Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1902-09-26

Kew. Il. y. Guernsey preached at the
Methodist church on Sunday morning
last an illustrative sermon, comparing
the ideals of today with those of Bible
times. The text was from II. Kings,
1874 she removed the high places, and
broke the images, and cut down the
groves, and brake in pieces the brazen
serpent that Moses had made; for unto
those days the children of Israel did
burn incense to it, and he called 1t
! Nehushtan." The historical statement
is a record of the work of Hezekiah, the
king of Judea, whose reign of 20 years
was called the "good reign" The latter
clause of the text was referred to by the
speaker as describing an act that was
highly commended, that of breaking in
pieces the brazen serpent that Moses
had made for a specific and proper pur-
pose in former times. Instead of
symbol concentrating a noble deed,
the people had begun idolizIng this
brazeD serpent, and burning incense to
it, and the king, to put an end to this
idolatry did brake in pieces the brazen
serpent, threw it upon the ground and
scornfully denounced the fragments
as pieces of brass. The speaker likened
this worship to many of the good things
of the present day that were accumu-
lated in amounts beyond the needs of
the possessors and made idols of. He
feared that in many Instances the get
ting of this worlds goods diverted the
Christian from his duties to God and his
less fortunate neighbor, when the COM
mandments of the Bible and the spirit of
goodness were forgotten in the pursuit
of wealth or the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of
worldly treasures. Then came personal
/, aflliction and the breaking of the idols
that have taken the place in the heart of
the possessor of duty, and crowded out
the nobler impulses. Disaster by fire or
flood, and the tell-tale Grape on the door
called a halt in the idolatrous course,
and the chastened one turned to the
/, only solace in time of trouble, and the
neglected duties were found to have q
new interest
Rev. Thomas Simms, pastor of the
Congregational church, lnaugurated his
course of evening lectures last Sunday
! evening, taking the 18th verse of the
/ LIST chapter of Joshua for the basis of his
remarks. His theme was 1.-The Impor-
lance of Courage" and the quotation
BE strong and of good courage oc-
ours four times In the chapter. The
, speaker desired to impress on his au-
= dience the fact that courage is prime
requisite in every work, where success is
to be attained. This instruction to
Joshua from the Almighty was given at
: a critical period, when Joshua was COM
: manded to conquer the enemies of
; Israel. Although his army was made
up of inexperienced recruits and ill
} caparisoned, he was told that with
courage and bravery he would succeed,
and the result proved the prediction to be
true. So in all the walks of life the
lesson can be taught and experienced.
The half-heared Christian can never i'm
press those with whom he comes in con-
> tact of his full belief in the professions
, he may make, without showing and act
ing the courage of his convictions. The
, tempted man or woman must have the
courage to say ''nO," or resolutions may
be broken and efforts for good swept
away in an instant. Mental and moral
> bravery and courage are more necessary
, in life than merely physical courage.
The speaker quoted the lines of the poet
Longfellow as fitting battle cry for the
young:
l Write on your doors the saying wise and old
"Be bold, be bold, and everywhere be bold";
But not too bold. Yet better the excess
Than the defeat; better the more than the
Better like Hector on the cid to die,
Than like a perfumed Paris turn and fly.
AT the Congregational church Sunday
| morning DR.. w. a. Duncan of Boston
, will speak. In the evening ut 80 the
Rev. j. r. Cowan, d. D., of Boston will
give an address upon The World Wide
Work of Young People"
Rev. f. o. Taylor at the Baptist
/; church occupied his pulpit, after a short
vacation. The exercises were composed
principally of an address prepared for
the Sunday school convention that was
very interesting and instructive. The
pastor will preach at the usual hours on
Sunday next.
Rev. w: Il. Forsythe having returned
/ from his vacation, the usual services
, will be conducted In st. Stephens church
, next Sunday as follows: Z 80 a. M,
, holy communion; 10 :45 a. M, morning
prayer and sermon; I 80 p M, evening
prayer and sermon.
Services at st. Mary's church next
Sunday will be: High mass and sermon
| at lO:3O, morning; evening service,
. O'Clock, class of Christian Devotion; at
Z 80, Benediction.
Saturday at 10 30 a. m, Catechism.
On feasts and holy days the first mass
{ will be at . 80 a. M, second mass at
8 80; benediction at Z 80 p. m.
The League of the Sacred Heart meet
, at II o'clock, noon, on the third Sunday
of every month.
Sunday school library open at noon
every Sunday.
Graded School Notes.