Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-03-31
SERMONS OF THE DAY.
RELIGIOUS TOPICS DISCUSSED BY
PROMINENT AMERICAN MINIS TEa5. J

Rev. George II. Hepworth breaches In tne
New York Herald's Columns on An
Ennoblinc Faith,'-Rev. DIR. Talmase
Tells About "The Bare Arm OF God"
With the return of Rev. George Il. Hep
worth to New York from his Armenian mis-
sion the Herald closed its series OF competi-
tive sermons fifteen altogether having ap-
peared in its columns on consecutive sun
days. Dr. Hepworth resumes ms regular
the Herald's columns. The first one is en-
titled can Ennobling Faith" and appears
below in full.
TEXT: "Now faith is the substance of
things hoped for, the evidence Of things not
seen."-Hebrews, XII, l.
On a bitterly cold day was recently rid
ing with a comrade through one OF the
most exquisite bits OF scenery on the race
of the earth. We were toiling up the last
spur of mountain SO high that the clouds
would have rested on its summit had there
been any in the sky. But the heavens were
cloudless, the sun shone in dazzling splen-
dor on the snow covered ridges which sur
rounded us on all sides, and we seemed to
have left our little globe behind US and to
be on our way to another world.
Naturally we talked of that Great Be-
yond, which was apparently not far distant.
Conversation under such circumstances
must needs be serious. One cannot be tri-
vial when he is looking on the grandest OF
Gods great works. 1t was u time when
souls were in close relationsj to each other;
when inmost thoughts came to the lips and
uttered themselves almost unconsciously,
as in Soliloquy.
My comrade spoke freely Of loss he had
suffered. A little child had been called
from the family circle, .had sped away in
the night and gone where no human eyes
could follow her. With a broken heart, but
still in somewhat stoical language, he re-
ferred to that vacant chair. "Gone! gomez
was his despairing exclamation. listened
to the story. and at its close quietly re-
marked: Eyes, gone, but not gone far! In
the brighter land you will see her again" !"
Then we lupsed into silence. silence only
broken by the sound of the horses iron
shoes on the crisp and frozen snow
''If could believe that" he said after a
little, "nine-tenths of the burden would be
removed. But to feel that such farewells
are forever, that is very hard" and the
strong man trembled with suppressed emo
tion, while tears made it impossible to con-
tnue the compensation.
thought to myself that after all this
world is of very little Importance unless we
have another world to look forward to.
What makes the present life endurable is u
firm and unshaken belief in another life.
If love can die, then love is only prolonged
agony; but the conviction that love can
never die strengthens, broadens and en-
mobiles the soul.
1t would be an act OF unspeakable cruelty
on the part of God to teach us how to love,
to place US amid circumstances in which
love develops all that is chivarous and
grand, and then tell us in tue supreme mo-
ment of parting to say goodby for time and
eternity. The Lords Prayer would become
an impossibility, nay, more than that, u
grim sort of farce, and in his innermost
depths man would not only rebel, but
lose his self-respect and his respect for the
laws of the universe. 1t is clear that it
would have been SO much better to make
him incapable of affection than to annihi
late the object of his affection, and bid him
go home from the churchyard q despairing,
hopeless creature.
Faith can do SO much for a man, Is so
necessary to his spiritual and even to his
physical we'll being, that il you take 1t away
he is in a worse plight than the animals of
the fields aud forests, for he appreciates his
loss and they do not. 10 be born a dog and
to die dog is one thing, but to be born n
man and then die like a dog is something
which a just and omnipotent Creator will
not ask of us. 1t is so unlike what we
have learned of His methods that we are
quite right in pronouncing such state
ment libelous.
Your faith in Providence is the best OF all
your possessions. 1t is worth more to you
than your fame, your social position or
your wealth worth more than all else
combined. Give me in my relations with
God that mysterious something which the
child has for its mother-a feeling that He
knows who and what atn, that at my cali
He will comet to me--that every day He
leads me and 4very night protects me--and
there is very little more than can ask or
desire. I ha9e the one best thing in the
world, and therefore am content.
The plant that has sunshine and dew
will blossom before the frost comes, and
with God, the gun of my soul, to shine on
me, l shall n3t only blossom into noble
thoughts, but bear the fruit of good deeds.
j. man becomes miracle worker from the
moment whenE he is conscious OF Gods
presence and lbve. Life may be hard, but
at the same tinte 1t is glorious. Even sick
nevnand deatl& are the only miry spots
VIII Dad to the eternal upland. There
is az osei- b soul, Il vigor, an enthu-
siasf I'D wer of endurance which
nothing else is wide world can give.
Tell me h'%H 10 douht--that Is, how to
cutloose from & trust in Providence-and
you tell me how b be miserable. On the
other hand, CO., drm my belief In God, in
the ministratiam of His angels. in the pos
sibility OF n continuous, and unbroken
communication with heaven, and you make
my life more beautiful than words can ex-
press. As long rs l dread the future, my
present is leaden; II / am sure Of the flu
sure, aHd know that my dear ones will
greet t1P there with undimiuished love, my
tears are like the rain cloud on which the
sun Shines and makes q rainbow.
Take from me what you will, but leave
me my faith, for IL is my only real possess
sion. All else will pass like dream "a
pleasant dream, but still dream. To-day
am rich, tomorrow may be poor. I am
wei, to-day, tomorrow may be Ill. But
faith remains with me, is closer to my
heart than the closest friendship, and gives
me good cheer when l walk in darkness
1t is all have, all can keep throughout
eternity, the one thing of which death can
not rob me, the prophecy OF better homo
on high when this earthly homo is broken
mp. " is God who has given that gift, and
1t must be jealously guarded. In their last
analyAts faith is heaven and doubt is he'll.
GEORGE II. HEPwoRTH.
THE BARE ARM OF COD"