The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1898-04-08
NUMBER is
ravages Of time capn no, defacs it.

| oSoy, ous lives now IN tne nearte OF the
people, helping them to better lives.
| Who would dare to cay that Washing.
ton is not living in the hearts Of the
Fpeople OF this great republic, making
them wiser ind better people?
That Abraham Lincoln, the friend Of
suffering humanity, will not continue 10
live and exert an influence as Iona as
this government shall exist.
I Time would fail us to sreak Of all
those who have helped to ehape the
character Of the world, and make It
what itis today, religiously and socially.
The men who gave ns our schools. our
science and our religious liberty are the
heroes we love TO hohor. 1t would be
impossible to tell the good that has come
to the world by Luther, a Wesley, a
Gary, or any Of those great men. What
the world would have been today had
they never lived, We are unable 10 saw.
but having lived, they lived to bless
mankind, and we can say "they rest
from their labors, and their works do
follow them: Peaceful be their slumbers
while their lives roll down the ages to
bless mankind, and Lift them nearer to
their God" Among the many things
handed down to us as memento Of the
past, there 10 none We prise 80 fauch or
love so dear, aside from our religion. as
the Sunday school. II is the brightest
etar that has shown upon the armament
OF the ages. 1t shines brighter as the
years roll on. lighting up every nook
and corner OF our sin dsrkened hemi.
sphere. May its radiant beams linQer
long to bless mankind. The greatest
men OF our timc have been Graded in
the lap OF the Sunday school, have
listened to Its lullsbies, and its lessons
are fresh in their memory today, TO
guide Them and help them up the
rugged hill to fame. Life is full Of
blessings Il We will only accept Of them
blessings fraught with the memory Of
the past, aud Of men whose lives we love
70 initiate. Nodded into the blessed
fruitful present. are the lives Of other
ages a Heritage rich with earth's most
precious GENE, and embalmed with the
tears OF, the sainted dead OF all ages,
The past has glories the present cannot
dim, but we are the heirs OF this heri-
tage, and upon us is the duty to pass il
down the ages, undimmed by any act OF
ours, to light up the world, and make Il
wiser and better With each generation.
/ AZ we have received the wisdom and the
blessings of the past. We are debtors to
the unborn future. No man liveth unto
himself. To us 10 committed all the
wisdom OF past ages, that We may have
part In the worlds drama. Shall the
sun OF progress 60 down beyond the
hill tops OF sin, or stand still over the
valley below, while Satan saps the life
from our soul saving institutions? Or
shall he ascend higher and shed his
beams npon all mankind, that all the
world may know what is the height,
breadth and depth Of the goodness OF
loving Father Who doeth all things
we'll.
Our present advantageous position
and our abundant opportunities, only
increase our responsibility to God and
humanity. II We go forward under God
to do his will, success will crown our ef-
forts, and this generation will climb TO
height yet unknown 10 humanity, and
write its history nearer the summit OF
christian perfection, than any preced-
ing it. Then the God OF oil grace, will
smile his loving benediction upon
world more beautiful than since the day
Eden's gate closed against our progeni-
tors.
The present with ell its sorrows and
joys, successes, and failures, will empty
itself into the lap Of on coming time, to
curse, or TO bless humanity. Which it
shall be depends largely upon us, who
under God, have committed to US the
Sunday school, the young peoples So
ciety, and the care Of the church. God
is watching, his eye never slumbers, but
ever with watchiul eye he sees the good
we do, and waits to open the palace OF
eternity to the sons that wins the praise.
In this great world with its blessings
and numberless sorrows, We who would
win tie prise Of ete nal life must not
stand still We must move forward in
works OF charity AMI every thing that
tends TO better the condition Of the
world.
We should make our science and philo-
sophy, together with our religion. sub
serve to the uplifting of humanity, to
humanity's God.
We are living too near the marsh lands
OF sin, TO see our duties and opportuni-
ties as God would have US see thetn. SET
your eye on he summit Of The mount Of
Gods love, and with faith that never
fails, like that OF Abraham Of old move
forward and under the banner Of truth,
until you have assembled far above tbs
binding influences OF sin then you can
comprehend as never before the measure
OF your responsibility to God, and view
with undi.nmed eyes, the glories beyond
lifes surging sea- We have no time to
be idle. Today the maetsr bids us work.
Walt not till tomorrow, be vice today,
and when your eyes are dimmed TO the
things OF earth, and esrth's music falls
heavily on your ears, and life's sun sinss
over the bill Of time. the touch OF ths
finger Of God will awake new life, and
put new lighs into your darkened eyes;