The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-09-25
THE SUNDAY PULPIT.
WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE?

Whittier wilt thou go?-~Gensis, xvi, s.
| suppose that if were to ask the first
hundred people whom l met on the street
this question, What object have you
chiefly in view in your life?" a large pro-
portion of them would hesitate before
answering. This hesitation would not
come from the fact that because l was
stranger / had no right to put the
intrusive question, but from the more
significant fact that they did not them
selves know what they were living for
or what they most of all desired TO at
tain.
If we were merely birds of the air. or
only lions or tigers in the worlds great
forests. we should not need to have any
other aim than to find Il secure resting
Mace for the night and to live in the sun
shine all day The bird has small use
for reasoning power, because Mis- unerring
instinct makes it so pleasant to sail
northward in summer and southwark III
winter that he never fails to make the
Journey God seems to have given him
everything he needs, and there is really
nothing to ask for. SO the lion has his
Jungle roam in. hunting preserve Of
which he is lord and master, and cavern
as a hiding place when he is sleepy. He
is entirely satisfied, is undisturbed by
dreams of ambition and neither knows
nor cares how the rest of creation is
getting on. His limitations make perfect
contentment possible.
But a man is a lion plus a good deal
more. And it is that plus quantity in
which consists his greatness. You and
/ have the nature of the animal, but we
have something besides When we see
man, and we sometimes do see such,
who is a tiger in his business transac-
tons, who takes everything within reach
no mater TO who it belongs. who is sat
isfied if he is himself comfortable, but
cares nothing for the comfort or the
rights of others, we condemn him with
the same quick impulse with which we
throw a stone Il a snake. This condem-
>nation of what the man is is our uncon-
scious tribute to what he might be and
what he ought to be. The ideal life is
in our thoughts all the time and that is
what puts a bridgeless .chasm between Us
and the bruteS. There is park in us
which has been taken from the altar of
God 1t is possible for us to be merely
animals, and also gloriously possible TO
be archangels, yet archangels who work
for wages, who weep over graves, who
struggletwith misfortune The lion looks
along Il line parallel with the earth, but
we look along a line that has a star at
the other end of it.
The question, "What is your purpose in
lifeg' is therefore a pertinent one. l
you We're to meet the captain of n nobl
vessel in mid-ocean and should hail him
with your WHITTIER bound?' and he
should answer. Il am not bound for any
port but am simply drifting" you would
think him little less than a maniac. The
real captain has chart, compass and des-
tination 1t is his business to take the
sun every day. t. know what progress he
is making, and what is the condition Of
his vessel.
All this is true of you and me also. 1t
is serious, a solemn and joyful privi-
eye to live. Life may be a great mys-
terry but it is a great happiness That at
your birth you started on an eternal
career is a fact that may stagger the
intelligent while it kindles the profound
est gratitude of the heart 1t is not for
nothing, that you were made, but for
glorious something. You are thrown
upon world in which laughter mingles
with tears and crime and virtue jostle
each other at every turn, world in
which it seems hard to be good and easy
to be bad. n world so capricious tina it
fosters Il rich vice and neglects the he
roism of the poor. But you are armed
for the combat with qualities Of charac-
ter of such sturdy material that your.
soul will grow with every struggle as
muscles grow by exercise. A very god
You are, with hardshlps and temptations
ahead Of you. And in addition to your
own strength you have the invisible m
gels for helpers in time of need, who
never yet failed to heed your cry. They
were with the Christ, they will be with
you.
You are not only to live bravely or TO
live cheerfully, but to live grandly and
nobly. Your purpose shall be to make
your own days rs comfortable as may
b and be a comfort to others also. The
wel-fed lion lies in the sun no matter
if his brother lion starves. He does
this because he is merely n lion. The
man, however rises from his soft couch
and carries part of his surplus to those
who are unhappy, and he does it because
he is a son Of God and n brother to all
mankind.
Live with purpose, and that purpose
righteousness. BE strong in the strength
of the Lord Honor yourself by being
honorable in all your dealings Hate no
man, but hate MI meanness and cruelty
and vice. Be broad and generous and
charitable, but not too charitable to your
self. Keep heaven in sight and then
heavenly influences will surround YOU
Judge no man harshly. for YOU must
yourself be judged some day. Hold your
temper in firm grip, for if it escapes
it will do YOU an injury and cause re-
grets. Believe that above all is the dear
providence Of the Father. who will see
to it that we have rest when the davis
hard work is well over.
GEORGE II. HEPWORTH.
SIGNIFICANCE OF NEGRO or