The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-18

sity?" 1t would be only right that the
prodigal should be left with the swine
herd. But no, divine mercy is marvel
Gus. God remembers his children even
though they have forgotten him.
When the oppressors harrassed the
children of Israel until they were in
abject bondage and reduced to prac-
teal servitude, they turned to the rec
ord of past deliveranceS; they remem-
bered the mercies that had been forgot
ten, and asked of one another, To whom
shall we turn for deliverence? In order
to be more popular with the people Of
the land they had taken up idolatry.
They wanted to adopt the most fash
ionable religion, and had done so, but
they found in it no help. What they
desired was a deliverer, one who would
strike off the chain of the Philistine.
They would naturally search for the
man who was nearest to the Almighty.
Samuel was called. Without upbraid-
ing them, without waste of time in 4
review of their iniquities, Samuel has
tened to respond to their appeal and
only presented to them the sure condi-
lions of a restoration and happy rela-
lions between themselves and God.
They must repent of their sins; they
must forsake their idols; they must rely
on the Lord; they must give evidence
of & genuine purpose of serving him
with the whole heart The convocation
at Mizpeh marked a new epoch in their
history.
Every success, every prosperity in
| the world has in it a divine purpose. It
we We're more gifted in reading the
| handwriting upon Gods monumental
| deliverances we would bear more con-
| stantly in mind our obligations and
| privileges. The old leader, through
whose intercession and intrepid courage
! the people had won their deliVerance,
might have arrogated to himself a great
| deal of glory, but he did not. When he
raised his monument, he said; Hither-
| to the Lord hath helped u.s." and this
monument was a testimony of his APP
probation of the heaven-sent prosper
| ity. The remembrance of divine inter
position and Intervention gives courage
| to the heart for great tasks, and leads
| to achievements which would be i'm
possible without a mighty faith and the
| appropriation of divine power. The
chief need of the individual heart is the
| unceasing remembrance of what and
who God is, and of his readiness to as
sist his children in all their noble as
| pirations.
From the beginning Of history we have
a record of the building of monuments
in celebration Of great events. In our
own time the most elaborate memorials
are erected to commemorate great
services and sacrifices to the country
and the world. In our cemeteries we
have magnificent specimens of monu.
mental architecture in our great cities
we have triumphal arches; in the capi-
tai Of our country, Washington monu-
ment was inspired by the eager desire
j to perpetuate and preserve the best il
the traditions and history of the ma.
ton. Ii is pleasing to everyone to fee
| that they will be remembered. A ma.
ton desires that coming generations
shall appreciate the work of their an.
cestors. All this does not represent &
vain ambition; it has a deeper trutf
lying beneath 1t, the wish to be Of ser.
vice for a longer period than our phys
ical life represents. None of us have
lived so indifferently as not to hav,
had many experiences of Importance
and we have all been the recipients o.
unmeasured goodness, and we have ha(
abundant evidence to satisfy anyon,
but the dullest sceptics that God il
near to aid his children in the time!
Of their necessity
There is one thing which especial,
impresses the traveller, and that is tn,
transiency of all material things. AnC
yet as compared with our brief live
how many things are truly pronounced
striking in their antiquity and wonder
full In their endurance. Men seek gu
the most enduring objects upon which
to write their inscriptions, and max,
their records and build their monu
ments May we not write our name
where the inscription will ever be vivit
and bright? Is II not possible to per
petuate in some way the influence,
and the activities and the blessing o
our lives? When the greatest leade
this world has ever seen passed from
this earth, having achieved what n,
other man had ever done, there wal
no memorial erected to him, of marbl,
or Of granite, but he had made 70
himself an imperishable memorial; h
had written himself as with a finger o
light upon the very heart Of humanity
The continuity Of the influence of IL