The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1905-06-15
Theme; Serving Ones Generation
BY the Will Of God.
BY REV. J. U. BROWN.

will of God, fell asleep, aud was laid
unto his fathers and saw corruption" "
This text is chosen tor foundation
npon which to base the discourse OF the
hour, because 1t contains fine express
ion. The word .'serve," as here used,
is one of the noblest words in our Ian
guage. There ia in it no suggestion Of
slavery or servitude, nothing contrary
to highest independence and freedom.
There is a humilating meaning of the
word which, thank God for the pro-
gress and freedom among men, is be-
coming more and more its subordinate
and incidental meaning. In that sense
it means to he slave of another, TO
work at his dictation and in his inter.
est; and because another man has no
right to such authority over us, and
when some impulse or appetite or hab-
it of our own that is opposed TO our
true interests yet secures control of us,
that also is called servitude. This is
even more humiliating and degrad4
ing slavery than even to serve tyrant
or stakeholder.
THE TRUE LIFE.
Notice the true life is life Of service.
Tn the nobler sense of the word, to
serve others is to promote their inter-
eats in any way he can. 1t is to con-
tribute TO their well being in every de-
partment of their nature, physical, in.
telIectual and moral. 1t is to aid
others by cooperating in their efforts,
or by showing them the kindness and
sympathy which increase their power
to but forth efforts. This is the high
eat form Of lie, the most perfect life
ever lived on earth is thus described ::
"The son OF man came not TO be min
islered unto but to minister"
There are three desires that easily
become inordinaie, and they are opposed
to this ruling principle OF loving SER
vice to others. These are the desires
of ..pleasure," )" "wealth" and "power." :"
l do not counsel you to despise any en-
joyment that comes naturally to one
who is pure and unselfisb and earnest.
| do not counsel you to reject any
measure of power you may have over
others by your learning and character
and energy, but rather TO seek such
power. | do not counsel you to be
careless in regard to honorable provis-
ions TO your natural wants, but rather
to let industry and economy have a
larger share in your lives than they
have in thousands. But while these
desires are not to be eradicated from
the soul they are not to sway the soul.
: / warn you not to permit tliem.in yonr
case to become the speckled panther,
the hungry mad lion and the ravenous
she-wolf that drove Dante ''from the
sunlighted mountain into the dark
valley. (" Every good lite extends its
nseiulness inte future years. But those
lives which are longest remembered and
which set in motion the longest and
strongest and swiitest streams OF power
TO ponr Onward through the fnture are
vet lives that were most fully occu-
ried with the interest and duties OF the
present. Did not Jesus know that the
grander aspect Of his work would only
begin when he had withdrawn from the
field Of labor. and yet did he not sur
prise his friends with his untiring en-
ergy which he put into the immediate
service of those around him? And did
he not justify his strenuous and appar-
antly hasty work by saying 81 must
work the works of Him who sent me
while It's day, for the night cometi
when no man can work"
The only life that is fit to be pro-
longed into the future of the life of gen
erations here on earth, the only lift
that can be 70 prolonged, is the lite
that is brimfuii OF loving service to thu
living present. 1t we permit ourselves
to le dead on our feet we shall soon b'
doubly dead under the daisies.
OUR OPPORTUNITY FOR SERVICE Il
LIMITED.
Our opportunity for service IS limit
ed in space as we'll ms in time. W.
must perform our service in restricted
locality among limited number of as
sociates. No person can come into as
ISOLATION with oil those of his own age
Some are known by larger number ant
have influence over larger number
than others. This is due to an unusua
talent for writing or for public speak
ing or to an unusually prominent po
sition in business or public life, &t
To have large circle of acquaintan
ces, to he widely known and to have
great influence over the thoughts an
conduct Of others, is very great an
very desirable thing, but to do pre-
found and permanent and expansiv
work in a marrow sphere is a highe
object OF ambition, tor "Not by gettill
but by serving do men and women bC
come truly great" Thousands
school boys in England have travele
more widely than Alfred the Gsea
Washington and Lincoln were new
outside our country. The great mon
arch named in the text, David, WI
never but few score miles from Il