The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1901-10-31

TO influences far back that have affected
our character and will affect our destiny.
We know the influences. near by-pa-
ternal, maternal, conjugal-but by the
time we have gone back two generations,
or, at most, three. our investigations
falter and fail. Through the modern,
interesting habit Of searching back TO
find the ancestral tree we may find a
long list of names, but they are only
names. The conservation or abandon
ment Of some one 200 years ago was not
recorded. 1t would not be so important
II you and /, by our good or bad be-
havior, blessed or blasted only those inn
mediately around us, but our goodness
or our badness will reach as far as the
strongest ray Of Alcyone-yca, across the
eternity. Under this consideration,
what do you think of those who give
and throw away fifty years Of their exist
ence as though they were shells or pcb-
bles or pods instead of embyro eternities?
| suppose one Of the greatest surprises
OF the next world will be to Gee what
wide, far-reacbing influence for good or
evil we have all exerted. / am speaking
OF ourselves, who are only ordinary peo-
pie. But who can fully appreciate the
tar-reaching good done by men OF wealth
in Great Britain for the working classes
Mr.. Lister, of Bradford; Edward
Akroyd, of Halifax; Thomas Skies, Of
Huddersfeld Joseph Wentworth, and
Josiah Mason, and Sir Titus Salt? This
last great soul, with his vast wealth, pro
vided 1866 houses at cheap rent for 5000
ground and croquet lawn and concert
hall and savings bank, where they
might deposit some of their earnings,
and life insurance for those who looked
further ahead, and lighthouses and parks
and museums and lecture halls with
philosophical apparatus, the generous
example of those men of a previous gen
Grafton being copied in many places in
Canada and the United States, making
life, which would otherwise be a pro-
longed drudgery, an inspiration and a
joy.
If something appears against us, they
say, "Wait till | hear the other side"
If disaster shall befall us, we know from
whom would come the first coincidence.
Family friends, church friends, business
friends, lifelong friends. In our heart
of hearts we cherish them.
When the heirs OF a vast estate in
England wished to establish their claim
to property worth Sl00, 900, 900 they offered
a reward of $500 for the recovery of an
old Bible, the family record of which
contained the evidence requisite. But
any Bible, new or old, can help us to a
vaster inheritance than the one spoken
of, one that never fades away.
The sweet influences of the heavenly
world, which many wise men thought
for long while was Alcyone, the centre
of the constellation of the Pleiades-
world of our future residence, as we hope;
world of chorus and illumination; world
of reunion; world where we shall be
everlastingly complete; world where our
old faculties will be itensifed and quick
ened and new faculties implanted; world
OF high association with Christ, through
whose grace we got there at all, and
apostles and poets, .labakkuk, and St.
John Of ,PIatmos, and Edward Young, his
Might Thoughts" turned into eternal
day; and Horatius Bonar of modern
hymnology, and Hannah More, and Mrs
Hemans, and Mrs. Sigourney, who struck
their harps till nations listened; and
David, the victor over Goliath with what
seemed insufficient weapons; and Joshua
of the prolonged day in Gibeon, and
Havelock, the evangelist hero, and those
thousands of men of the sword who
fought on the right side. What company
to move in! What guests to entertain!
What personages to visit! What choirs
to chant What banquets with lifted
chalice filed with "the new wine of the
kingdom" What victories to celebrate!
The stories of that world and its holy
hilarities come in upon our souls some
times in song, sometimes in sermon,
and they are, to use the words of my
text. sweet influences. But there is one
star that affects us more with it's sweet
influences than the centre star, the
Alcyone of the Pleiades, and that is what
one Bible author calls the Star of Jacob
and another Bible author calls the Morn
ing Star. or all the sweet influences that
have ever touched our earth those that
radiate from Christ are the sweetest.
Born an Aslatic villager, in mechanics
home, living more among hammers and
saws and planes than among books, yet
at twelve years of age confounding robed
ecclesiastics and starting out mission
nerve took in the clear daylight and
those afflicted with unresponsive tympa-
mum were made to hear and those almost
doubled up with deformities were
Strengthened into graceful poise and the
leprous became rubicund and the widows
only son exchanged the bier on which
he lay ifeless for the arms of his over
joyed mother and pronouncing nine bene-
dictions on the Mount of Beatitudes and
doing deeds and speaking words which
are filling the centuries with sweet in
huences.
Christ started every ambulance,
kindled every electric ray, spread every
soft hospital pillow and introduced all
the alleviations and pacifcations and
rescueS ana mCrcleS OF all Time.
He was the loveiest being that ever
trod our earth-more beauty in His eyes,
more tenderness in His manner, more
gentleness in His footsteps, more music
in His voice, more dignity in His brow,
more gracefulness in the locks that rolled
upon His shoulders, more compassion in
His soul.
Sweet influences OF the Holy Ghost,
with all His transforming and comforting
and emancipating power. When that
power is fully felt there will be no more
sins to pardon, and no more errors to
correct, and no Tore sorrpws to COM
fort, and no more bondage to break But
as the old-time ship captains watched
the rising of the Pleiades for safe navi.
CATION and set sail in Mediterranean
waters, but were sure to get back into
port before the constellation Orion came
into sight-the season of cyclone and
heaven, and that is while the sweet in
storms overtake and delay. Open all your
soul to the light and warmth and com.
fort and inspiration of that gospel
which has already peopled heaven with
millions of the ransomed and is helping
other millions to that glorious destina.
tion. Do not postpone the things of God
and eternity until the storms of life
swoop and the agitations of great futur.
are upon us. Do not dare wait until
Orion takes the place of the Pleiades.
Weigh anchor now and with chart un.
rolled and pilot on board head for the
reunions and raptures that await all the
souls forgiven. "And they need no
candle, neither light nor the sun, for