Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1898-03-11
THE GREATER LIFE.
SAN NOT BORN 4 MAN TO DIE
A DOC.


Rev. George n. Hepuorib PreSchrs In the
SeW NoFS Herald. Columns ga An
EnuobIinS EaIth"-i;rN. Dr. Taima-. 90
Tells About ''rhr Earr Arm OF God.
With the return of Eey. George u. Een-
worth Ia New York from bis Armenian fui--
Son the Herald CLOSED its series Of com prti-
tive sermons. fifteen altogether having ap-
reared In its column. un consecutive Suu-
iavs. Dir. Hepworth resumes his regular
sunday sermon us the leading editorial ln
the Herald's columns. The first one Is cl-
titled An Ennoblinc Faith, and appears
below in full.
TENr: Now faith is the substance Of
tlinSs noncd for. the evidenced things not
seen. Hebrews. 81. I.
On bitterly cold GAY was recently r. J.
ing with comralr through one o: tn
most exquisite bits 90. scenery on the face
of the earth. We we're toiling ~ the las
spur ot a mountain 80 high that the clou l.
would have rested ga It's summit had there
been any in the skv. But thu heavens were
cioudlass, the sun sione Ia dazzlin" SPLEEN
dor on the snow covered ridges wiir1 sur
rounded us on all -I,l -, al We srrm- to
have left our littlr .,ohr behind Us aud to
be on our way to another worl !.
Naturally we talked of that Great T.
yOnd. which was apparently not Tar distant.
Conversation under such circumstances
must needs br serious. one cannot he tri-
vial when he is looking on the g-lndest Of
Gods great works. Ii was % time when
souls We're in close relations to carn other:
when irmost thoughts came to the lips and
uttered themselves almost unruHScioISly
as in snliloquy.
Nv comrade spoke freely of a loss me hal
suffered little child hal been called
from the family circle, had sped away in
the night aud gone where no human eyes
could follow her. With "A broken heart. but
still ia somewhat stoical language. he re-
ferrrl to that vacant chair. Gone! CoHe,'
was his despairing exclamation. listened
to the story. and at its crosse quietly re-
marked: Yes, gone, hut not gone far In
the brighter land you will see her again.
Then We lIpSel into silence. Il silence only
broken by the sound of the horses iroa
shoes on the crisp and frOzra SNOW.
If / could believe that. he said after a
little, nine tenths of the burden would lee
removed. But to feel that such fIrewelIs
are forever that is very hard and tn"
strong man tramblcl with suppressed emo
ton. while tears made it impossible to con-
/ tinue the compensation.
/ 7 thought to myself that after all this
world is of very little Importance unless we
/ have another world to look forward to.
I What make. the present life cndurable is {.
/ Grm and uuehaErn belief ia another life.
/ If love can die, then love is only prolonged
agony: hut the conviction that love eau
! never die strengthens, broaieas and en-
mobiles the soul.
/ 1t would he au act of uuspeakahle cruelty
/ on tn" part of God to teach Us how to love,
/ to place us amid circumstances in which
/ love develops all that is rhiva,rous and
grand, and then tell Il, in the supreme mo-
! mcnt of parting to say @oJiby for time and
eternity. The Lords Prlyrrwou.d become
/ an impossibjlity, nay, moro than that, Il
| grim SORT of farce, and in his innermO@t
! depths a man would not only rebel, hat
lose his self-rcspect and his rtsnert for the
! laws Of the universe. 1t i clear that ii
! would have been 50 much hotter to make
him incapable of affection than to anniai-
late the object OF his affection, and bid him
go hoae from the churchyard a despairng,
hopeless creature.
Faith can do so much for a maa, ia 50
necessary to his spiritual and even to his
physical well being, that il you take it"wGy
he is in a worse plight than tn" animals OF
the fields and forests, for he appreciates his
loss ana they do not. To be born dog and
to die Il dog is one thing. but to be born 4
man anl then die like Il dog is something
which u lust and omnipotent Creator will
not ask of Us. 1t is so unlike what VT
have learned Of His methods that we arr
! quite tlyNt III prOnOunClng Sutn state
ment libellous.
Your faith in Providence is the hes. OF all
your possessions. It is worth more to You
than your fame, your social position OF
your wealth-wOrlh more than all else
combined. Give me in my relations Will
God that mysterious something which tive
child has for its mOthrr-a feeling that II
knows vino and what an, that at my ca
He will come to me--that every day H.
leads me and every night protects me an,
there is very little more than car ASK oil
desire. ! have the one best thtrg in til,
world and therefore am content
The plant that has sunshine and dew
VIII blossom before the frost comes, an,
with God. the sun oImy soul, to shine OF
me, shall not only blossom into noble
thoughts, but bear the fruit OF good deeds
J. man becomes II miracle worker from the
moment when he is conscious of God
presence and love, Life may be hard, hu
at the same time it is glorious, Even sick
ness and death are the only miry SPOT
which lead to the eternal upland. Their,
is rcpOse in the soul. a vigor, IN enthu