Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-08-26

was because. as he said: Everything ]
ever saw or did l ground up into the
mental grist for my sermons. was
born preacher and can do nothing else
but preach When L. s. Grant drew
his sword IS commander Of the Ameri.
can armies. he carved out for himself
one of the greatest names I'm American
history. but L. s. Grant made n failure
at everything on earth lie ever attempt.
cd except the vocation of a soldier
Many soldier has been failure as 2
statesman: many statesman has
proved his utter iacapacity when he
tried TO command M army
Becchcr and Ills Father.
The limitations OF brain power can be
well Illustrated 10y comparing the men,
tai makeup of Henry Ward BeecheT
with that of his illustrious father. I.y-
man Beechcr. one OF the greatest cccle-
siastical leaders of ms day. The IA
nous pastor of Plymouth pulpit was In
every sense u prose poet lie spoke. he
thought. he lived. in symbol ANA pictur.
esque vcrbiage. The sOnsS of the birds.
the beautiful wartlroi.e.; of the flowers.
the auhmnal sun.T-# The bccl.ivcs. the
snow banks, tie muruiuring biookS-all
had 10 him message. Lyman Bcccher
was made OF angular Puritan granite.
lie was In every sense Il lo.ician and n
polcmic. Like John Calhoun. hc was
skillful in argument. Grant his simnle
premises. ana you mast grant his con.
cluSions. He appealed ~ ~ the
brain as gray matter and not 10 the mr.
tistic sentiments.
1t was great source OF sorrow to
Henry Ward BECKER that his father
never loved nature as he loved IL.
Lyman Beecher loved to hunt. He
loved the woods for game. but not for
the flowers. He never loved flowers rs
flowers. Facts always had to be pre-
scented to him as bare. unbreakable
rocks, and not as rocks clothed In gar
ments Of green and in Joseph's coats
OF mapy floral colors. One day, much
20 HeHry Ward Beecher's surprise. he
saw his father standing before n beau
tiful picture. II was IL hunting scene
but the son priced ii for the beautiful
colors such as pre always found In the
retreat of the woods, "Ah," said Henry
Ward Beecher. father Is ut last learn
ting to love patureT" lie stepped up to
the side OF the old man and said, "Fa.
Their how do you like the picture?
What do you like about 1t mostT
"Wel, Henry" said the old man. 81
was studying that picture to see wheth.
CT the artist had aimed that gun right.
NRS / fhinlr fhof n
rabbit. l think he will. think he
will" "Ah, father" said Henry Ward.
"can you not see anything more In
that picture than cruel man shedding
the blood of an innocent. playful rab-
bit?'
No, Henry Ward Beecher's mind and
Lyman Beechers mind were cast I'm
different molds. They both had thel.
limitations. What one could do i'm n
mental way the other could not do.
though both OF those brains belonged
TO the master minds OF the last CEN
fury Now. as we all have our phys
ical limitations. IL IL PROFESSIONALLY un-
just for us to complain because wo
also have our spiritual limitations? II
the only way to cross the Atlantic or
the Pacific is In n steamship or sail
ing craft. Is II not absurd for us 10
complain because we have TO sail over
the great sea Of eternity In gospel
lifeboat?
II tte United States government
compels us TO obey certain social laws.
enacted upon the statute books by tho
dictates OF its own national leyisla-
tors, is 1t unjust for God to declare
that when we surrender our hearts to
him we should come TO him in his
way aud not In ours? IL we have our
meptal limitations and only I'm n fee
BILE and incomplete way can grasp the
Infinite thought OF God, are we not
foolish in setting up ourselves as
judges and critics OF his methods?
ought we not rather TO accept his
plans ana humbly to submit ourselves
to his ruleg That il the way TO true
freedom. When we accept the truth
that he has revealed 10 us and give
ourselves TO his guidance. we learn by
experience that the truth makes us
free. The finite mind yields TO the
Infinite and grows into its true develop
ment. Therefore shall we not today
yield our minds and hearts to the SUI
premacy OF Gods VIII, whose
thoughts are not our thoughts and
whose ways arc not our waysr'
Limitations OF Freedom.
true freedom always has its llmita-
lions. The Christian life. too. Inns its
riGhtful limitations. Christ said. Il am
the way, the truth and the life; no man
coMeth unto the Father but by me-"
There is only one way 10 God. one
door. one true life. But AFTER we have
once entered through that open door
then We are free. Aye, we may become
and eternally free. Is
not my text right when IL SAYS. "In
CHRIST the truth shall make you free =,
Ihe freedom he gives Is the freedom
Irolh sin' the freedom from punish
nent, but that freedom, like all others
AN be obtained only by submitting to
christs rule. In one way nlone can
we gain that freedom. and that IL nv
ne way OF the cross. In his service
$ endless JOY and pleasures for ever
more.
My brother, my sister. are You ready
% let the truth make you free? In
lntebelium days there was a beautiful
scene enacted in one OF the southern
save markets. \ young black girl
stood upon the auction block and was
'eng sold TO the highest bidder. Roueh
men were trying TO buy her for evil
purposes. but in that group of by
SANDERS was a Christian gentleman
Holding by the hand his own young
The young girls heart went |
'ut Tor the sufferings Of her black sis |
r. and she persuaded her father To |
the slave. Higher and higher
vent the price. but at last the Chris
Ian gentleman bought the young slave.
When the black girl was handed over
her new master he said: MARY. |
'ought you for my daughters sake
now give you your papers OF freedom
lou can go where and when Won