The age-herald., 1901-04-29
AN ABLE SERMON BY REV.MR, MURRAY Discusses the Magic Circle of
 Human Life AT CHURCH OF THE ADVENT An Impure Hope crystalllzes In an unholy Act; and Thus Unre.
 pented Fixes Upon the
 Soul Eternal Disgrace.
AT CHURCH OF THE ADVENT

At the Church of the Advent yesterday Rev. John G. Murray preached an elo- quent sermon, his subject being the magic circle of life. his text being. from Psalms 7l:17 and IS: 70 God, Thou hast taught me from my youth, and hitherto have 1 declared Thy wondrous works. Now also when I am old and greyheaded. o God, forsake me not; until have showed Thy strength unto this genera tion, and Thy power to everyone that Is to come"
 Life perfected Is a magic circle said MT. Murray This circle begins with the hope that is universal and springs eternal in the human breast. It has its continuation in the actual experience that constitutes lIfe's endeavor. The memory of this experience. with all it's achievements, adds its complement to the magic ring. And finally the measure ment is completed by the eternal hope of an endless immortality restoring the hap piness and confidence that first found their inspiration in the expectancy of youthful years.
 Hope of accomplishment--ac accomplish ment of hopes-memory of hopes accom- plished and assurance that this accom- plishment has been of such nature as to afford solid foundation for the further hope of rest eternal-such Is life at it's best and in the realization of its noblest possibilities.
 Probably no man who has ever lived more fully exemplified in his life and ex- perience these facts and conditions of human existence, fully matured and rounded. than the writer of this list Psalm = David, son of Jesse, Shepherd and King: Sinner and Saint: Citizen and Soldier. And probably in no other writ ing of his did he ever set forth his sense and realization of what constituted the strength and bulwark of his life.
 His introduction Is the invocation, Tn Thee, o Lord, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion For Thou art my hope, o Lord God: and that hast Thou been from my youth
 His declaration regarding the deeds constituting the experience of his life is, Q God, Thou hast taught me from my youth; and hitherto have l declared Thy wondrous works. I am as 8 wonder unto many; but Thou art my strong refuge
 The memory of this experiences en- courages him In the hope that glory may crown his declining years, as did success attend his days of activity; and in evi- dence thereof he petitions the Lord, Now also when I am old and grayhead- ed, O God. forsake me not; until l have showed Thy strength unto this genera ton, and Thy power to everyone that Is to come.'
 I've have, then, comprising the seg- ments of life's circle, the ideal hopes of youth, the experience of manhood, com passing the realization and fulfillment, or the illustration and disappointment oi those hopes; the memory of this experi- ence and all the incidents connected herewith, which constitute the stan ol our declining years, and finally the hope of immortality, which sustains and com- forts us after all other hope, all activity and the exercise of memory have decayed and in time departed forever.
 And now, in order that this circle may compass happiness and peace. what should be the nature and composition of the first segment thereof = the hope of childhood and youth?
 This question can best be answered by asking another. What are the nature and composition of these hopes in their inception? With here and there an oc- casional exception, which exception serves most emphatically to prove the unversality of the rule. within the pale of the civilization of which we are the interiors, the virgin hopes of childhood and youth are inspired by such God planted ideas of life and its possibilities that their realization can only obtain in the accomplishment of that which Is pure, lofty, guileless and true.
 True, we are born under the bar-sin- ister of original sin And because of this. there are fettors that bind us. and chains that tie us to the dross of earth. when we would fain soar to the siin-crowned heights of virtue and truth-heights that poss ess for us such irresistible fascina- tion that, were we free to take our flight. we would hasten to scale them. nor rest content until we reposed in that security of altitude which towers above all things possessing the inclination and power to contaminate and degrade. But fettered are we in the accomplishment of our hopes and wing-clipped in the flight of our desires. Not. however. without con sciousness are we of both the letters and restraints: and this very consciousness itself Is conclusive evidence of the entoiu- ed perseverance, of hope and the heaven born inspiration of desire: for only do we realize we are shackled when we are engaged in ehdeavor to throw off our chains; and only doth restraint chafe us when we endeavor to enjoy freely the pleasure from the enjoyment of which we are restrained We may be the veriest slaves. and yet if acquiescent in our slavery we are not conscious of being bound. When our chains gall ns. and our letters fret us with the consciousness of their power to control and restrain, then it is that we know there Is something under bondage within, whose existence is undeniable, and the degree of whose modification, humiliation and suffering while enslaved is to that of mere physi- cal inconvenience and pain. as are the terrors of hell to the waiting in paradise
 The Ideals of Youth.
 Youth has it's ideals. and among those most imperishable and eternal are it's hopes of pure accomplishment to be att tained through the exercise of noble en- deavor: and the obstacles to this accom- nIishment are only made manifest be-