The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1904-04-22
A SERMON FOR SUNDAY
AN INTERESTING DISCOURSE BY The
REV. l. II. cssWEll.
Subject a Little Inquiry Into Tribuis-
lation " A Pathetic Figure IL the
shiliy-shaiiy Youth Cuddled in Luxury
and shrinking From LIES Combat.

u
and shrinking From Life's Combat.
BROOKLYN, Y. Y-For ms Sunday ser.
mon. IN the Tabernacle NJ. r. Church.
Gree npoint, the pastor, tne Rev. Lincoln
Hollister Caswell, took a. he subject A
Little Inquiry Into Tubula,ion.' The
text was from Romans v. 8: But we
glory in tribulations." Mr.. Caswell said:
Unto each the ever recurring questions
come. Whence the mission OF adversityg ?
Why the existence of trouble Do PAIN
and pleasure proceed from kindred laws ?
How is II that while our earth IN its orbit
keeps symphony with the host of heaven, J.,
II yet bears the undertone of anguish in
ats bosom?
saall we answer by impeaching Infinite
justice. by declaring the Tyranny Of pam.
by asserting the bondage of suffering?
Not so. But rather lIo&.re for the mission
OF trouble and learn the utility Of adversi-
ty. IL Is clear 10 the student of ethics
that there Is an unknown quantity IN the
formula OF suffering. In this question Y
equals lte-lfe OF service or of idieness;
OF force or OF weakness; or grand or Of
mean proportions. Adversely either makes
or runs man, has individual character
alone determining whether he shall be
crushed or exalted. Opposing forces stim-
ulate 10 heroic action. \ man may choose
TO dwell IN luxury, but he must DO SO at
the expense of the stronger forces of char
acter. Ii is hard 10 endure pain. 1t is
far harder 10 resist ease, bat by resisting
and by enduring are wrought out those
prlncely qualities which are attributes of
the ideal man. And so we are placed amid
forces. rude and contrary, that we may
gam the glory Of breaking and bridhng
them. II nature and environment should
beiriend and never oppose, crafty and
never grleve, satisfy and never smlte. life
would become immeasurably less noble.
1t Is not uncommon 70 think that suf-
ferng. as well az SIN, comes feet footed
from Iartarus, whereas, suffering Is not
dependent upon sin. There is a ministry
oi suffering, but there can never be a min
lstry OF evil. Is hatred the cause of love;
revenge OF forgiveness, selhshness Of gen
erosIty; vice OF virtue? Humility Is not
the daughter of pride, nor is error the
propaPator of truth. IL is no; true for
man TO hold that because he has sinned
he Is capable of reaching a higher holiness.
GIVE not evil the credit of befriendng hu-
nanity. Sin alienates debases. RUNS Be
hold how suffering rise above evil! Evil
ls 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 sufierlngs smallest province. Ii
exists for a higher purpose than retrihu-
uon-for stimulating, educating, atoning
purpose so that Affections are but the
shadows Of Gods wings"
Upon material things n literature is
written Read At Ii tells of strife. strug-
gle, contention. The law OF dissolution CO.
operates with the law of growth The
rock dies that the vegetable may hive; 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 shimmering CON
steiatlons that glow upon the brow of
night are but fire balls from the furnace of
the sun; light itself, resplendent and vi
tali2ing, comes from combustion, antag-
onlsm and chemical conflict. Adversely
enters INTO the very nature of things
Earth's living forms once slumberod in the
granite rock. and would still have slum-
hcred but for adverse forces active with
in Chemicals were there 10 d.sintegrate
earthquakes 10 shatter, fires to fuse. gla
ciers to grind. There were corrodngs
consumings, erosions, decavngs wither
lngs and washing until the solid granite
unfolded ITS treasures to make possible
organic life.
What mean the expressions, natural
selection. struggle for existence" Sur
vival Of the fttest" They indicate that
all life IS an extended conflict, where each
order preys upon the next below and crap
pies with the next above for mastery.
The life of nations Is no exception TO
tins law. Civilization NAV boast Of her
attainments, but revolt and revolution are
the arbters for her progress. She may ex-
ult in the evolution of government" hut
turmoil, violence bloodshed cry out, 1--WE
are factors in thy prosperity"
What people were more oppressed than
the ancient Hebrews? Rameses onslayed
them in Egypt. hardship harasscd them
IN the wilderness; the Land Of Promise
pledged but little more than shock on
shock Of battle. That was the nation
bufieted. defeated, tried-that became the
sale depository of truth, and gave TO the
world as its consummate flower Dicty In
Carnate.
What has been the discipline Iy which
our own nation has attained It's present
strength? II had indeed a wonderful pa
rentage. The brave little Netherlander
whom the Council Of Blood. the Inuuisi-
tIon and the Holy See could not down;
the glorious Huguenot fresh from hearing
the blood cries of 81. Bartholomew; the
sturdy, psalm-sinClng Puritan who wrung
Magma Charta from John who served
Iampden TO resist the king, who animated
Cromwell and his Ironsides at Marston
Moor and Naseby, who taught Nane how
TO die, who struggled amid overwhelming
forces FOR religious liberty; these whom
the American is proud 70 own az worthy
ancestors, are all sons OF hardship and en-
durance. conquerors in the nobler fields of
battle. Thus out Of mieniums OF struggle |
with the myriad headed hydra of persecu-
ton arises the America OF to-day The ma |
tiou's birth was marked bv PAIN. Speak, |
yc noble slain Of Bunker Hilll Ge patriots |
clashng 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 10 death; that liberty |
rides triumphant over a road maCadamized |
the advancing stages Of national life are |
heralded by conflict and hastened by the |
presence Of a martyr hostl
Passing into the realm Of the intellec- |
tual IT ls found that the power of Incisive |
intellect II purchased with the hard coin |
of struggle. The product ot genius ~
dearly bought. No pioneer Of philosophy. |
or science, or religion ever bazed hr way |
through untTod forests who was not con
fronted by poverty, prejudice or 1rdships |
Not IN courts Of case not |
in rich classic halls not IN the midst of |
fame and loud huzzas are deepest emotion |
engendered. rarest truths found nor sub
lImest conceptions begotten. From a cup 1
Of hemlock IN Athens, from the cross IN
Jerusalem: from an apostles dungeon at
Rome from the chamber Of blind bard
IN London have come the thoughts that
have swayed the world
Why ls the sacred page go filed with !
tenderness pathos and comfort IL was
not written with golden pen IN an easy
chair, IN a scholastic library. For ink, |
there were tears OF a multitude of wecpers.
For mems there were fishermen sbep- |