News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1903-05-13
The Voyage Of Life.

by Rev. f. l.. Davis at the Cong'l
church, Morrisville, Sunday, Nay, 8,
and at the request of several who
heard the sermon we are pleased to
give it space in this issue.
Ps. 107, 80, $50 he bringeth them
ito their desired haven"
The figure of life as avoyage, under
which the Psalmist here conceives of
it, has always been favorite symbol
in literature, art and religion. We
all feel the appropriateness OF these
representations. No symbol could be
more true and suggestive than that
which conceives the soul as a ship,
passing over a restless, uDtried sea.
Sailors refer to their ship with the
rpronoun "she" and in terms of en-
'dearment. With sails set, and NOV
ing along with the wind, how like a
living creature she seems We owe
the idea of ship to nature, which
men merely copy in the construction OF
their vessels. A ship is modelled after
the shape of a fish, so it may move
more easily through the water. It's
sails correspond to the wings of a
bird. This morning, have thought
it might be an interesting and help
full way of presenting the truth il |
tried to point oct some of the analo-
giles between ship on the ocean and
a person going through life.
One of the most curious things
about ship is it's steering apparatus.
This is a small thing we call arudder.
1t seems very wonderful that this in
strument, which is so small in com
parison with the bulk of the vessel,
should control it's course on the sea.
Stranger yet is it that, by means of
this rudder, the ship can not only be
sailed with the wind, but almost
against it In the teeth of gale. With
this rudder, the ship may be headed
in any direction and guided to any
desired haven.
Man has in him also something
which corresponds to rudder. 1t is
his will power, his free agency. This
is the supreme power in a mans soul,
the very seat of his personality, which
enables him TO be as a very god in
his own little world. The uses a man
makes of his will power, his choices,
settle his character, his conduct and
destiny. 1t is will power that accom-
plishes things in this world. When a
person is endowed with great will
power, it Is very apt to make him
either a great power for good, or a
great power for evil. For this ire
mendous power may be turned in a
good or a bad channel. A man who
makes a great william. O leader in the
kingdom OF darkness would, very
often, if mis- energies were rightly d.
rected, make great power in Gods
kingdom. 1t is Saul, the terror of the
early church, who becomes it's leading
apostle.
This past week | have been very
much interested in reading the life of
Cyrus W. Field, to whom we owe the
laying of our Atlantic cable. What a
splendid record it is of the power of a
mighty will. The story of the plans,
the attempts, the failures, the disap-
pointments, the final success, so long
postponed, is thrilling in its in
terest and illustrates the wonders that
may be accomplished when man of
iron will is behind a movement. After
six failures, each failure meaning the
loss OF the cable, he seventh attempt
was a success. Once the cable broke
when it had been two thirds laid an
other cable, which was made at last
to join the two shores, had to be ban
doned, as for some mysterious reason
it failed to carry messages. In the face
of disappointment, treachery, failure.
and ridicule, this man of supreme will
power continued his labors, and after
the expiration OF 13 long years, his
dream was real d and the cable was
a success ! Let me read to gu what
he said at the banquet given to him
by the New York chamber of CON-
merce. at has been long struggle,
nearly thirteen years of anxious
watching and c9aseless toll. Of en-
my heart has been ready to sink.
Many times on the decks of ships on
dark, stormy nights, alone far from
l. h"fO oihICbU aCCuScu sell
of madness and folly to sacrifice the
peace of my family and all the hopes
of my life for what might prove, after
all, dream" What a lesson there
is for US all here! We need Just such
tenacity if we would realize our am
bition in life. However noble our en-
terprise, however wise our plans, how
ever much aid we may receive from
friends, nothing great is accomplished
in this world, in the home, in the
shop, in the church, in the commune
ity, without perseverance and push
1t is this grit which always carries
the day. "No man having put his
hand to the plough, and looking
back, is fit for the kingdom of God"
But, not only has a ship rudder,
it has compass, by which to tell the
direction it should take. Sometimes
the ship can steer by landmarks on
the shore, or by objects in the water;
Oftimes it may tell it's course by
the sun by day, or the stars by night;a
but, sometimes when there is fog or
a mist, there is only one means of
keeping the vessel in her safe path