The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-02-17
Eloquent Discourse by Rev. ASbury {,
Krom Before Large Congregation at
benefiCHnt Church.

was conducive 10 an unusually large con-
gregation In the Benefcient Congrega-
tionsl church, and the pastor, Rev. AS
bury Il. Krom officiated. The music was
in nj keeping with the impressive SER
vices and an eloquent sermon on The
Source OF Rejoicing was delivered by
the reverend gentleman who spoke as
follows:
Luke 1920. Notwithstanding In this
rejoice not, that the spirits are subject
unto you, but rather rejoice, because
your names are written In heaven.
Seventy disciples were appointed by
Jesus TO go forth into the world to do
We read his commands unto them. the
minute description as TO their manner OF
returned with joy, saying Lord. even
the devils are subject unto US through
thy name" In this transport Of Joy they
are rebuked by the master Not because
they rejoiced, but rather because of that
in which their rejoicing had It's source.
For TO fail To understand the secrets OF
a mans life The nature OF our rejoicing
more truly rhan the nature of our sigh
Ing. reveals what We are. Man IL So
cial being and those expressions OF his
life that Join him 90 other men are larger
expressions than those that violate him.
Laughter. JOY, these are contagious, SO
cial, and belong not TO the one. but the
many. Laugh, and the world laughs
with you; weep and YOU weep alone.
are the truest criteria ~ mans living.
Tell me what n man takes pleasure In and
I will tell you the kind OF man he is
eomradsship nnrs s % than than this this Most MtuP mem viii will
find score who viii condole with them
in their losses. but happy is the man
who knows one who will rejoice with him
continually In his successes. For | take
IL that when one retoices In the success
Of another they have so completely iden-
as 10 feel that the gain Of one is the profit
OF both.
II is frequently said that misfortune
helps a man TO sift his friendships. Rath-
er Is II prosperity. Misfortune will al
ways bring pity. sometimes sympathy
Success. too, often breeds envy. To know
then the source OF mans JOY is TO
know the man and the test of Joy Is the
most fiery crucible in which a man can
These disciples sent forth by Jesus were
intensely human. and think we shou.i
fail TO DO justice 10 them. IL we were
not willing 20 admit that the source OF
their rejoicing was not only legitimate,
but one of the most common sources OF
JOY that experience has revealed. this,
too. Notwithstanding the rebuke OF Jesus,
''In this rejoice not"
There have been two classes OF inter-
prefers of life. One has seen in the
work OF men what they we're able 10 ac-
complish. the true expression OF the indi-
vidual life. and consequently the greatest
source &c. Of msn Joy hs L the s9sRs
apostles like Carlyle. Not only do they
extol action, work effort OF every kind
but With equal yshemsnee they ,,sI denonnse srone
the world as the coward retires from the
firing line on the battlefield.
But another class OF interpreters, PER
haps the larger class. yet smaller In In
fiuence. because feebler In speech. yet de-
serving 10 be heard, because they earn
their bread by labor, insist that work Is
pain and drudgery. that II tends 10 crush
the nober Instincts. the firm sensibilities
and dwarfs the man. Notwithstanding
the faith we have In labor. we must ad-
NIT the truth there is in this when we
stop TO contemplate the life Of man or
woman ground down by poverty and toll
been spent In that quiet atmosphere OF
ease and comfort that breeds both Gull
This contrast OF opinion is emphasized
here. not so much to show there Is such
contrast. but 20 point to the thought
that perhaps neither In labor or ease Is
the true source of a mans Joy May II
not be deeper, Did II not lie deeper in
the case OF these disciples? Ii was less
what they had done; more the nsiaS CONSCIOUS -
them through their doing. IL not this
true In all the. JOY we find in labor? Less
that. more In the other fact that we
consciously possess the power to do IL
again and again
in the picture he has painted In and for
itself. not for the praise or the gold IL
may bring him. He rejoices In the pic
self That canvas Is "a written page 20
him, describing his own power. How
trifiing and insignihcant the exuitauon OF
singer who reioices that once he has
broken through the realm OF mediocrity
and SCARED on the wing or song into the
place Of genius But to see @ IN this noons one
which before has been concealed. that Is
something in which TO rejoice ~ For this
has hope and future In II. The other
only. has memory and a past.
~, tAu
This Joy Of discovery. then. the Joy that
from n9py 6Se some Of 9be %o PST
innate sources OF Joy that .enters into a
mans life. ~ is not only legitimate,
covered Is OF the nature of that possessed
by the disciples. Devils were subject
unto them. Evil spirits were controlled.
II the march OF civilization, the evolution
Of humanity. means anything II is Just
TO that end that We are aiming. Not
merely 10 control nature, but human ma
and waves do our will but to make our
own natures subject to the highest and
best will revealed unto US. To control
the devils within and without us To bind
the spirits and make them as the ami
mails subject TO. the true man within us,
that. II history has any lesson Is the
What "A farce this earthly struggle will
be " we never reach that goal Know
nstnres & laws and RUE ,nss ma - ,, Wen set ot
control and he victorious over the inner
life That is victory. When once this
victory Is won must II not hold for us
JOY and rejoicing juat as II did for these
disciples. 1t is not Ehough that this bat
tie with the demons be fought and won.
There must he Joy and rejoicing. not sor-
row and tears when the victory r. ours.
Happiness II not tho end of living But
no end OF living toward which man sets
his face Is sane and worthy of him, N
there Is not sunshine and JOY running
through ID and In H.
But despite the fact that the source OF
their Joy. viz. their power. was legiu-
mate despite the nature OF their power.
which was praiseworthy, they are re-
buked by Jesus. and commanded not 10
rejoice in this At first thought we arc
perplexed. Yet as we read our lesson
carefully. as we contemplate human ma
ture and especially that part Of II which
r. ours are we not forced 10 ADMIT tnat
this rejoicing in our own power over
ANYTHING II the very fountain head OF
egotism and pride, May it not well be