The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-02-25
Sunday Sermon.
orrR personal POSSESSIONS.

world. or life, or death, or thinss present
or things TO come, all are yours. Cor
nthians, ill.,, u, y.
This text puzzled me for many years.
That it was a statement OF tact l had
ma doutt for | regarded st. Paul as Il
scholar aud a philosopher, as we'll as an
inspired teacher And yet l was only
TOO conscious that ] had no personal
sense Of possession. but, on the con-
trary. was oppressed by my poverty of
bcdy. mird and spirit. If all things were
mine in what way could l establish my
claim 70 them and enter into the enjoy
ment of them.
The question was solved III the most
uneyppcted way. On an August evening
/ was sitting under a tree by country
roadside in company with thoughtful
man and his little family. The sky was
cloudIess after sultry day. and the
breeze made an eolian harp of the
branches overhead. We listened to its
music in silence for Il while. and then
nv friend, who was an ordinary work
man but whose soul had d scOyered
many a secret, preached a sermon which
shall repeat to YOU.
Il am one of the richest men in the
world" he said. land my wealth is so
abundant that L cannot possibly make
full use of it. My only debt is debt
Of gratitude to God, and j can neither
pay it here nor hereafter Then, after q
moment. he added, Il am the rlghttu
owner Of the whole universe.
Look at the broad landscape stretch
ing for many mile TO the
horizon; that valley which has
been fashioned after millions OF
years of patient work ard Is now
bearing a rich harvest in its embrace;
thst rivulet which babbles close at hand,
singing it's TIE Deum through the long
DAYS and nights: that wooded mountain
which stands like giant holding up the
sky-these are all mine. | gaze at my
large possessions in rapturous worship;
they are the temple in which l pray:
they are the altar nt which / kneel and
ask pardon for duties left undone. My
Father built this temple for me; for you
also, but your right to it does not inter
fere with mine, nor mine With yours. We
need engage in no litigation to decide
which has the better claim. Some one
think this land is his and his deed is III
the registrars office, but, he is mistaken,
for it is ours as well as his, and the
enjoyment of it is for any one who has
the capacity of appreciation.
And see the stars coming out III their
rich splendor one by one as Tic daylight
fades. They also are mine! hey shine
on me and for me. They tell me strange
stories of infinite space, infinite power,
infinite love. The heavens declare the
glory of God, and the armament showetll
His handiworE. and armament, heavens
and God are all mine.
look at wife, and the children play
ing with pebbles or sleeping on\ the
mothers bosom. He has given them to
me that may have a. home on earth
which will tell me something about the
home above The affection which binds
us into IA family bundle. the responsible
ties of parentage the dreams which come
to me of my boys future are from His
hand, are His gift. Can / be too thank
full of such bounty, and when l have
so much can / ask for more: | come
home from my daily toll, and the kiss
on my cheek the pressure Of the little
arms about my neck are my evening
henediction. ! am more than contented;
l am oppressed with the weight of my
blessings.
But that is not all. There is more
so much more that there is not time to
tell it. Christ is mine, and His religion
is mine. The New Testament was writ
ten for me, and it is possession OF
which no man can rob me. My house
may burn. my crops may fail, my savings
may be stolen, but the good cheer OF
Christ is always secure The love OF
Il, Nj, - l. Id &c
n great reservoir of strength from which
draw in all the emergencies of life. My
whole being is illumined by thoughts
which had to be told me by this Messen
ger from above. for l could never have
discovered them of myself. They are my
sunshine, my moonlight, my starlight.
Eyes. and best of all, heaven is mine
when life has no more work for me tc
do The day that is done is the prophecy
of another day to come, and the life
that is spent assures us Of another life
about to begin. Ny youngest child left
us in the winter We mourned, for il
is hard to part with such gifts of God
But my heaven was his also He wenl
into no strange country; he only went
home. We shall see him again. ] some
times think | can hear his voice ever
now. and the pattering of his little feet
and when the shadows fall for us. who
are getting old, he will be on the thresh
hold to bid us welcome"
My friend was right. He was one OF
the rich men of the earth. His wealth
was not in coin, but in faith wlncf
coin could not buy. My puzzle wa:
solved, and | know what the text means
If God is our God and we can call upot
Him i'll our daily need; If Christ ant
His revelations are adj for us and w,
have "a right to appropriate them to oul
| personal use; if we are in such frame o.
mind that the beauties Of the physical
universe belong to us to enjoy them tt
! the utmost limit of our capacity; i
heaven is ours and we can look forward
not with hope merely. but with certainty
! to a reunion with the beloved, we hav,
riches beyond the compass of thought
and we may well be happy and stron:
and faithful, Bear bravely, for God i,
| above you.
GEORGE H. HEPWORTH.