The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-22

The President. in company with Colonel
Herrick and his nieces. yesterday attended
Metropolitan NJ. f. Church Rev. Frank
NJ Bristol. ID. D.. The pastor. preached an
eloquent sermon on the Mission of Suf-
foring"
In the opening of his discourse Dr. Bris-
tol read with effect the poem by Grant
Allen entitled The Moth. which. he said
set forth the whole problem of suffering
The poem closing with reference to a
divine purpose in suffering. the speaker
said that if God is left out of this problem
there is no rational explanation of 1t.
Without God as the author and the all
wise dispenser of suffering men are placed
in this world amid the operation OF laws
which. TO their minds. have no rational
origin and the penalties for the violation
Of which they caunot escape. The speaker
insisted that in the study of suffering, 1t
was necessary to recognize the will of God
and the revelation OF the Creator. When
so regarded suffering may be according to
the will of God and in perfect accord with
the laws of creation.
The lament so often heard that men can
not believe in a God who allows suffering
and sin in the world is the cry of igno-
rance OF infdelity. it was said.
The view has been taken that sin is the
cause of suffering. But when a stand is
taken on this proposition we Immediately
are called upon TO face troublesome ques-
tions. Sin. no doubt, has increased mems
suffering. and sin entails suffering; but viz
tue. goodness, and patriotism often suffer.
In fact, these qualities are glorifed in suf-
hutr do al
from. BY the suffering of men the world
has advanced in knowledge and righteous
ness. History is the record of martyrs for
the faith they upheld and the rights for
which they fought ard died.
Ii may be a question whether the curse
of Eden was not a blessing to mankind
Labor. development. progress, civilization.
are but the logical result OF mans sin,
and the curse put upon him that by the
sweat of his brow he should eat bread
He wrested subsistence from the unWili-
ing field. He made the mountains give up
their treasure to his toll He fed and
clothed and builded and worked cut
thought into principle and law. always in
suffering. until in these final days he has
won more possibly than he lost in Eden.
God did not change the laws of nature
when he cursed man at the gates OF para
disc. He simply stated a great fact. II
was man who was changed by his shining.
Such, indeed. is the constitution of sin
that all things are changed to man.
All suffering cannot lie regarded as the
result OF sin. Christ was the greatest
sufferer. and yet he did not sin. And
there is no evidence 10 show that there
was not at least the possibility of suffer
ing in Eden. Man in his first estate
wanted food. II given him. but hun
ger existed and that II carried pain
and starvation was possible II man had
gone to the North Pole from Eden he
would have been chilled as now. and In
all likelihood the sting Of the bee and the
poison OF the asp were as potent to pro-
duce pain then as now We know that
man in his disobedience did incur pain
and suffering. and the possibility was there.
The violation OF natures laws in Eden
could not have failed to bring the same
suffering as aferward Geology teaches
that death was in the world long before
the earth was made habitable for man.
There is an intimation in the text that
suffering was a part Of God s plan in Eden
as well as out of il. and there is no reason
TO suppose that the human race would not
have died as the birds and fishes. Man
might have been translated as Enoch and
Elijah we're, but the inference is plain
that physical death was as much a point
Suffering has a mission in education.
The first time one eats honey he learns
one thing about a bee. and when he is
stung by the insect he knows two things
about a bee. From suffering We learn to
avoid danger. Experience alone teaches
the true mission OF pain Suffering teaches
the sacredness OF Law and pain leads more !
and more TO mans perfection.
Suffering is the mother OF science. Hun |
ger. pain. and WEAKNESS from toll have !
inspired the great discoveries explora- |
tions. and machines of the world. In
yentors have worked for the amelioration |
of suffering and one Of its greatest bene- |
fits is the mental power 10 invent. The |
genius that can make a locomotive is /
greater than the machine itself. The CO. !
lumbus who could discover America was 4
greater than the thing discovered. and the |
genius that could produce Paradise Lost
was greater than the poem, sublime and |
beautiful as IT is.
If suffering were visited upon the vicious |
alone no one would care but the good SUI |
fer. and il is this which inspires genius |
TO its greatest effo, to alleviate pain |
and to Danish msfor dne from the world. |
1t also has a moral and spiritual mis-
sion Sympathy is the outgrowth of suf
fering. self-sacrffice is born OF it, and |
sympathy has touched the heart of God.
Pity is the genesis OF philanthropy. The
and death of the good inspire 10
better deeds. Washington and Lincoln
died and immortalized in history are
greater inspiration to the youth of the
than ever their lives were to their
The sufferings OF others teach US pa
thence forbearance. sympathy. and pity
and lead us to understand the motive
which prompted the sufferings of Christ
on Calvary.