Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1901-11-22

estate to his friends. Then Perdic-
cas- asked: "What have you kept for
yourself?" He answered triumphant
ly, "Hope." And, whatever else you
and I give away, we must keep for
ourselves hope-al comforting, all
cheering hope. In the heart of every
man, woman and child that hears or
reads this sermon may God impiant
this principle right now.
Is your health gone? Then that is
sign that you are to enjoy a celes-
tial health compared with which the
most jocund and hilarious vitality
of earth is invalidism. Are your for
tunes spent? Remember you are to
be kings and queens unto God and
how much more wealth you will have
when you reign forever and ever. I
want to see you when you get your
heavenly work dress on. This little
bit of .speck of a world we call
the earth is only the place where we
get ready to work. We are only jour
.neymen here, but will be master work
men there. Heaven will have no loaf
ers hanging around. The book says
of the inhabitants: "They rest not
day or night" Why rest when they
work without fatigue? Why seek a
pillow when there is no night there
1 want to see you after the pedes-
trianism Of earth has been exchanged
for powers of fight and velocities
infinite and enterprises interstellar,
| interworld.
suspect that the telescope of that
| observatory brings in sight constella-
| lions that may comprise ruined worlds
which need looking after and need
| help sanity and missionary. There
| may be worlds that, like ours, have
| sinned and need to be rescued, per
haps saved by our Christ or by some
plan that God has sought out foI
other worlds as wise, as potent, as
lovely. as the atonement is for oui
world. The laziness which has cursed
US in this world will not gain the land
of eternal activities-so much tonic
in the air, so much inspirat ton in the
society, so much achievement after
we get the shackles of the flesh for.
ever off. Do not dwell so much on op
portunities past, but put your empha
| sis on opportunities to come. Do not
count the battles lost, but scour you,
musket for victories to come.
Am I not right in saying that eter
nifty can do more for US than car
1 time? What will we not be
able to do when our powers of loco
motion shall be quickened into the
immortal spirits speed? Why should
a bird have a switness of wing wher
it Is of no Importance how long II
shall take to make its aerial way
from forest to forest, and we, whe
have SO much more important errands
in the world, get on so slowly? The
/ roebuck outruns US. the hounds art
quicker in the chase, but wait unit
God lets US loose from all limitations
and indictments. Then we will fair
.ly begin. The starting post will bt
the tombstone. Leaving the world
will be graduation day before the
chief work of our mental and spirit
ual career. Hope sees the doors open
ing, the victor's foot in stirrup fol
the mounting. The day breaks-frst
flush of the horizon. The mission Of
hope will be an everlasting mission
as much of it in the heavenly here
after as in the earthly now. Shall we
have gained all as soon as we enter
realms celestial-nothing more tt
learn, no other heights to climb, nc
new anthems to raise, a monotony Of
existence, the same thing over anc
over again for endless years? MOI
More progress in that world than we
ever made in this. Hope will stand
on the hills of Heaven and look TO,
ever frightening landscapes. Other
transformations of color, new glories
rolling over the scene, new celebra
tions of victories in other worlds
Heaven rising into grander heavens
seas of glass mingled with fire, be-
coming a more brilliant glass ming
.! ling with a more flaming fire. (Which
hope"
- Do not have anything to do with
the gloom that Harriet Martineau ex
pressed in her dying words: 81 have
no reason to believe in another
world. have had enough of life in
one and can see no good reason why
Harriet Martineau should be perpet
uated." Would you not rather have
the Christian enthusiasm of Robert
Amman, who, when some 6ne said: SO
will be satisfied if I manage somehow
to get into Heaven" replied, pointing
to a. sunken vessel that was being
dragged up the River Tay: ''Would
you like to be pulled into Heaven
with two tugs like that vessel yon
der? I tell you, I would like to &C
in with all my sails set and colors
flying"
Again, let me introduce the element
of hope to those good people who are
In despair about the worlds moral
condition. They have gathered uI
appalling statistics. They tell OF the
number of divorces, but do not take
! into consideration that there are a
thousand happy homes where there
is one of marital discord. They tel
you of the large number in our land