Natchitoches populist., 1898-04-01
EMINENT DIVINBS' SERMONS
DISCOURSES BY TWO ABLE WORK.
ERS IN GODS VINEYARD.

-Four Anchors is the I1rre of the Tn,r
teenth Sermon in the New Yorl
Herald's Competitive Series-Dr. Tai
mage breaches Sermon to Sisters
TEXT: "They cast four anchors out of the
stern. Acts xvii, 20.
The symbolism Of the text is striking and
suggestive. Many lives have been shin.
wrecked for the need OF anchors holdino
them to steadfastness. However deep We
may feel the waters to be through which We
are sailing, we are often nearer the shoals
and reefs than Is imagined
Inc first anchor which should be thrown
out Is hxedness Of purpose. The inner.
most secret Of successful lives Is IN the
concentration OF power along certain de.
mite lines. Paul says, This one thing |
do" and the world will ever do him rev.
erenee. DR.. Hudson Taylor saws, This
one thing | do" and China is opened as
never before TO higher ideals and larger
Visions OF life. The Earl of Shaftesbury
says, This one thing do" and he GOES
aoWn to the Holborn yladuct, in London,
ana the bootblacks and hucksters and
street arabs and costermongers are trans.
formed. The great names in art, in science.
IN philosophy and in finance are ALWAYS
luehtlhed with pain and purpose. Life is
power, but power undirected Is lost. ONLY
constant striking on the same spot makes
an impression. Purpose connects and
uhllles our months and years and makes OF
them all but parts Of single whole. Each
day ought to be link tempered and
Welded into the chain OF completed life
Ihree-fourths OF mems failures NAV he
attributed to the lack of purpose. Tho
house can scarcely be constructed without
pian; now much less can human life be
fashioned without q convention ~ wh,t
II VIII be when finished? Plan must precede
construction; the ideal before the realiza-
tioh, the purpose before the accomplish
ment. Only the man who aims will strike
lae marx. Turn your life into a definite
ehahhel; let 1t not cover too much terri
tory, Tor 1t is the deeply flowing stream
Whlch cuts away the distractions and at
las. reaches the sea, while the stream
Wnlcn spreads itself In shallowness goes
silently into the swamp.land and its life
Is ended. The analysis Of every completed
lite reveals a central point about which
ehefSy ana emotion and devotion cluster
themselves. ''A
But purpose to exert its influence must
De accompanied by perseverance, 90 cast
out the second anchor. Here is vast dit.
l1tehce between the aim and the accom-.
pilshment. Perseverance ia the bendinp
oI the DOW to send the shaft at the target
ana the bow is the will. Il will fight #
OUT on this line II 1t takes all summer y
says the great general. That is the spirit
|hlch conquers. No sooner have oIr nlans
Deen drafted or our purpose fixed than cir.
cumstances and difficulties seem to con.
splre 10 defeat and ruin them. Manyaman
nus seen MS star In the east, but onIy here
ana there has one been possessed OF the
courage and devotion to follow II over an
unoeaten path until 1t led him to his treas.
Ife. ul Ii Is blood earnestness which tells
ine man who is ever unconscious Of defaat
Is lie who some day will plant his standard
upon the enemies ramparts and win tha
Jay. He who holds on in the face of tbe
storm, IN spite Of discouragements. calmly
suffering temporary DELAYS. is he who final.
y secures bis crown and his reward. Shall
We complain OF difficulties when a thou. |
'ahu hhSerS are pointing at wonderful
made after OVERCOMING tre-
nendous obstacles? Helen Kellar. without |
'isnt' without hearing, without language
'Lesses on until she passes the entrance |
EXAMINATIONS to Harvard University. John |
oohyan, the drunken tinker Of bedford
lses 10 the authorship OF "Pilgrims Prog.
ess. 1t is halt-heartedness which faiis
'us the doing with thy might" which suc'
eeos. Before determined will and a
'assionate devotion men will stand aside
ma let you pass-they cannot helm r.. d,fa.
ullies will vanish-they cannot withstand
ou; obstruction will be crushad-thatr
uny strength deserts them. ~
Inen, In order to make persevororoa
osslble. anchor the third, faith in ones
eii. 100 often the estimate OF onr nowar
liis far short OF what 1t really is. Emer.
ons word, "Trust thyself," carries with y
true philosophy, for one NAV not achievs
ntil there Is firm belief in ones own
oui. 1t we rate our ideal at 100 and onr
over at fifty the accomplishment will ha
Ut one.half. The great crime men com
lit against themselves is NOT IN ovar;man rJm
-; eut IN underiudging. My self-set
,l;n' ,ni.a.lons determine the extent OF nv
,nnenemen.. ,u,, Vt N, And what right has nan,
oin ~ N tne image OF God, with unknown
Ias lu sunueVeloped powers standing before
uuen future, to measure and to circum-
ripe MS capabilities and to limit his DOS.
oiii'ies WI OF success In the construction OF
10! only God may measure man. for onlv ,
ou knows the height the individual mny
aGh. Men who to-day are almost meas. .
.eiess In their Intellectual sweep are tbev
no nave not dared with compass and rule =.
SET their bounds. This Is not conceit q
1t respect forthe untouched, undreamed
Potehcy OF your own soul. So then
lieve @ NOT only In your ideal, but in the =,
'ssl6llity OF realizing it. '
Anu then the fourth anchor faith IN God '
. may Imagine Paul rs the last anchor 10 Z.
roWn out calling to the sailors. "NTen F.
Us II nold!" and the answer coming back Il
,es; the rope Is taut; we do not see the :,
ige Gown below the waves, but the y
chor holds." ALI! that is the blessed ox. u
rience OF life; this anchor ALWAYS orasns
solo rock, the unseen rock Of God =
itu connects man with Omnipotence y
asn Is the conductor which places at onr
'posai divine grace and power, This is
testlnony OF every child Of faith. "I y
uo all things through Him." This ts :.
: pJwer hos our own which may be an y
oprlated. And there are times when tbo IL
ety OF the whole life depends upen this u
ei9r. The anchor of purpose NAV he y,
iodeed and flung high upon the shore bv VI
rN ana tempest; the anchor of Derse. . .
.ance may be worn away by the frettinp =, ~
9 9, ana the cutting sands, the anchor oi ~ !.
tn may snap In twain In some fearful ~ ~
sls 3 wren the strain is great and the heart 81 81
'lcK, Out aWay down below the CRASHING T.
oWs OF passion and temptation rests n a
anchor OF faith embedded in the beart u
iod. id. 30 let US live with noble purpose az a.
rthy the patient endeayor and unfalter. ~
devotion we bestow upon it, mindful OF - -
own undiscovered resources and ho,d u
fast to the might OF God. 'N