The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-05-12

brated after some sort in the House Of
God with prayer and praise-as is INST
and right-will fail Of its highest teach
ing and meaning if the memory of such
sacrifices and sufferings does not inspire
us with stronger resolves and more
fcrvent aspirations for good, and with
more earnest epdeavors patiently TO
endure hardness as good soldiers Of
Jesus Christ
pray God we may never know again
the woes of a war between the States,
but as soldies of Jesus Christ we are each
one enlisted for life in another warfare
against sin and evil, whose issues are
Infinitely more momentors and for ever.
And more perfect - still
with reverence be it said-is set before
us in the Gospel, for our imitation and
encouragement, even that of the great
Captain of our Salvation--our Lord Jesus
Christ, who also suffered for us, leaving
us an example that we should follow His
steps,
"Tbe best Of men
That Ger were earth about Hin was q
sufferer.
A soft. meek, patient, humble, tranquil
spirit"
"And how as nothing is the greatest
hardness ever endursed in our Christian
warfare as compared with that which He
suffered Who bore the cross before us
and was finally borne upon it on Mt.
Calvary fer Us men and our salvation
How slow we are to learn. brathren.
how prone to forget, that suffering is
necessary part of our earthly probation
Ix, co1d of bo rrl,
trouble is as much part of our life here
as hunger or thirst or WEAKNESS. The
world and this luxurious age will tell us
very differently. They will tell us to
seek pleasure and happiness and to avail
hardness and dread trouble as evils.
Our Master, the Captain of our Salvation,
tells His followers and soldiers directly
the opposite He says. Blessed are they
who mourn, blessed are they who suffer
for righteousness sake, and bids us re-
joice and be exceedingly glad when we are
despitefully used and prosecuted for His
sake.
''Heaviness may endure for night,
but joy cometh in the morning.
Those, therefore, endure hardness as
good soldiers of Jesus Christ.
The hollowest of all Gospels, it has
been well said, is the Gospel of ease and
comfort AS stern, hard training makes
the soldier strong and healthy, so trouble,
the enduring of hardness, come with pa
thence and Christian courage braces our
spiritual nature and trains us for
Heaven.
zone specially hard form of trouble and
it is one specially suggested by this oc-
casion, is the feeling of failure.
''When we stand by the graves of our
Confederate dead with their hallowed as
sociations and recall their dauntless
courage their heroic achievements, their
patient endurance of untold hardships
for four long years, their sacrifices and
sufferings, how naturally the thought
suggests itself, and all this was in vain
How melancholy the reflection that such
yalorous deeds and devotion should have
ended in defeat and death! Nay.
Brethren, let us not be tempted to forget
the very prominence and prerogative OF
our faith in that God Who ruleth owe all
and who moves in a mysterious way His
wonders to perform
with our short sighted and beclouded
vision we cannot see the end from the be-
ginning as God does or understand for the
time being the wisdom and goodness OF
His overruling providences and orderings.
Let this thought be our comfort. Heaven
was made for those who have failed in
this world that is for those who have
seemed to fail in the eyes of the world.
mo one altogether fails who sincerely
and heroically tries to do his duty.
. Not all who seem to fail, have failed
indeed:
Not all who fail have therefore worked
in vain
For all our acts to many issues lead,
And out of earnest purpose, pure and
plain,
The Lord win fashion in His own good
time
Such ends as, to His wisdom, fttiest
chime
With His vast loves eternal harmonies.'
''The crucifxion itself, was. in the eyes
of the world the proof of the greatest of
all failures. Creatures of flesh and sense
and of a day-as we are-we may not
presume to trace the hidden threads OF
loves eternal harmonics' Sacred and
profane history abundantly attest the
comforting heath that God, by His over
ruling providences brings the greatest
good to the greatest number out of APP
parent evil. Let US learn to trust whom
we can not comprehend and say with
the patient patriarch, whatever may be
the issue of our best endeavors 1t is the
Lord, let Him do what secmcth to Him
good.
"To humbly bow to the will of God IN
on darkest hours of trial; to patiently
submit to the most inscrutable overrulings
of His providence and have no doubt of
His love and goodness; to bear no malice
nor hatred in our hearts but to forgive
and pray for and do good even to our
enemies-this it is as good soldiers Of
Jesus Christ to follow tho leading Of our
Lord, who also suffered for us leaving us
an example that we should follow His
steps And to keep this day of hallowed
memories in any manner calculated to
fan the smoldering flames of sectional
strife is to pervert it from its high mis-
sion as emphasized by the teaching and
example of those illustrious leaders, Lee
and Jackson, and scores of others whose
magnanimity and blameless lives and de-
vout godlness were not less than their
brilliant military genius and achieve
ments. For it is a thought full of sweet