Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1904-05-12
A SERMON FOR SUNDAY
AN INTERESTING DISCOURSE BY THE
REV. ROBERT MACKENZIE.

AN INTERESTING DISCOURSE BY THE
REV. ROBERT MACKENZIE.
Subject: "The Trials and Triumph Of Life''
The Outside and the Inside Sources of
Strensth-The Weakness of This Pres
ent Day-Life scene of Compensations
BROOKLYN, N. Y.-Dr. Robert Mac
kenzie, pastor of the Rutgers Presbyterian
Church, Manhattan, preached Sunday on
'sThe Trials and Triumph Of Life" His
text was found in Acts xx:22-A: "And
now, behold go bound in the spirit into
Jerusalem, not knowing the. things that
shall befaH me there. Save that the Holy
Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying
that bonds and Affections abide me. But
none Of these things move me, neither
count my life dear unto myself, so that
might finish my course with joy, and the
ministry (which | have received Of the
Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel Of the
grace Of God DR.. Mackenzie said:
Paul feels himself set to a definite pur-
and worthy of himself. He is determined
to finish his course successfully. Each of
us is called of God to live some definite
purpose, to add by our lives to the sum of
the good in this world. to do something and
to be something for God. 70 accomplish
this purpose Paul saw that he had to pass
through many trials, temptations, difficult
ties. He is looking back upon those
through which he has already come and
forward to those he saw he must yet meet.
He knew that bonds and Affections await
ed him it he pursued his present purpose
further. He saw his life as very stormy
one: His friends sought to persuade him
to change his course, to compromise little
with his purpose, to adapt himself more
prudently to the ways of the world in
which he found himself, to be less straight
forward, and so escape those bonds and
Affections that threatened. He was not
indifferent either to the dangers of the way
but he answers: what mean ye to weep
and to break mine heart? For l am ready
not to be bound only. but also to die for
the name of the Lord Jesus" Then the
calm conclusion of our text: "None of
these things move 1-e." It is difficult to
| get up to the level of Paul, he is the most
determined, uncompromlslnC stralght-on
man in this book of great characters. Yet
there are ordinary human steps leading
| to this level; all who will can rise.
These things" of our text have not
| passed away with Paul. Trials are behind,
| bonds and Affections are before every man
| that will make a worthy course across this
| Atlantic you must take storms and ice
| bergs into account and build accordingly.
| When you would build boy for business,
| for honor, for goodness, for Christian SER
| vice in this community, you must take
| these things into account. Last years
lcebergs have melted in summer SEAS but
new ones have formed and will meet the
j sailor of this year. The North Atlantic is
| ever the same-a scene of storm and ice
The particular trials that overlook Paul
may not fall on any of us, but others will
come, bearing other names, equally disturb
l n souls ic + he
samoa scene Of many trials. Only few
are exempt, only a few are permitted to
stand with their hands at their back and
their backs to the fire looking out upon the
storm. There are such people. We are
glad when old people can do this, but the
are not to be envied, but pitied. Most men
must go out and meet the storm of "these
things opposition, competitions, disap
! poIntments, temptatiOns-meet them and
make their way through them, as best they
can, and become men, and all the better
men for meeting them.
"These things move.some men nightly:
they seek to edge their way out of the
storm, they change their course, compro
mise with their original purpose, choose
some less strenuous way through life
Some young men form purpose to 90 te
college, when the bonds of mathematics
and affiictions of Gcero's orations come be-
tween ;, them and their purpose 'Sthest
r., things move them out of their course
They compromise with their purpose ane
look for an easier way. Some men go fur
ther, they finish their preparation, face
their profession, meet the difficulties Incl
dent to any such beginning, complain
finch, fall out discouraged, despairing
scarcely living, driftwood on the streets.
Some men, like Paul, are unduly moved
by these things. These are not sparet
the storm nor does the storm beat les
hard upon them; yet they keep their face
to 1T, keep to their purpose firmly. Otter
bent like trees, but like trees well rooted
recover themselves; often like William Tel
going through a pass of his native Alps O,
narrow path cut in the face of the preci
plce, the mountain wind blowing a gal
against him; unable to make progres
against it, unable to stand against it, h
lay down in the path, but he lay with hi
face to his goal and crawled to it. Me1
knowing their full share of the trials o
life are yet able to say, each in his owl
measure, None of these things move,
me-
How is this explained. Take the life O
such men as Job. and Joseph and DAME
and Paul-men who have set before us ez
amples of how much the human heart ca
bear and not break, what bonds and al
hletlons IT can endure and not be undul
moved. Take the men and women Of you
| OWA dC4ud4AtdICc anu ODSerVAClOn O
whom these things have broken with flu
force and yet they are cheerful, sunny
sympathetic people, reaching middle LII
, of high honor and an old age of charit
, and faith and hope-people whom it j
good to know, people who show into wha
rich coinage the rough ore of human natur
can be minted. How is their triumph a,
counted for? By the fact that if life ha
its scenes of trial, life has also it source
Of strength in which to endure and trump
: over the trials.
After all, if you will think about it. th
! life is a scene Of compensations. On th
: whole, "these things" are balanced B
other things. On the whole, life is not s
bad as we were taught to expect it: th
: fears. of pessimism are not realized b
healthy men; our young fears were large
than the experienced facts "Oh! Yes.
, said colored woman, Il have had gres5
: many troubles in my life, most of whic
never happened" When they do hapne
we find that there have been compensa tin
preparations in which to meet them.
nature smites the Norway and the Orego
pine trees with its north winds it ia1
4 the protecting moss on that side of II
tree. If nature allures the animal to II
) Arctic it wraps and haus it in f,lrs. Ma
al is not neglected in this distribution {