Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1903-04-04
A SUNDAY SERMON
A NEW FEATURE OF DISCUSSION,
A StsonE Sermon 80 Prove That We
Need Sustaining drsce In the Hour
OF Prosperity.

Divine Paternity. preached sunday morn
ing on Facing che Circumstances OF Life
He took his text from Philippians ~. -:
Il know how 10 be abosed. and also
know how 10 abound. 1 have learned the
secret" DR. Hall said.
In other words Paul said. ct have !
learned the secret Of how to be independ-
ent OF circumstances. l know how TO face
humble circumstances, and 1 know how TO
face Prosperity"
That Is a great lesson. and one which few
men ever do learn. But Il D. lesson
which we al need TO learn m order TO pre-
serve happiness. the integrity OF character
and 20 make the most of life.
first-Let u look hrst for the secret Of \
how 10 face humble circumstance. Every /
one stands IN danger OF being reduced 20 /
poverty. No matter how much yoJ may 1
possess to-day. on the morrow IL may be 4
ali swept away. II you put your money IN /
bank the cashier may ab-cond with x I
and leave YOU with nothing but a BOOK /
with certain hicroglyphics scrubbed there
IN 20 indicate that YOU were once afauent. |
/ IN you put your money IN mining stocks !
the ore may give out. or bad management /
may rum the enterprise. n YOU invest IN a
railroad. rival line may get all the traffic
/ or some INSCRIPTIONS Spectator may
| wfccls the business Tor his own enrich
ment- If YOU buy real estate, II may de-
prcclotc upon your hands. or a FIRE nav
you conclude 60 wrap your treasures N a
napkin and hide 10 IN hole some thief
may discover and steal It, 80 40 matter
how rich YOU may be. TO morrow you may
be as poor as any. Provcrbialiv. riches
/ take Go themselves wings and tv away.
/ II j.. therefore. extremely important that
one learn The secret of how 20 face humble
circumstances. What j. the first stem TO
be taken IN this direction
/ O) Ny first word of advice is this. Train
yourself 20 work. Learn 20 be useful IN
some specific way. Learn TO perform some
service of Importance 40 that Won might be
IL .."
lied globe absolutely without resources
and Yet be able at once 20 command al
least the necessities ot Ike from the com
munity IN which YOU ind Yourself. an re-
render.
I take it that this was one Of tho grcat
reasons for the contcntmcnt of the man
VINO wrote the wo-ds CD our text. Tie was
independent because be was skilled work
man. and knew how, by the use oi his
hands. 10 command in amy community tine
necessities OK life The Jewish people were
eNtrcmeiy wise IN many directions. and
their wisdom was nowhere more manifest
than IN the rule which thcy made as to
the education Ot youth Every Jewish boy.
no matter what tlc circumstances OF his
lie, must be Taught trade. The boy
Saul. although probably from an cary age
prcdestincd by his parents 90 become a
scholar. a teacher. a religious leader. was
nevertheless taught 90 make tents That
Is, nc knew how 20 weave camcl's hair aud
tents were made. Thus, after his CONVEX
anon 60 Christianity. when his worldly
prospects were ruined, and he had cast IN
has lot with the poorest and humhost poo
pc on earsh. ne was, rs TAR as u h posi-
bie for "A man, independent How was 10
that tins man was able 20 travel over the
world delivering his message 80 slaves and
people without resources When hc went
10 new community he ~ once sought
work. and found 70 because he WAS skilled
m making something which shat commu
NIFTY needed. lie earned hiS bread be- thS
work OF his hands. and spoke his message
because he loved g. And when the peo
: pie 10 whom hc spoke came 10 him out ri
, gratitude and wanted 10 contribute to
ward his support. hc accepted their hum
be gifts on the principle that thc lahorei
- worthy of ms hirc, and thanked them
bur repeatedly declared chat such r,ft.
were not necessary % his hie. For i an
mo. in want. he sad. Il cam earn th.
necessities OF lie.
In what an enviablc position svch MAJ
. stands. How much better 80 would he D.
every religious teacher OF our time ha,
q boon taught some useful occupation h'
j. which ne could command the necessities Cd
= lie. lie might never hc called unou 2.
: use has ability IN that direction bus th
u possession OF d WoGd mean liberty. II
s would no longer be haunted iv tl. Cen
That 81 he dlo not CONFORM DE-. opinions q
those % tine church authorities the hrea.
i would be taken from the mouths of h.
or 90 command bread Tor hs family bv TN
toll Of his hands would give 10 him entir
! freedom IN search Tor truth and ia utte.
i Tag a..
y And If this is true Of religious tcacfcr
Y It Is just a. true OF people IN other depart
4 ments of HE. Liberty IS but dream 70
4 any mau who must conform his pOlitca
I opinions to those of his employer unless h
Z would see has supply of food cut Of Man
q a man IN the business world works for am
Il votes Tor measures in which he does no
4 peheNe, or becomes a party 20 triCkerv an
" dishonesty. because these are for the II
d tcrest OF the employer. and unless he work
4 Tor the interest of his employer his famil
Il VIII lack food Many girl marries a ma
Y she distrusts, or even despises, because sh
must marry or become n pauper.
i Therefore ieJ those VINO would find IA
Il secret Of independence IN the face of hun
n / bic circumstances hret learn 20 work lear
II 20 command some useful occupation o
4 ! which they may win from the world III
4 necessities at HE IN return for honest an
4 ! worthy service
J ,. Bot this il not the whole OF Paul
secret. For one who has known prosperi;
" 20 be obliged to face humble circumstance
= 70 maintain courage and cheeriuiness.
extremely difficult. How shall he be ab
10 do thisg
Vi Let him mediate upon the relation ,
- values. Paul had been man of Gre;
in promise. and was on the nigh road
> wealth and exalted position, bat he lest
all and came TO associate with slaves an
p people held IN social contempt: he wer
he back 10 tent-maiSinC, and from being r
~ iiglous leader became a common Lahore
= But his courage, instead Of being dimi
u lshed, was increased. No Drawer man ev,
RI lived. His cheerfulnesS was cOnstan
10 When they had scOurged HIM and place
ne hlu IN the torturing stocks he sang. \