The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1904-07-15

the elcry that raall We. be revealed, Only
by finding the way of God, and beine
caught up in the mighty sweep Of His own
purposes. Here Is a vessel longing for her
port, and the wind is blowing favorably
above. But she does not move, she cannot
move ull men shall run up the sails and
they shall catch the wind, And then the
ship that has lain like a hfe.ess thing be
comes a thing Of life and hurries on her
way. And so IL seems that the time Is
come when the crises OF history are hinged
upon the work of man. The gospel for
instance, has been committed 20 the hands
OF men. And, as understand IL, the sec.
ond text cannot he fulhlled till this gospel
Of the kingdom Is preached In all the earth,
] dwell upon the subject Of unfinished
things, because u gives 20 US an interpre-
tAtion that enhances the value OF hie. One
thinks Of his own life IN comparison with
the eircline orhs, and says II Is an unim-
portant thing. IL Is not useful, II inhu.
enees no one. Why keep, up this awful
struggle with heat and cold. and pain and
privations Why strive 20 do better! Why
not GO with the tide that sweeps away 20
the dark The real danger Is not that we
shall think too much OF ourselves, but that
we shall count our lives as worthless
things. We cannot afford 20 lose sight OF
the place we hold IN the purposes OF God.
A mans life taken by vself is an insiguifi'
part OF a great whole II becomes OF infinite
value. II is as vast as all the schemes OF
which il is the part. This Is an instance
where the part is as large as the whole.
In his college sermons DR.. Peabody uses
beautiful illustration of this very
thought. He refers 10 the two hundred
and tiftleth anniversary OF the founding OF
Harvard College. The students marched
in torchhght professions with Transparent
cies and banners. The freshman class,
then only one month Old, had this for their
motto: The university has waited 25O
wears for US" And that he saws was
profound truth. All the institutional life
had been slowly evolving for these light
hearted boys. and on their conduct now
rested the destiny OF the future j wonder
II Il IL possible that this very world has
been waiting for us. And II there are
some things yet unfulflled that are wait
ing for the way we use these days. IL so
that makes life vastly Insignificant. OF
course, IT does not mean that we shall he
notable, or great, or prominent. Not that
other generations shall know our names;
But that our little lives are OF eternal
meaning.
Mr.. +. B. Meyer has said some beautiful
things ] remember nearing him say one
time that we are Gods poem" Gods
workmanship. And you know that
poem is something very different from all
prose. IL contains thought That could
not be put IN prose. To paraphrase 1t is
to dull is beauty. II flashes the idea only
in that form, just as diamond gives that
gleam only from that side. SO we are
Gods poem! And poem. contains a
thought And TO express that thought
has meant 10 the writer great effort.
And every syllable is of valre. And so
with Gods poem. lie is working upon US
that in the ages to come He might show
forth the exceeding riches OF HIS grace.
Can any life be insigniheanty
Give no place, then, TO inibatence. God
made this world in the beginning, and 70
tins present He has sustained II by we'll
formed plan. The present finds us here.
What place shall we take IN this world of
unfinished things For myself i take
place of JOY and effort. and hope. ] reach
out lame hands OF faith for the way OF
God, and lift up voice that Is hall
prayer and half a shout, Even SO, come.
Lord Jesus"