The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-08-09
THE SUNDAY PULPIT
\ DAY AT y TINE
New York lIerald.)

life is made up Of innumerable prs
emf moments" and il YOU attend L" the
dntv or bear the burden Of each one ~
II comes without borrowing trouble from
either the past or the future You are N
In, hest possible spiritual condition.
We needleSSly add 10 II load me
memory Of outlived sorrows or the anti
c~ipation of SorroWS 10 come anu hiah0
life harder to bear. :.
When Jesus declared that sufficient
INTO the day i the evil thereof. He pro
claimed a philosophy Of Well being which
after fifty generations of continuous pro-
rreSs we still fail To comprehend.
We have discovered almost everything
else. hut do not even Vet know how e.
live 1T Our best or 10 make The most Of
our circumstances We can make prepa-
rations 10 90 10 heaven. hut do not
know how to bring heaven down t. our
earthly homes. And yet that IS the chief
object which true religion has IN view.
When Won see at 4 distance the evils
which threaten and which will come upon
You next week or next month. Nour
IMAGINATION gives them the proportions
Of giants. II YOU could lay aside all
| thought Of them and simply live III each
DAY. doing each days duty and bearing
each DAYS burden rs chcerfuily rs pos
SlllG. Won WOULD IIltl w lei tItSt -
ed evils come either that YOU are strong
er than Won thought to bear them or
that they are smaller than You expected
them 10 be.
1t sometimes happens when YOU are
travelling along 4 country road that
there is what seems to he 4 very steep,
almost an impossible hill half 4 mile
ahead. But when yoI are close to 1t
YOU discover that the road has only 4
Slight inclination after all. and that by
some law Of optical illusion the road
looked as though it was almost pcrpcn-
dicular.
SO. brooding over an evil or dreading
it for any length Of time always cnlargcS
it The same thing happens that made
| the country road seem sleeper than II
was. and YOU regard endurance as impoS-
SihIe. Eut when Won are III the midst
| of the experience it is not rs severe as
| you thought it would be or else your
shoulders nave been mystcriouSly broad
| cned and YOU are able to bear it without
| serious difficulty.
1t is Il very severe injunction to give
| no thought TO the morrow, but to let
the morrow take care of itself while YOU
live happily in the present day. con
fcss to being greatly puzzled by it.
| nave NOT Ntl Ititllth TIE SIlIltuil dlll
tude at which obedience to that %iniunc-
ton seems even Il possibility. \eVcrthe-
less. | am sure that under it is an I'M
comprehended principle. the value Of
which the world will some time discover.
If we were really to believe that this is
| Gods world and that we are Gods
| children. if we could convince ourselves
| that there is Il Providence in the affairs
Of life and that the statement that as
our day is so shall our strength be is
not Il poetic fiction. but a practical fact.
we could then enjoy 4 degree of reposc
to which we are now strangers.
And yet that is the only condition Of
| mind which can truly be called religious.
If YOU feel that everything is going
wrong: that it is impossible for YOU to
get things right and useless to ask the
Lord 10 do it. and that therefore YOU
are in Il Very sorry plight. there can
&c nothing in YOU heart that resembles
religious feeling no praise. or worship.
~ gratitude, or faith. or resignation.
On the contrary. YOU are in open rebel
ion. and YOU and religion are not within
sound Of each others voices.
Now, | do not ignore the hardshipS
Of life. | know too much about them
TO do that. They are real. they are
serious. they are trying and perplcxing.
Still. | insist that it is neither prudent
nor Wise. and | am sure it is not con
ducive to health. to summon the regrets
Of the past like so many ghosts to haunt
ana frlgItcn You. or to ponder the posi-
bllltles of the future until our present
is Swallowed and weakened. If what YOU
have to do now is dok cheerfully YOU
will find yourself in good condition for
tomorrow. whatever it may bring. That
IS practical and possible.
| am not praiein@ Il careless life. but
nm warning against needless anxiety. |
believe Il man should plan for his future.
but he ought TO live in his present. In
going down stairs Won ought to give To
each successive step its due amount Of
attention., for otherwise You may sliI
and fall. In living Your life You must
not ignore or despisc ANY enc day. but
must give to each its proper care.
This one hour is yours. therefore fill il
TO the brim with fidelity. When tho
next hour comes do the same thing. 1t
$ a very simple rule. but it contains the
very spirit and essence of religion.
Cultivate the happier side Of Your na-
ture:: suppress the tendency to fret and
complain.
Never for 4 moment imagine that be
-ause Won are gloomy YOU are therefor,
pleasing to loo.
lie made the birds to sing. and YOU
IRE to Join in the chorus.
Get rs much enjoyment out of life rs
YOU can. and see that YOU contribute to
the enjoyment of others.
Make the world brighter because Won
ire IN it and because YOU have \ warm
lcart and 4 generous hand.
Make the most Of each passing mo
mont. and when future moments com.
bringing their sterner duties You will
Dc ready for them.
50 long as Gol lives YOU will have no
need to worry oyermuch.
GEORGE II. IiEPWORTU
CHURCHES IN SUMMER
LAGM Nh III