The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-04-02
A SERMON FOR SUNDAY
AN ELOQUENT DISCOURSE ENTITLED
CIRCUMSTANCES OF LIFE"
The Rev. DIR. Frank Oliver Hall Says We
Must Learn How to Face the Pros.
perity rs Well as the Hard Condi'
tions of This World.

o
New YORK C1TY.-The Rev. DR.. Frank
Oliver Hall, pastor OF the Church OF the
Divine Paternity, preached Sunday morn.
ing on Facing the Circumstances OF LIIe.
He took his text from Philippians ": Il:
Il know how 10 be abased, and l also
know how to abound. l have learned the
secret" DR.. Hall said:
In other words, Paul said, Il have
learned the secret OF how to be independ-
ent of circumstances. | know how to face
humble circumstances, and l know how to
face prosperity"
That is a great lesson. and ore which few
men ever do learn. But it is 4 lesson
which we all need to learn in order to pre-
serve happiness, the integrity OF character
and to make the most of life.
First--Let US look first for the secret OF
how to face humble circumstances. Every
one stands in danger of being reduced to
poverty. No matter how much you may
possess to-day, on the morrow it may be
all swept away. If you put your money IN
a bank the cashier may abscond with it
and leave you with nothing but a book
with certain hieroglyphics scribbled there
in to indicate that you were once aittuent.
If You put your money In mining stocks,
the ore may give out, OF bad management
may ruin the enterprise. If You invest in
railroad, rival line may get all the traffic,
or some unscrupulous specuator may
wreck the business for his own enrich
ment. If you buy real estate, it may de-
sweep away your holdings in a night. II
you conclude to wrap your treasures In
napkin and hide it in a hole, some thief
may discover and steal it. So no matter
how rich you may be, tomorrow You may
be as poor as any. Proverbially, riches
take to themselves wings and fly away.
1t is. therefore, extremely important that
one learn the secret of how to face humble
circumstances. What is the first step to
be taken in this direction?
a. My first word of advice is this: Train
yourself to work. Learn to be useful in
some specific way. Learn to perform some
service of importance so that you might he
dropped down in any portion OF the civil
lied globe absolutely without resources,
and yet be able at once to command at
least the necessities OF life from the CON-
MUnity in which you find yourself, in re-
turn for the service which you are able to
render.
l take it that this was one of the great
reasons for The contentment OF the man
! who wrote the words o. our text. He was
| independent because ne was skilled work
; man, and knew how, by the use OF MS
| necessities OF lie. The Jewish people were
extremely wise in many directions, and
their wisdom was nowhere more manifest
| than IN the rule which they made as to
| the education of youth. Every Jewish boy,
no matter what the circumstances OF his
| life, must be taught trade. The boy
Saul, although probably from an early age
predestined by his parents to become
scholar, teacher, religious leader, was
nevertheless taught to make tents. That
is, he knew how to weave camePs hair and
other material into the fabric of which
| tents were made. Thus, after his conver-
sion to Christianity, when his worldly
prospects were ruined, and he had cast in
! his lot with the poorest and humblest peo-
| pie on earth, he was, as lar as 1T is posi-
BILE for a man, independent. How was 1t
| that this man was able to travel over the
world delivering his message to slaves and
people without resources? When he went
| to a new community he at once sought
! in making something which that commu-
! nifty needed. He earned his bread by the
work of his hands, and spoke his message
because he loved it. And when the peo.
| pie to whom he spoke came to him out Of
gratitude and wanted to contribute to-
ward his support, he accepted their hum
bic gifts on the principle that the laborer
is worthy OF his hire, and thanked them,
but repeatedly declared that such gifts
were not necessary to his life. For l am
no. in want" he said. Il can earn the
| necessities of life"
In what an enviable position such a man
stands. How much better it would be if
every religious teacher of our time had
/, been taught some useful occupation by
| which he could command the necessities of
| life He might never be called upon to
use his ability in that direction, but the
possession of it would mean liberty. He
would no longer be haunted by the fear
/ that il he did not conform his opinions to
| those OF the church authorities the bread
would be taken from the mouths of his
| children. The knowledge that he had pow
er to command bread for his family by the
| freedom in search for truth aud in utter
! ing it.
| And If this is true OF religious teachers
! it is just as true OF people in otner depart
ments OF life. Liberty is but dream for
any man Who must ccnform his political
! opinions to those of his empower unless Ee
would see his supply Of food cut Of. Many
| 4 man in the business world works for and
| votes for measures in which nc does not
believe, or becomes party to trickery and
! dishonesty, because these are for the in
for the interest of his employer his family
will lack food. Many girl marries man
she distrusts. or even despises, because she
| must marry or become pauper.
Therefore let those who would find the
secret of independence in the face Of hum
BILE circumstances first learn to work, learn
to command some useful occupation by
which they may win from the world the
! necessities of life in return for honest and
worthy service.
.. But this IS not the whole Of Pauis
secret. For one who has knownNprosperity
| to be obliged to face humble circumstances,
to maintain courage and cheertulEess,. IS
| extremely difficult. How shall he be able
to do this?
Let him mediate upon the relation Of
| values Paul had been man of great
| promise, and was on the high road to
wealth and exalted position, but he lost it
, all and came to associate with slaves and
+ people held in social contempt: he went
back to tent-making, and from being re-
| ligous leader became a common lahorer.
! But his courage. instead of being dInin-
! ished, was increased. No braver man ever
! lived. His cheerfulness was constant;
When they had scourged him and placed
! him in the torturing stocks he sang. No
| pessimistic word ever escaped HIM. no
/ gloomy reflection can be found IN his let
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