The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-02
THE uNTnoDDEN PATH.
DIR. Fairs New Years sermon at the
independent Church.

independent Presbyterian church yestcr-
day morning was appropriate to the new
year. His subject was THE Untrodden
Path and How to Tread It" His text
was Joshua 3: A; eye have not passed
this way heretofore"
In the closing of the long pilgrimage the
Hebrews DR.. Fair said, stood upon the
banks of the Jordan The land flowing
with milk and honey was just before them.
But perpleXities and dangers stnl COM
passed them about; between them aud
their promised Inheritance rolled a deep,
wide and impetuous stream. 1t was the
time of harvest, and the river swollen by
the annual inundation. had overlooked its
banks and Obliterated the fords. Far as
the eye could roam. the country was sub
merged with a turbid and impossible
waste of water How could they posi-
bly, cross? Would they not perish in the
swelling of Jordan2 Truly it was an I'M
trodden path: it lay over seethlng foam
ing waves; since the founding of the world
no human foot had ever passed that track
less way But God commanded the priests
to take UP the ark Of the covenant and
move forward; The people We're command
ed to follow. and at the approach of that
golden symbol the waters parted the Is
raelites passed over dry-shod. all diff
culties vanished out of the way
This beautiful incident he said has a
precious meaning for Gods children IN all
ages. Every life is an untrodden path
The experience Of each is different from
any that ever went before or that will
ever follow after. Each year. nays each
day opens before us a trackless way thar
no other human foot ever pressed From
popularity of temperament ana environ
ment each life is unique. I'VE are the
| first that ever burst into that lonely sea-"
| The text Is true of every soul and the I'M
| foldings of every life. "Ye have not pass
ed this way before" What are we to do?
Keep before us the ark Of the covenant
1t is the emblem of the divine presence;
the pledge and the proof that the living
God will be our guide in the untrodden
| path. our help in the trackless wav
Dr. Fair proceeded 20 apply the text to
| the coming year He said that as we
| follow the new path opening before us. OBJ
| stacles and difficulties might arise and
seem to thrust an impossible barrier be-
| tween us and the object of our pursuit.
1 but faith in God will fling
| bridge over the gulf. Financial troubles
| may cause us anxiety and unrest Tho
! river may seem to overflow its banks and
! sweep away the earnings of years and
| roll over the ruins Of our homes. Addiction
| may cast it's shadow across our TIRES hold:
| we may hear in the darkness and solitude
| the roll of the great river of sorrow; but
fet us take the ark Of the covenant hold
1t aloft fasten our gaze upon it and move
| bravely forward. The presence Of the An
gel of the covenant viii cleave a shining
way through all difficulties and convert
| every trial into a blessing.
| special lesson was drawn from the
text FOR young men. AS the young set out
! on the path of life, two courses open be
| fore them; one seems easy. the other hard;
| one seems to promise quick success, the
other Slow and uncertain. The tempter
whispers in the ear of the young man;
Fling over the difficulty a bridge of policy.
| eXpedlency, dishonesty, let religion go
| over the other path OF integrity and toll
and frugality the ark will move. Take the
Bible as your guide. Any man is poor in
| deed who gains temporal wealth bv the
| sacrifice of honor and conscience and God.
Better enter the promised land halt and
| manned ana poor than crowned with III
| gotten gains be cast into outer darkness
The last application of the text was to
death. This is truly an untrodden path. OF
| the millions who have passed over il. not
| one has returned 10 tell us of its n1ygter-
| iOus windings. We tread it alone; that
| which chills and alarms us most is the
| loneliness of the way. But herein is COM
fort for us: The ark of the covenant win
| sun go before us. When the Journey Is
finished and we stand on the border Of the
| promised land, when the swellings Of Jor-
| dan rise around us for the last time let
| us look TO the golden ark that flashes in
| the light of lifes sunset. AS our feet touch
the brink of the river, the waters will.
part and we shall pass over dry shod.
WINE the silver trumpets of jubilee peal
| amid the mountains of Zion.
Under the inspiration of this text. said
DR.. Fair let US go forward, and whether
the New Year bring trouble or blessing
we shall be comforted with the presence
OF our God and reap at last the fun fru-
ton of our golden hopes. When Columbus
set forth on his great voyage of discovery,
| he was literally following an m
| trodden path, amid the perplexities that
beset his hard way when his crew mHtinied
| and threatened to return, when all others
| We're appalled, by the mystery. the vast
ness, and the solitude of that strange sea
into which they had been waited. Mis-
| loritude never failed. He kept his eve
on the compass, by his side and on the
! sulding stars above He knew the sun
| that lighted this strange sea was the same
| that shone on his childhood. that bright
ened his distant home and gided the mon
| astery. His faith was richly rewarded
! In the darkest night of all, a light twink
! led from the rocks; in the dawn of the
| glorious day, the great secret was wrested
| from the bosom of night he saw a new
world clothed in the foliage amending sum
mer and swept by soft troDic breezes You
may think you are drifting into an nm
| known sea, but remember the same sun
SHINES there that shines in heaven. Sail
! boldly on; quell the mutinous spirits that
rise within that babble of danger ahead
ana prompt you 20 put back. Omens vii,
begin to fioat by, revealing the approach
OF land Keep your eye on the chart ana
the guiding stars above
In the darkest night lights will twinkle
from the other shore; in the dawn Of the
eternal day. beyond the horizon of this
world, the heavenly mountains will M
their shining heads. near at hand like CO.
| iumbus, you will enter the new world I'M
| Ger the symbol of the cross, and as your
Ieet toucn the silvery strand. you can
claim the land in the name of vour Kin.