call them the flow
ers OF the AnnunciatiOn, l wonder how
women can even pretend not to believe in
a hereafter. They have been brought
so close to the gate Of death, when to
them is accorded the great blessing of
bringing sons and daughters into this
wolrd. How can you look upon your
living, or how can you remember your
dead baby and believe that it is soulless?
And always, all through the history Of
Christ, it was women to whom he was
most gentle, and women to whom He
showed greatest honor. 1t was the pa
tent, believing woman who stood near
Him when he suffered agonies worse than
deat til. yet never lost faith in Him. 1t
was Il woman who was earliest at the
grave of Him who had promised that
he would rise again. And always did he
preach that gentleness should be shown
to women and little children. 1t may
be that you think of Christ as n good
and great man, whose teachings are well
worth following. 1t may be that you see
in Him the Lord indeed. But, however
you look upon Him, whatever your
thoughts may be regarding Him, you
must confess that his teachings are those
that make women better daughters, bet
ter wives, and better mothers. None of
us can ask that our brother agree with us
exactly. This was not asked by Christ
Himself, because His apostles, speaking
through Him, said: "Let no man there
fore Judge you in meat, or in drink, or in
respect to an holy day, or of the new
moon, or of the Sabbath days; which are
a shadow Of things to come" God does
not ask that you, or 1, or somebody else
shall absolutely agree as to our mode of
worship. 1t is only asked that we love
God with all our hearts and with all our
souls and with all our bodies, and our
neighbor as ourselves. It's simple
creed, but how many of us live up to it?
FASTER AND THE SOULS
LONGING.
How many of us, on Easter Day, can
claim to have done our duty? But that's
where the beautiful part of Easter Day
comes inf We fell yesterday we can lift
ourselves up to-day, and praying, hope
to do better things. The words ara we'd
ded to each other Easter and hope
There can never be a single soul entire
ly unhappy while it can lay claim to
little hope. And united with faith and
charity, hope grows 30 to make life so
beautiful And it becomes so certain I'M
til, believing and hoping, you see pictured
on the whole leaves Of the lilies, that city
vhich has about it the glory Of God.
Where God shall wipe away all tears,
for all eyes shall be bright with joy. And
there is no temple therein, for creeds are
unknown. and each soul sends forth, like
a sweet incense its glorifcatiOn OF God.
And to us, who have known the darkness
Of sorrow, there shall come exceeding
for there shall be no night there.
/ cannot preach sermon. Il can only
tell you, on this Easter Day, Of how the
lilies that came from the Southland
made me feel, and I can only say to you,
as an Easter salutation, those words that
seem imprinted on my heart, because
they were taught to me by one who sleeps
quietly under the Southern magnolias:
Hope on, hope ever! Though to-day be
dark,
The sweet sweet sunburst will smile on
you tomorrow,
Though thou art lonely, there's an eye
that will mark
Thy loneliness and brighten all thy
sorrow.
Though thou must toll among cold and
sordid men.
With none to echo back thy thoughts. or
love thee;
Hope on, dear heart. for all Is not In
vain,
Since heaven is over all, and God above |
thee. |
God give everybody happy Eastertide!
Bah.