The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1904-04-20
"TRIBULATION"
4 Brilliant Sunday Sermon By Rev. L.
II. CaSwell.
A Pathetic Figure In the .Shally Youth
cuddIed 10 Luxury and Shrinking From
Lies Comfort.


mon. in the Tabernacle NJ. l.. Church,
Greenpoint, the pastor, the Rev. Lincoln
Hollister Caswell, took as his subject "a
Little Inquiry Into Tribuation" The
text was from Romans v: 5: But we
glory in tribulations." Mr.. Caswel said:
Unto each the ever recurring questions
come. Whence the mission of adversely:
Why the existence of trouble? Do pain
aud pleasure proceed from kindred laws!
How is it that while our earth in its orbit
keeps symphony with the host of heaven,
it yet bears the undertone OF anguish in
its bosom?
snail we answer by impeachng Infinite
justice, by declaring the tryranny OF pain.
by asserting the bondage of suffering?
Not so, But rather i'D..re for the mission
OF trouble and learn the utility of advers.
ty. 1t is clear to the student OF ethics
that there is an unknown quantity in the
formula of suffering. In this question X
equals life--life of service or of dleness.
Of force or of weakness; or grand or of
mean proportions. Adversely either makes
or ruins man. his individual character
alone determining whether he shall be
crushed or exalted. Opposing forces slim
ulate to heroic action. A man may choose
to dwell in luxury but he must do so at
the expense OF the stronger forces of char
acier. 1t is''hard to endure pain, it is
far harder to resist ease, but by resisting
and by enduring are wrought out those
princely qualities which are attributes OF
the ideal man. And so we are placed amid
forces. rude and contrary. that we may
gain the glory of breaking and bridling
them. II nature and environment should
bei1lend and never oppose, crafty and
never grieve, satisfy and never smite, life
would become immeasurably less noble.
1T is not uncommon to think that suf.
tering. as well as SIM comes fleet footed
from Tartarus, whereas, suffering is not
dependent upon sin. There is ministry
OF suffering. but there can never be a min
istTy of evil. Is hatred the cause of love;
revenge OF forgiveness; seltishness OF gen
erosity; vice of virtue? Humility is not
the daughter of pride. nor is error the
propagator of truth IL is not true for
man to hold that because he has sinned
he is capable OF reaching a higher holiness.
Give not evil the credit of befriending hu.
mapity. Sin alienates debases, ruins. Be.
hold how suffering rise above evil! Evil
is infamous; suffering may be glorious.
Evil merits antipathy; suffering often de-
serves praise. Evil swears fealty to the
internal; suffering never. but repeatedly
vows allegiance to the Infinite. To punish
evil is sufferings smallest province. 1t
exists for higher purpose than retribu-
tion-for stimulating, educating, atoning
purpose so that Affections are but the
shadows of Gods wings
Upon material things a literature is
written. Read it! 1t tells of strife, strug-
gle, contention. The law of dissolution CO.
operates with the law of growth The
rock dies that the vegetable may live; the
plant withers that the animal may grow;
the body decays that the spirit may ex-
pand eternally. Counter forces make the
life Of the universe. The meteor CLEANS
because of resistance; the sbimmcring con-
stela.ions that glow upon the brow of
night are but fire balls from the furnace of
the sun; light itself. resplendent and vi
onism and chemical conflict. Adversely
enters into the very nature of things.
Earth's living forms once slumbered in the
granite rock, and would still have slum-
bered but for adverse forces active with
in. Chemicals were there to disintegrate,
earthquakes to shatter, fires to fuse. ga-
ciers to grind. There were corrodings.
consumings, erosions, decayings, wither-
ings and washing until the solid granite
uniolded its treasures to make possible
organic life.
What mean the expressions, natural
selection, struggle for existence Sur
Viva of the fittest?" They indicate that
all life is an extended conflict, where each
order preys upon the next below and grap-
pies with the next above for mastery.
The life of nations is no exception to
this law. Civilization NAV boast of her
attainments, but revolt and revolution are
the arbiters for her progress. She may ex-
turmoil, violence, bloodshed cry out, eve
are factors in thy prosperity"
What people were more oppressed than
the ancient Hebrews. Rameses enslaved
them in Egypt, hardship harassed them
IN the wilderness; the Land OF Promise
shock of battle. That was the nation
buifeted, defeated, tried--that became the
safe depository of truth and gave to the
world as its consummate flower Diety In
carnate.
What has been the discipline by which
our own nation has attained its present
strength! It had indeed a wonderful pa
rentage. The brave little Netherlander
whom the Council of Blood, the Inquisi-
ton and the Holy See could not down;
the glorious Huguenot fresh from hearing
The blood cries of St. Bartholomew; the
sturdy, psalmsinging Puritan who wrung
Magma, Charta from John. who served
Hampden to resist the king, who animated
Cromwell and his Ironsides at Marston
Moor and Naseby, who taught Vane how
10 die, who struggled amid overwhelming
forces for religious liberty; these, whom
The American is proud to own as worthy
ancestors, are all sons OF hardship and en-.
battle. Thus out Of milleniums of struggle
with the myriadheaded hydra of persecu'
tlon arises the America of to-day. The ma
lions birth was marked by pain. Speak,
ye noble slain OF Bunker Hill! Ye patriots
clashing arms with an alien foe! Shout,
ye pallid lips OF the blood stained snow OF
Valley Forge! And tell us that freedom is
gained by devotion to DEATH that liberty
rides triumphant over a road macadamized
by the bones of its devotees; tell us that
the advancing stages of national life are
heralded by conflict and hastened by the
presence OF martyr host!
Passing into the realm of the intellec.
tual 1t ls found that the powar of inpisiyp
intellect IS purchased with the hard coin
OF struggle. The product OF genius is
dearly bought. No pioneer of philosophy,
or science, or religion ever blazed his way
through untrod forests who was not con
tronted by poverty, prejudice or ] ardshps
lnnumerable. Not in courts OF ease; not
IN rich classic halls; not in the midst OF
lame and loud huzzas are deepest emotion
engendered, rarest truths found nor sub
Iimest conceptions begotten. From cup
OF hemlock in Athens; from the cross in
Jerusalem; from an apostles dungeon al
Rome; from the chamber of a blind bard
IN London have come the thoughts that
have swayed the world
Why is the sacred page SO filled with
tenderness, pathos and comfort! 1t was
not written with golden pen in an easy
char, in scholastic library. For ink,
there were tears of a multitude of weepers
For pens, there were fishermen, shep.
herds, bedouins of the desert, slaves, CON
vlcts and martyrs. For Libraries, there
were desolate rocks, caverns, mountain
sides, sea shores and prison walls. Out Of
such harsh and unfayorable conditions
came the volumn which through all the
years has been coveted by the bereaved,
sought by the lonely loved nv the trou.