Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1904-06-01

OSs - w vi2t tue silent cities
OF the dead. and pause before the rows
upon rows Of grassy mounds under which
rest the bodies OF those who poured out
their lives for the nation. we ask: Was
this great and precious sacrifice made for
national unity alone? And as we ponder
over the question there comes back the
answer: Nay. il was more than ma.
tional unity. II was nation being pursed
from Its sin-the sin Of slavery and op-
preston.
BENEATH the soil Of the nation rest,
- the sacred dust of her Defenders
iheir lives have been lived. their mis-.
sion wrought out. their duty accom-
phshed, and succeeding generations
nave moved upon the scene OF the ma
.iohai lie and maintained and CON.
nrmed and intensified that which the
nauons heroes achieved. Their part
Is 10 be the cloud OF witnesses for the
nation. our part, who live and remen.
Der the deeds which have made their
memories glorious. is to feel the thrill
Vi inspiration from the past. and to
resoiutely and bravely assume the obi.
gauon OF the present. Those who once
were the heroic actors upon the scene
OF life have passed away. How the
Memorial day reminds the nation Of
this. They are no longer the strong
arms OF the nation. and the loyal
hearts, but they have become the spec.
tators OF the national drama and are
watching the living actors to see the
part they play. The figure which Paul
gives us In our text Is OF the Roman
arena. About on every side in the
seats or the spectators Is the cloud of
witnesses. In the past years they had
run in the arena OF life and achieved
nightly for truth and Righteousness
Now others have taken their places.
ana they are watching with intense
and absorbed interest to see how they
III turn VIII run. 1t is an inspiring
picture. And appropriating the
thought for the nation. here Is its
great cloud of witnesses. How we'll
they have run the race OF life. How
nightly they have wrought the ma.
tons deliverance and given II the
promise OF a glorious destiny. And
now, having passed up above into this
place OF the spectator-the cloud of wit.
hesses-they are watching you and me
10 see how we will run. They are look
Ing to discover how the sacred trust
imposed upon us is being discharged
I INSPIRATION comes to us from ths
past. and the present brings its sacred
and precious obligations. What that
inspiration . Wa kpnuy W.
remember the glorious deeds and brave
lNes winch have made this nation what
IL Is to-day. What that obligation Is
must In large measure be determined
by the individual FOR himself. Our text
furnishes suggestion as to what thai
obligation in its general bearing is. Law
aside every weight and the sin that doth
so easily beset you, and run with pa-
thence the race that is set before YOU.
faul urges. The athlete contending for
the prize is before Paul's vision. He
sees him strip for the contest He sees
him lay aside everything that might
hinder him in running; yea. and for DAYS
and weeks previous to the contest he
knows that that runner has kept him.
self from every indulgence which would
nerve and will of their power to hold
him steadily and earnestly to his task.
And he knows, also, that that runner
does not expect to win the race at ono
bound but that he is going to patiently
keep his feet treading the arenas path
until the goal is reached All thesewer
the obligations which rested upon that
contending athlete, and there are obli-
cations resting upon every patriotic son
OF this great nation. The obligation to
lay aside every weight To put away
the sin that so easily besets one and
honeycombs the life with weakness and
disease. To patiently pursue the course
laid out before him until the goal is
reached. What are some Of the weights
which may hinder you and me running
well for the nations good?
EIRST of all, l think we may put
selfshness as the greatest weight
which the individual and the nation is
carrying From IT arise a myriad OF
other evils, positive In their nature and
destructive in their tendencies. IL is
selfshness which establishes the liquor
man in business; 1t is sel1shness which
brings monopolistic and Industrial op-
preston; 1t is selfishness which makes
every man a seeker of his own pleasure.
gratifier OF his own appetites and
lusts. and an Indifferent witness to the
evil and wrongs and suffering about
him. Selfishness stiles true manhood.
1t destroys loyal. faithful citizenship, il
paves the way for corruption and crime
Analyze the great perils and the great
evils Of the day. and see II they do not
have their root in selishness. II was
selfishness (the supreme thought of self
and what self wanted) which brought
sin into the world and 1t is selhshness
which keeps sin steadily at its awfu,
task of running mems lives and de.
stroying their souls But TO seecialize