The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1904-04-15

ana lcN lntUahits MOST majestic aEe kne
achievements Of intellect.
Greek tragedy tells Us how King Edipus
at the close of life heard eTy-a strange,
weird. lmperlous summons far OF, vet
near. in some distant world, yet close az
hand; a voice that drew like gravitatlon:
60 does every man. IN virtue OF that royal
nature which allies him with heavens
throne. hear az times Just such cry re-
sounding from some distant sphere. even
from that spirit realm which rs has true
fatherland, yet near, within his very soul,
that beckons him 10 his highest destiny.
oh soul of man, awake. awake. shake
off the chains OF spiritual slumber aud
sloth. Escape the earth bound life. Heav.
en-born and heaven-aspirlng. hive tor Godl'
The Hndoo palace echoed with that crv,
and Buddha swept out 10 brood IN the VIII
derness depths over IT'S mysterious mean.
ing. Those accents ioated over the land
Of Pallas Athene, and in academy and por'
tico there gathered groups of thinkers shat
sought 10 follow It's leading as the wise
men followed the Orient star. Every
dweller in Christian lands hears that cry
more plainly. Ii Is borne TO him IN the
quiet peacefulness Of the sabbath that
whispers 10 ms toll-worn spirit OF that rest
that remaineth when the toll OF this work.
aday world is done. IL comes 20 hm from
the open church door that tells him Of a
home shelter for ms storm-beaten soul. IL
speaks 10 him from the Scripture. where u
syllables the splendors OF the Christ, and
declares that such u the glorious image
which God has planned 10 reproduce IN
him now sullied and sickened with sin.
But where. IN all the ages rs the man that
girding himself at this signal call has won
IN the race for holiness Are we not some
times glad that thoughts are not audlbeF
that motives are not visible! that we are
not breastplated with transparent glass,
through which the workings Of the inner
life might lie oDen 10 the curious eve!
Are We not glad that 1t is something's
function of language 20 conceal, as wen as
10 convey Thought II our struggles after
holiness he as honest hearted as that OF
the old pagan seekers after God, we VIII
unhesitatingly echo their sad avowal,
voiced hy one of that highsouled but dis
couraged company, j approve the better
courses. but | follow the worst And II
our own hearts. sin-darkened and SIN
warped, condemn Us, how can we meet the
scrutiny of Him who j. greater than our
hearts and knoweth all thingsE
"If thou oontendest with the footmen,
and they weary thee, how canst thou con-
tend with horses" There is but one
method Ivy which this problem of the He
brew prophet can be wrought out TO an
encouraging solution. Let ITS terms be IN.
verted. Read the formula backward. If
the horsemen could be conquered first, who
would waste n thought upon iootmenF III
we could meet the mightlest foes and over
ride them there would ne little diihcuity
in outmatching lesser needs. IL we could
run with horses and outrun them, we
should shake the dust Of sandaled scorn
| in the face of the footmen. Such solu'
tion Us limited at in scripture. Turn the
| Bible page Put the apostle against the
Prophet Reply TO the challenge of Jere.
miah with the triumph shout OF Paul.
| Over against the impotenty OF man array
the sufficiency OF God and cry, we are
| conquerors, yea, more than conquerors
| through Him that loved US \ divine
hand extends TO us the crown which. un.
| assisted we are helpless 10 win. That
! helper of men needs no other name than a
| personal pronoun. The whole of His won
| drous story, the initial sentence of which
was written before the morning stars sang
! together the sequel of which shall remain
| to be written when THE sun ~ old, and
| the stars are cold and the leaves Of the
| Judgment book unfold" can be condensed
| into three words: He loved us Loved
US? Do YOU ask how did He display that
| love? There II green hill Tar away
without a city wall and there upon the
| death instrument of a slave His back iur'
rowed with the scourge, His brow bleed
| ing with the thorn crown, HIS side rent
I
| cross. wounded in body, broken OF heart.
! troubled IN spirit, IN agony, IN ignomlny
| in strange majesty. died the Christ. WHAT
| is the meaning of that spectacle which has
| so strangely fastened upon itself the gaze
| OF the nations? Was II theatrical DIS.
! play OF the divine estimate OF SIM was II
| an heroic winning OF the splendid crown oi
| martyrdom by an adherence 10 truth that
death could not shake? II 1t be no more
| than this. then that cross ~ Of little value
| TO a sinful world. and Jesus ~ OF little
| worth TO me The ignorant need teacher.
| The wandering need guide. The lost soul
needs a Saviour. Error can be reasoned
away. evil habit can be reformed away
| The stain OF sin can only be whltened by
| sacTlfcial blood.
can make money in the market place.
can obtain pleasure IN the playhouse.
| can win culture in the school room. But
| the remission OF my sins ] can secure only
upon Calvary. Christ IS the solitary Sa'
viour.
When the sin want is appeased all want
| il met When this is rghted all IL right.
! With the regal robes OF righteousness 90
| the sceptre OF power and the diadem oil
peace Bring the matter to test OF a
personal experience and see II IT Is not 20,
| and imagine that every one IN tins assem-
| hly was a Christian; that each one oi us
began =
| You 20 forth tomorrow morning, your
| heart aelow with a brighter splendor than
| the glory bath with which sunrise floods
the earth The light Of the knowledge OF
| the glory of God "a II shines IN the face OF
| Christ" You 90 down town, not knowing
what the hours may be bringing TO meet
| Won. Every footstcp carries You INTO
realm untrodden. Every clock tick SWINGS
YOU into a mysterious future. But YOU
know
! Jesus died for you; that God loves you ;
! that. as far an the setting OF the sun ~
from the rising. so far has your SIN been
carried away from you Toll begins. jesus
worked Trial approaches. Jesus sui-
fered Your truest words are twisted,
your noblest acts are mIslnterpreted, Tor
xour manifest endeavOrs mean motives are
suggested Jesus drank the same bitter
cup he vino told Capernaum fisher iolk
10 launch out and cast net calls you 20
take up the pen or the plane on the yard
stick or the needle OF the loom. lie who
aid 20 Peter Feed NY lambs" has said 20
you: ''srt by the cradie+Ide and DO nurs-
erv work" He who card 10 Matthew
Take up the cross and follow Me has
sad to you. Come after Ne INTO the lone
lv pavilion OF pain, keep midnight Figu
with Ne in the shadowed paths OF Geth-
semane." Eyeuingiid draws on. Home
shelter bsckops 10 res- fIresIce reunions,
with their heart deep satisiactiOns. whisper
To you of another home that waits BEYOND
the toll Of earth Empty chars and van
isbed face. stir your heart with the glor-
lous certainty that the Saviour - placing
chair for Won where the home circle q
forming. never to be broken. 30 life OF
work resolves itself into his oi worship.
So the days. with ever quicfening step;
sLal hasten bv 30 the BIg0t time shalI
draw on apsce And the lenr'hening OF
Tho shadows and the waning ot the light