Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-01-06
SERMONS OF THE DAY.
RELIGIOUS TOPICS DISCUSSED BY
PROMINENT AMERICAN MINISTER'S.


.syelf- -Herois,n" is the Title OF the Fifth OF
the New York Herald's Competitive
Sermons-By New Jersey Minister
Talmare on "God Among the Fishes
"Be strong, and quit yourselves like men,
II. Samuel, iv., 3.
Reputation is what person seems to be-
character is what he is. mans real sell
Is within, not without; and any permanent
progress must proceed from the centre
toward the circumference Of his life. what
is on him or around him cannot determine
his value. The .aristocracy OF character
includes the members of the rea. noplilty
of earth. Such are they who ngnt tne
bravest battles and win the most valiant
victories.
Real glory
Springs from the Silent conquest Of our
And without that the conqueror is naught
But the first slave.
My serp on is dedicated to these victors,
and my subject is their namesake, SELF
HeroisIn''-the heroiSm OF self-examina-
tion, the heroism of self-preparation, the
heroism of self-concentration, the heroism
OF self-perpetuution.
1.-The Heroism of Self-Examination.
Nothing is insignificant. There is a
divine meaning in the existence of every
thing. No life can infringe upon another's
right of way in living; for the Legitimate
property of no two lives lies along exactly
the same track. Each life is monopoly
in itself; for to each has been given the
sole permission to exercise certain exclu-
sive powers. The author Of my being has
made mistake or my life is Of tremendous
significance. Introspection partakes of
the heroic. Ignorance of self-knowledge
is the reef upon which many of the con-
%h.,x orI1 hou hnn, cd
They knew others, but did not know them
selves. They guided others, but failed to
guide themselves. They mastered others,
but could not master themselves. The
fields upon which they were victors lay
beyond themselves; the fields upon which
they were victims lay within themselves.
If differentiation were an applied science,
venture the opinion that some who are
now in the pulpit would be behind the
plough; some who are at the bar would be
in the blacksmith shop; some who are in
Congress would be in the cornfleld; some
who sit in faculties would lie in fossil beds,
0nd others would awake to their native
light and riches and put honor upon lives
divinely gifted. Whoever you are, wher-
ever you are, be brave enough, be honest
enough to get intimately and accurately
acquainted with yourself, and with Jean
made as much out of myself as could be
made of the stuff, and no one can require
more.'
1.-THE Heroism Of Self Preparation.
Gibbon tells US that every one has two
educations-one which he receives from
. others and one which he gives to himself.
The popular idea of education seems to be
the art of allowing Others to do as much
for us as we have the capacity of receiv
ing. "He Is not capable of receiving an
education is a suggestive expression.
True educationis self f-preparation. 1t must
find something, within you, or it brings
possibilities into practical powers. The
richer a nature the harder and slower its
self-preparation and development, To-
day the noblest figure in Europe stands
erect under the SHOWS OF more than four
score winters, and because of his rigid,
righteous self-preparation through all
these years the "Grand Old Man. is the
freshest in thought and maturest in wis.,
dom of all who meet in the councils of men.
Patient preparation is permanent power.
In an age that lacks composure men are
apt to mature too quickly and decay too
soon. Reserve power should be greater
than spent power. By self preparation de-
posit each day for future drafts, and then
you are not apt to overcheck your ac-
count.
III.-The Heroism of Self Concentration.
A life often fails to make q lasting i'm
preston because of its diffusion. What we
application. To attempt any thing and to
accomplish nothing is fatal folly. While
We are striving to know something about
everything we must zealously try to know
everything about something. The higher
and more unself1sh the end toward which
we direct our lives the greater is the de-
mand for intense and ceaseless concen-
tration of our roblest powers. Focus your
best powers upon the details of your life
work. These may seem to be trifles; but
remember the wise words of the pains
taking artist: 'Trifles make perfection,
tabled bird in the Oriental legend which
slept on the wing, learn to rest in your
labor, but never rest from your labor.
Contemplate! Concentrated! Consecrate!
IV.-The Heroism of Self-Perpetuation.
Great and good men are not half living
when they are alivel Their best and truest
life on earth comes after they walk no
longer On earth. In their day Moses and
Paul were not near so influential as they
are to-day. Truth, like seed does not
bear its fruit in a day, and the richer the
truth and more precious the seed the long
er the full fruition is delayed. Great prin-
ciples and great lives, like great bodies,
move slowly. mans self becomes part
of the truth to which his life is welded and
as this truth passes beyond the limit of his
visible existence and takes its endless
course through the ages the best part of
the man is perpetuated. Each life is q
contribution to history; but few lives have
their historians. Heroic lives are often
times written anonymously upon the tab
lets of time, and coming ages never recall
by name their greatest Denefactors. Some
men are dead while they are living; others
are living while they are dead. Think
much of your post-mortem life among men.
Maintain an uncompromising enmity to-.
ward the false, an invincible friendship to.
ward the true. Cultivate practical faith
in the living God. Accept Christ as your
ideal and Redeemer. This is the hidden
spring of self-heroism. 1t crowns mans
life with the truest success; and when the
veil is lifted he shall stand erect in the
light of a glorified manhood.
H. ALLEN TuPPER, JR., D. D.,
Pastor First Baptist Church, Montclair,
Nj.