Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1902-04-28

uNtI lHe hlLu Lace, WHICH W us always
reflected the light which shone from
the divine face of Christ. Family pray
ers were not to us a meaningless for
mality. We felt that our dear father
was taking us to the throne of grace,
as Joseph the Good brought his breth-
rem into the throneroom of the Egyp-
tan king.
Reputation and Character.
Reputation is what the world thinks
about a man. Character is what he
really is. Reputation may be wrong.
Character is an actual fact Man look
eth upon the outward appearance; God
looketh upon the heart. But l have
sometimes felt that God has made it
possible for other eyes, as well as his
own all seeing eye, to look into a mans
heart. The child has the opportunity
and the privilege of looking into the
parents heart. When a boy lives for
years by the side of a father, he knows
what are the ruling principles Of his
life, it's strongest motives and funda-
mental beliefs. When I lived at home
or travelled by my fathers side, con-
at a time, formed the conviction that
he was as good man as ever lived.
My father was a Christian minister
assuredly inspired for his work by the
Holy Spirit. For a quarter of cen
fury his critics have been trying by
analysing his character and his SER
mons to discover how he came to at
TO IN do Of wi
ute his power to word painting. He
was an unequaled master in the art Of
portraying before an audience ancient
and modern scenes and events and
opening up to the entranced gaze of his
hearers the palaces of dead kings and
queens. He could, with a few words,
transport an audience into the hanging
gardens of Babylon or make them hear
the haryests sigh or the nightingale sing.
Some have attributed his power to in
vective. No rapier was sharper than
the stiletto of his tongue when he want
ed to execrate sin. Some again have
ascribed his popularity to his loving
personality. But the critics who only
go as far as these do but touch the
outer garment of his power. These
traits were all present, but the source of
my fathers power was not in what he
himself could do. AS he often averred,
with the sincerity of profound convic-
ton, in and of himself he could do
nothing. With the power of the Holy
Spirit he could accomplish anything.
The true history of the Brooklyn
tabernacle revivals has never been
written. l will declare it now for the
first time. AS a coming storm signal
can be seen in the dark cloud which is
hung high in the heaven of blue, l
could tell weeks before when the abun-
dant showers of blessing would fall
upon our church affairs. My fathers
face would be set and anxious. He
had an air distraught as of one whose
thoughts were far off. When passing
with God in prayer The Bible was
often in his hand. The family altar
would become holy of holes where
the children would feel a supernatural
influence was at work. My fathers
power was not his own. 1t was i'm
parted to him from above. 1t is in
| these days of unutterable loss the
chief source of consolation to know
that such power is still accessible and
that it will still be given to the servant
of God who will wrestle with the angel
of the Presence. declaring, as Jacob
did, that he will not let him go without
| blessing.
Sermons With Comfort In Them.
1t was because my fathers sermons
were the products of Spirit filled life
| that the millions were able to find
comfort in them. Whenever he would
take lecture trip the people would
crowd about him by the thousands, ut
| tering such greetings as 81 read your
sermon on Tears by my baby's casket,
and have found Christi" 81 read your
sermon upon Recognition of Friends
In Heaven to my mother when she
was dying" 81 read this or that when
was in a certain trouble, and the SER
mon brought light to my SOUL" Let no
nearer or reader of this sermon think
for one instant that my fathers work
was a man made work. My fathers
work was divinely inspired work.
He was called as certainly to do his
work as Paul and Peter and John were
called to do theirs. He was inspired
by prayer and communion with God.
Would you go with me into the death
chamber? His passing away was as he
himself would have had it if his owl
wish had been consulted. He prac
tically died in the harness. One Sun
day he was preaching in Mexico, the
next on his deathbed. For five lone
weeks he fingered, but God mercifully
benumbed the wornout and tired brain
He suffered not at all. He awoke lons
enough to recognize and at times cal
for his wife and children. But con
versation was an impossibility between
him and the members of his family
during the weary days and nights ht
was sick. We were all there. all ex
cept those Of the family who hai
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