The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-11-04

Rev. DR. Nelson Millard. of Roches~
ter y. v, who preached yesterday at
the Second Presbyterian church. both
morning and evening, Is a speaker VINO
appeals more to the reason of his hear
ers than to their emotions, forcing
home gospel truths. as he does, with
II clear-cut and incisive logic that de-
ics criticism.
He delivered q sermon last night
which was n powerful analysis of the
last verse in the book of Ecclcsiastes.
For God shall bring every work into
Judgment with every secret thing,
whether it be good. or whether ii be
evil" lie spoke in part as follows:
Passages like this sound eXtrava-
CANT To us and Il great many are in
clined 10 take them with some allow
ances. Yet we are taught in many
other parts of the scriptures that moth
ing of mans moral nature Will he
missing OF the last day. This il but
one of many kindred passages which
tell us that We will leave naught but
hollow years behind us ana That We
Will take into the great beyond all our
mora. wealth and all our moral dross.
The Bible is a book of facts and not
a book of philosophy. 1t contains prac-
teal statements and no theorctr!cl en-
plantations. II sets forth certain broad
facts and offers no illustration to prove
their truthfulncsS. Thus it tells US
broadly of Il future life hui it has
nothing definite to say aDout the ma
ture Of this immortal life. In the
same way it lays down the fact that
our material acts will go with rs when
We die and we are bound To accept this
truth.
CHIEF CONSIDERATIONS.
'ln cndeavoring to prove The ubso-
lut" truth OF this text from Il logical
standpoint ] shall deal with two chief
considerations. The first OF these is
the nature and character Of memory.
The majority of people are inclined 10
the belief that memory is one of the
most defective attributes of The mind.
! do not believe this nor does anybody
who has studied the workings of III"
human mind. Memory is in reality the
most finished products of he soul.
''If We study the subject Il little We
will find that tn" memory is not Il
sieve which retains only 1t small por-
tinn OF the impressions received. but
rather that ii is a NeYituhle Storehouse
| containing :, record of all our acts.
thoughts and feelings. How often do
We not recall things seen and heard in
the long and distant past. which we
had though, forever ebliteratcd from
the tablets of our mind Only TO-DAY Il
chance remark recalled 10 my mind
an old friend of boyhood days whom
had not thought of fm thirty Years.
''lloW directly does this rclcnliNc
power of men point /" Il final jlldg-
mcnt of all things. good ana evil. Why
should all these little acts ANA thoughts
Of Years gone by be stored up in our
mind if not that they might be re-
| vcaled to our asLonished gaze when we
stand before the Judgment seat of God?
"The second consideration | shalt
touch upon is the nature of charauter
and the progress of its formation. |
wish to speak Il little about the silent,
unperceived work that is going on
within us forming our characters. This
work is gradual and SLOW, but the char
acler fabric rises forth at length and
We are what We are.
WHO ARE. THEY?
"Who are The cunning and Invisible
Workmcn who are adding each their
mite into tho structure. Scarcely the
coral insects rearing their wall OF
solid coral are more minute. They
are ONV thoughts, our words and our
acts. This noble wish and that base
| suggestion are III. little Workncn who
are rululins buSily along with hammer
and trowel adding each its little grain
of sand to the rising mass.
There is not an act but has left its
imprint ON our characters. not a
thought that has not craven its image.
Not by one stroke but my many are
we rendered what We are. No act of
ours flies like the arrow through the
unwounded air Every one has left its
mark Every incident hearing ON our
moral careers has left its imprint on
our moral beings.
THE warp and Wouf of our moral
texture is not made up Of cables, but
of threads and there are both light
ana dark. The prevailing hue tells the