Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1905-10-26

popular applause is sometimes given
without discriminating closely all that
enters into it. We are impulsive and
given to thinking that the feeting and
evanescent are to be permanent. Many
an one has been called blessed for
what he has done and yet in after
years, the memory did not survive.
1t is the lasting memory of which my
text speaks. The blessedness of the
hour need not take our thought for
even one little space. I'VE turn then
to the true blessedness. And this
must ever connect itself with the i'm
mortal soul, and with the influence of
that soul over his fellow men. 1t can
not depend upon the applause of those
who have seen and known him alone,
but must grow out of the influence OF
life that has been his pattern. In
other words, the truly blessed mem
DRY is blessed because it reflects a
power not his own. 1t was this that.
shone out most prominently in the
lives of those who were the Apostles
and Disciples of our Lord. They did
not shine alone by the light of their
own glory, tho they were by no means
men of insignifcanee. The census of
history has awarded to those men a
power that is and has been unique,
but they contended that it was not by
their power or their greatness that
they did what they did. One of them
said, I'VE are men of like passions
with you," and another said, Il my
self am also a man. When one of
their converts asked for the power
which they exercised he was given to
understand that he had neither part
nor lot in this matter He did not
reach up to the measure of the true
work and power of Jesus Christ And
now when we come to study the power
of a blessed memory, it must be sought
and found in that same place. HUI
man wisdom and human greatness
may reflect their own brightness, but
the memory will only be blessed as it
lifts other lives into the same fell
lowship with itself in Christ Jesus. In
Him the true blessedness will be
found as one comes to reveal what
He has done for that soul And when
we look back now over our memories,
there is an inspiration for us just in
proportion as we trace the Christ in
the memory. It would be very pre-
church pulpit and proclaim the great
ness or the nobleness of an individual,
but it is only right and proper to ex-
alt the power of our Lord as it has
been shown in the life that is for us
but a memory. / am not disposed to
give up another thought in connection
with the blessed memory to which |
am asking you to see with me this
and for long time fellow workers in
the Masters field Well do | recall
the earnest and arduouS work which
he did here after he had worked in his
chosen field in yonder university For
most strong men, that would have
been enough but for him, there was
ever the longing to show forth the love
that he knew and felt And when |
most men would have accepted the de- |
cision of his medical advisers and wait |
for the end, he went forward in ex-
ercising his ministry Strong until |
the last, he left a memory of persey-
erance and work for his Master, which |
we now hold as most blessed mem
DRY. His work is not done, altho' he
sleeps. As he inspires us to greater |
zeal and energy, we recall a blessed |
memory that draws us nearer to the |
same strength that he had And in |
that Divine Power we may 60 from
strength to strength doing the will not |
our own but of the Christ.
This blessedness is for us ever to |
be an incentive to rouse us up to draw |
ever fuller drafts Of the Divine Pow |
er which alone will give us the ability |
TO see the blessHdness of the memory |